New Electric Buses Lowered Operating Costs by 75 Percent

Every one of the 50 diesel and CNG buses in the Shreveport Area Transit System (SporTran) fleet costs about $40,000 per year in fuel and maintenance — a huge hit on fares and city funds — and limited the routes and services SporTran could offer its riders. But with the help of a grant, SporTran added five electric buses to its fleet, lowering their fuel and operating costs by 75 percent. To see how Shreveport, La., is driving toward a cleaner, healthier fleet, read this case study.