Columbia says the city’s six new electric buses are a cost-effective option.
Three of the new buses arrived in June and the other three arrived in July. Columbia Public Works spokesman John Ogan says the manufacturer’s cost for one of these electric buses is about $865,000. Mr. Ogan tells 939 the Eagle that thanks to low or no-emission grants from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the cost to Columbia was significantly reduced to about $173,000 per bus. Mr. Ogan says had the city decided to replace the aging fleet with new diesel buses, each diesel bus would have cost about $480,000, with no grants to offset the expense.
Ogan says that by opting for electric buses, Columbia has been able to modernize its GoCOMO fleet, support the aims of Columbia’s climate action and adaptation plan and minimize the financial burden to local taxpayers. Mr. Ogan also says the city expects lifetime cost savings by using electric vehicles instead of diesel.
