Region’s transit needs can not be met with electric buses: Report

A report from regional staff states that adding electric buses to Grand River Transit’s fleet will not meet the Region of Waterloo’s needs.

Neil Malcolm, Acting Director of Transit Services for Grand River Transit, told regional councillors “We don’t believe it’s possible to meet our current service level needs, and our next few years’ service needs, with electric buses.”

That’s due to multiple factors, including bus manufacturers’ output, and a lack of charging ability around the region’s bus depots. Currently, only the facility on Northfield Drive has the equipment to charge electric buses, which can take four hours per bus.

“Let’s look at all vehicle options again: diesel, hybrid, and electric,” Malcolm said.

He added, “It doesn’t mean we’re not going to buy more electric vehicles in the future…But we do need to look at what vehicles can we get, what vehicles are the manufacturers producing, and how can we get them in a timely fashion to make sure we can continue to deliver a certain level of service to a growing community that’s asking for more transit service.”

Malcolm explained that the staff recommendation for future GRT buses is to purchase hybrid buses instead of diesel.

A report with all these details was presented to regional councillors, Tuesday morning, at the Sustainability, Infrastructure, and Development Committee. It also includes glowing feedback for electric buses in terms of passenger comments for the quiet ride, and for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

But also concerns that an e-bus can only work 200 kilometres before needing a recharge, whereas a diesel bus can run all day.

E-buses currently run on Route 7 along King Street as a pilot project.

Malcolm told Cambridge councillor, Pam Wolff, e-buses can not serve Cambridge for now, because they can only charge up at the Northfield depot, and Cambridge is too far away to make it a viable option.

He adds that when the Cambridge depot gets an upgrade in the next ten years, e-buses could serve the city.

Wolf remarked that this meant more waiting.

Malcolm said if the fleet moves toward 60-foot articulated buses, those would have to be diesel.

The issue of e-buses for the GRT fleet will come up again at the Council level.