ARIZONA NEWS

Mountain Line in Flagstaff puts first electric, grant-funded bus into service

Apr 27, 2023, 4:05 AM

(Facebook Photo/Mountain Line) (Facebook Photo/Mountain Line) (Facebook Photo/Mountain Line) (Transportation Management and Design, Inc. Photo)

PHOENIX — Mountain Line in Flagstaff on Wednesday is debuting the first of its federally funded electric bus fleet.

The zero-emission Gillig Battery Electric Bus is the start of the service’s eventual transition to an all-electric fleet that will lower greenhouse gas emissions by 68% locally, according to a press release.

“Mountain Line’s transition to a zero-emission fleet is a critical component in achieving our community’s carbon neutrality goals,” Mountain Line CEO and general manager Heather Dalmolin said in the release.

“We remain committed to completing this transition in a fiscally responsible manner, monitoring new developments in the electric vehicle realm, and adapting our plans to best serve the Flagstaff community.”

A second electric bus is expected to debut later this year.

Mountain Line has also received federal funding to purchase four additional buses. More funding asks are expected to replace the existing hybrid-electric fleet as they reach the end of their use.

Mountain Line will also partner with utility Arizona Public Service to study how its electric vehicles interact with the grid and will share charging data for energy resource planning purposes.

The first electric bus will be on different routes across Flagstaff during its first week of service, with residents able to win prizes for posting it on social media.

Mountain Line operates fixed route bus service on nine routes, paratransit service, vanpool and seasonal service to Arizona Snowbowl.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

person holding phone...

KTAR.com

Maricopa County launches alert tool to help residents combat title fraud

Maricopa County recently launched Maricopa Title Alert, a free service to help county residents stay informed of document recordings and protect them against title fraud.

8 hours ago

The Valley is seeing more demand from data center developers that can't find space, land or power i...

Audrey Jensen/Phoenix Business Journal

Phoenix metro data center leasing on track to surpass 2022 levels

As more companies upgrade their technology, data center space has become limited across the country and has helped push Phoenix to the top tier of metro areas for new data center development in recent years.

8 hours ago

(Facebook Photo/ProteinHouse)...

KTAR.com

New health kitchen ProteinHouse owners seek to expand in Arizona

The Valley's three ProteinHouse locations are under new leadership that seeks to open more restaurants in the state.

8 hours ago

Photo provided by Arizona Department of Public Safety....

KTAR.com

Police seize over 200 pounds of fentanyl pills en route to Phoenix

Police seized approximately 230 pounds of fentanyl pills and 10 pounds of cocaine from a vehicle they stopped in southern Arizona on Friday.

1 day ago

(Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS...

Associated Press

US, allies clash with Russia, China over North Korea’s failed military spy satellite launch

The United States and its allies clashed with Russia and China on Friday over North Korea’s failed launch of a military spy satellite this week in violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.

1 day ago

(AP Photo/John Locher) Follow @KTAR923...

KTAR.com

Construction of apartment complex in Peoria to begin later this year

A Scottsdale-based real-estate development company has secured land in Peoria and plans to build an apartment complex.

1 day ago

Sponsored Articles

...

re:vitalize

Why drug-free weight loss still matters

Wanting to lose weight is a common goal for many people as they progress throughout life, but choosing between a holistic approach or to take medicine can be a tough decision.

(Photo: OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center)...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

Here’s what you need to know about OCD and where to find help

It's fair to say that most people know what obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders generally are, but there's a lot more information than meets the eye about a mental health diagnosis that affects about one in every 100 adults in the United States.

(Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona Photo)...

Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona

5 common causes for chronic neck pain

Neck pain can debilitate one’s daily routine, yet 80% of people experience it in their lives and 20%-50% deal with it annually.

Mountain Line in Flagstaff puts first electric, grant-funded bus into service