In the not-too-distant future your Muni trip won’t use a drop of gasoline. Last week, the San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency (SFMTA) voted unanimously to replace the city's current buses with a fleet of brand-new electric coaches by 2035.
While SFMTA currently operates one of the largest fleets of zero emission vehicles in the nation, hybrid and diesel vehicles still make up roughly half of the city’s public transportation vehicles. As it stands right now, zero-emission vehicles account for 40 percent of city buses and trolleys.
“We are excited about the possibility that by 2035 we will be able to provide an all-electric fleet that won’t require overhead wires,” said Cheryl Brinkman, Chairman of the SFMTA Board of Directors. “As an agency, we have always been forward thinkers when it comes to greening our fleet and we will continue to take steps to test electric vehicles here in San Francisco to reach our goal."
The plan calls for the city to begin purchasing only electric vehicles in the next few years and retire the city’s last diesel buses to make room for the new eco-friendly fleet.
The decision is part of an ongoing campaign to make the city more eco-friendly. In addition to banning fur sales, plastic bags and potentially plastic straws this month, Mayor Mark Farrell committed San Francisco to net-zero greenhouse gas emission by 2050, a move that will eliminate the City’s carbon footprint.