LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Tuesday was a big day for public transportation in Little Rock.
Rock Region METRO announced the addition of electric buses to its fleet, something city leaders said is a big step towards lowering Little Rock's carbon footprint.
“We've set on the course of a renewed 2030 plan," Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott said. "How we focus on more clean energy, how we focus on more sustainability."
Scott said Rock Region's electric buses help accomplish that environmental mission.
“We have to understand transportation insecurity, but also focus on how environmental issues are a burden to many of our citizens,” Scott said. “Ensuring that our people have every opportunity to be successful and every opportunity to be sustainable.”
Rock Region METRO stated that sustainability and lowering Little Rock's carbon footprint have been goals since 2015.
“We gathered in the same spot to celebrate our first alternative fuel vehicles," Rock Region METRO CEO Justin Avery said. "Our compressed natural gas, or CNG vehicles... made [Rock Region] METRO the first public transit agency in the state to have alternative fuel vehicles."
Avery said Rock Region METRO was able to add five electric buses faster than anticipated, which means they can start moving away from the use of diesel.
“When you think of public transit agencies across the nation," Avery said. "We're really a small to mid-sized agency, so having that opportunity to deploy infrastructure and technology like that is really special."
Avery hopes adding electric buses will encourage more people to use public transportation, primarily as they work to bounce back from the decline in riders seen during the pandemic.
“Ridership has increased significantly since 2020," Avery said. "We've recouped about 70-75% of our pre-pandemic ridership, which is trending above the national trends we're seeing."
The electric buses are undergoing final maintenance checks before they hit the road. Employees are also being trained on how to use them.
The electric buses will drive the following routes:
North Little Rock
- Route 10 McCain Mall
Little Rock
- Route 3 Baptist Medical Center
- Route 5 West Markham
- Route 8 Rodney Parham
- Route 14 Rosedale
- Routes 22 and 23 in Southwest Little Rock