Rochester City Council Approves Purchase of 4 Electric Buses

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At a meeting on Monday, the Rochester, Minnesota City Council approved the purchase of up to four electric buses to be used around the city and the charging equipment to go with it. Of course, these 60-foot buses will be for Rochester Public Transit. The buses are supposed to hit the streets of Rochester in the late fall of this year.

I'm excited about this step forward. I believe that electric vehicles are the future and so it'll be really cool to see these electric buses driving around Rochester streets, hopefully soon!

The question many people will naturally have is who is paying for these buses? Investments in renewable fuels and sustainable transit done by the City of Rochester are primarily funded by federal grants, according to ABC 6 News. Any other costs that aren't covered by these federal grants will be covered by Rochester Public Transit's operating fund balance.

Mayor Kim Norton is also excited for these electric buses to come to Rochester like I am. She said in a statement, "'This purchase is a big step towards a future in which renewable fuels will play a bigger role in public transit in Rochester.'" She also mentioned that making decisions like the one to purchase these buses "'can make a substantial positive impact on our environment and the future of our planet.'"

Taking the bus isn't the only way to get around downtown Rochester, the Lime scooters are also back! Keep scrolling to check out tips for using the Lime scooters around town.