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Santa Monica boosts Big Blue Bus fleet with $56m investment
Project supports local job creation through construction and electrical work, while advancing workforce training in clean energy and zero-emission vehicle tech.
At a glance
Who: Santa Monica Department of Transportation (DoT); State of California’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Programme.
What: Santa Monica DoT has held a ceremonial groundbreaking event to celebrate a $56m zero‑emission fleet and charging infrastructure expansion project for its Big Blue Bus.
Why: To advance its clean transportation future and the Big Blue Bus service’s transition to a fully zero-emission fleet. The initiative also aligns with Santa Monica’s Sustainable City Plan, advancing the city’s broader sustainability and climate goals.
When: Infrastructure improvements are already well underway.
The Santa Monica Department of Transportation has held a ceremonial groundbreaking event to celebrate a $56m zero‑emission fleet and charging infrastructure expansion project, marking a collaboration that will significantly advance Santa Monica’s clean transportation future.
The investment, largely funded through a $53.3m grant from the State of California’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Programme, marks a major milestone in public transit agency Big Blue Bus’s transition to a fully zero-emission fleet.
More resilient and equitable community
This initiative also aligns with Santa Monica’s Sustainable City Plan, advancing the city’s broader sustainability and climate goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, expand clean transportation and foster a more resilient and equitable community.
“This project represents more than an infrastructure investment – it’s a transformation of how we deliver transit service,” said Anuj Gupta, Santa Monica Department of Transportation director.
“We’re building the foundation for a cleaner, more efficient system that benefits our riders, our workforce and our community. With strong partnerships and a clear roadmap, Big Blue Bus is well positioned to deliver a fully zero-emission system.”
Clean transportation enhancements include:
- Latest charging infrastructure to support a fully zero-emission fleet: construction of an advanced overhead gantry charging system capable of efficiently powering up to 195 buses, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving local air quality, and modernising transit operations
- Economic opportunity and workforce development: the project supports local job creation through construction, engineering, and electrical work, while also advancing workforce training in clean energy and zero-emission vehicle technologies – helping prepare the region’s workforce for the growing green economy
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- Equity and community health benefits: transitioning to zero-emission buses reduces harmful emissions in the communities Big Blue Bus serves, contributing to improved public health outcomes and more equitable access to clean, reliable transportation
- Long-term cost efficiency and system resilience: electrification reduces long-term fuel and maintenance costs while strengthening operational resilience through modernised infrastructure and energy systems
- Accelerating fleet electrification and next-phase milestones: Big Blue Bus currently operates 34 battery-electric buses, marking significant progress toward a zero-emission fleet. With additional vehicles planned for procurement and charging infrastructure construction underway, the agency is advancing toward full systemwide electrification by 2032.
“This is what progress looks like. It’s practical, it’s measurable and it’s moving us forward,” added Caroline Torosis, mayor of Santa Monica. “This systemwide move to cleaner transit is something for our city and residents to be proud of. When transit is reliable and accessible, people choose it, and those choices add up to a healthier, more sustainable city.”
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How will the overhead gantry charging system efficiently power 195 buses?What metrics will assess air quality improvements from fleet electrification?How will workforce training programs prepare technicians for zero-emission vehicles?What financing and operational savings justify the $56m investment?How will electrification improve transit equity and community health outcomes?air qualityBatteriesclimate actionClimate change/Resilienceeconomic developmentelectric vehiclesEnergy & EnvironmentGovernance and CitizenmobilityPeople and SkillsresilienceRoad
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