Roaring Fork Transportation Authority to replace diesel buses with more electric

Out with the old, in with the new — and the new is electric.

Using a $15.4 million grant dished out from a $31.7 million grants package Gov. Jared Polis looks to use to expand clean transit options, the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) will replace 10 aging diesel buses with zero-emission battery-electric buses.

This state grant follows another recent award of nearly $33 million from the Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emissions Program.

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“This grant is a pivotal moment for RFTA as we advance our vision for a more sustainable and efficient transit system,” said RFTA CEO Kurt Ravenschlag. “The support from Gov. Polis and the state will significantly enhance our efforts to deliver cleaner transportation options to our communities.”

RFTA’s allocation will not only expand its current fleet of eight existing electric buses, but also accelerate its transition toward a zero-emission future as outlined in its recently adopted Climate Action Plan and Zero Emission Fleet Transition Plan.

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Vice Chair Greg Poschman expressed gratitude on behalf of RFTA.

“We wanted to invest in a cleaner system and move towards electrification for years now,” he said. “This grant will more than double our electric inventory, and it is the right sizing for our electric bus fleet needs, currently.”

He said that RFTA needs to take electrification slowly, so they can learn how to optimize the use of electric buses and account for the many factors that come with the elevation and varying climate of Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley.

“I certainly feel grateful that this happened, and it was due to the hard work of our grant writers,” he said. 

The eight existing electric buses were put into service in 2019, and the 10 new buses will bring the total to 18.

Public Information Officer Jamie Tatsuno said that the only four charging depots are currently at the Aspen Maintenance Facility, but that RFTA is expanding.

“The existing electric buses primarily run upvalley on the Aspen Route,” she said. 

“The previous grant we received from the Federal Transit Administration is going to expand our Glenwood Springs facility to support electric buses,” she added. “The buses are charged overnight, and the range per charge can vary based on a variety of factors, such as climate, grades (how steep the roads are), and weight.”

She said that RFTA is in the process of building on-route chargers. One of those is currently being constructed at Rubey Park, which will be able to charge the buses in minutes.

“Colder weather can affect battery range, which is why we are focused on those in-route chargers,” she said.

She said these funds will help to expand the electric bus routes beyond Aspen proper and eventually throughout the valley.

The integration of these new electric buses is expected to be completed by 2026, marking a significant milestone in RFTA’s efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and provide sustainable transportation options.