Burbank to Buy 4 Electric Buses

Burbank is going electric. The city has invested in electric buses to replace dirty, fossil-fuel burning vehicles.

“We’re going to be so electrified I can’t stand it,” joked Robert Tague, Burbank Community Development director.

Four electric buses are scheduled for service beginning in November. They will serve the city’s Metrolink station, providing free connections for commuters to three other high-density locations in the city. They will replace diesel buses.

Two additional electric buses, to be purchased with Metropolitan Transportation Authority grants, are expected to be in service within one year on additional routes in the city. A fleet of 10 electric cars and pickup trucks for use by city workers also is planned, although the purchase is still under discussion.

Santa Monica currently uses electric vehicles for a limited shuttle service to beach areas. Other cities such as Glendale use electric vehicles for tests and limited public displays.

“Nationally, there’s about 100 electric buses in operation,” said Bill Van Amburg, spokesman for CalStart, a consortium of advanced transportation technology companies, based in the San Fernando Valley. Santa Barbara and Chattanooga, Tenn., are among the leaders, he said.

Oxnard-based APS, the manufacturer of Burbank’s buses, has produced 21 vehicles for users worldwide, said Ed Attelian, company president. Most of the buses in use in Santa Barbara and Santa Monica.