CTA reveals roadmap for transition to fully electric bus fleet by 2040

Credit: Chicago Transit Authority

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has announced details of a multi-year analysis for the full electrification of one of the nation’s largest bus systems. The study will serve as the first-ever roadmap for the full electrification of CTA’s bus fleet, facilities and supporting infrastructure by the year 2040.

“For nearly a decade, CTA has been at the forefront of the shift to electric bus technology. As proud as I am of the progress that we’ve made, we still have a long way to go,” said CTA‘s President, Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “The unveiling of the ‘Charging Forward’ planning study helps to set the course for our agency’s next destination – full electrification by 2040 – all while ensuring that equity, the environment and the communities that we serve are at the forefront of this next big endeavour.”

A complex and challenging task, the electrification of the CTA bus fleet includes much more than just replacing its current fleet of over 1,800 buses. In order to support and maintain an all-electric bus fleet of this size, other vital upgrades and capital investments must be made to facilities and other supporting infrastructure, including charging equipment.

CTA’s existing bus fleet is housed at seven bus garages across the service region and serviced at a heavy maintenance facility on Chicago’s Far South Side – all of which will need to be substantially upgraded and retrofitted with charging infrastructure required to operate electric buses. Thus, this requires the careful co-ordination of many inter-related investments and consistent state and federal funding support to achieve an ambitious target. 

The study, ‘Charging Forward: CTA Bus Electrification Planning Report’, summarises the findings of key analyses and establishes a practical framework for CTA to advance towards full electrification. 

In addition, the study provides strategic recommendations on various facets of the electrification effort, including:

• Which technologies to invest in
• Where to install charging infrastructure
• How to sequence the electrification of garages and routes
• How to ensure that the related facility upgrades are coordinated with other modernisation needs to maximise cost effectiveness and overall system reliability
• Outlining an achievable transition timeline for meeting the agency’s 2040 conversion goal.

The completion of this study ensures that CTA is now well-positioned to compete for funding, advocate for policies and drive technological advances that will be essential to implement this plan.