Electric bus on Belleville bus routes (File photo: John Spitters / Quinte News)
The comments are in and it looks like a hit for the electric bus that ran Belleville streets for a couple of months this winter.
Late last year Belleville Transit tested an ebus, a battery-electric vehicle, seven days a week and on every bus route.
Passengers didn’t pay but were given cards to comment on the ride.
Transit Manager Paul Buck says 450 comments were handed in, with only three negative comments. He says they are still being documented and will be presented to the transit committee next month.
Buck says some comments indicated “the bus was so quiet you could actually have a conversation on board.”
Transit Chair Councillor Jack Miller tells Quinte News transit doesn’t need any new buses right now but is interested in learning more.
Miller says, “the big thing found out about this particular unit is that it was five years old. We wanted that unit on purpose to see how they last and perform in a Canadian winter and I think the manager and drivers were pleased with how it went… and getting 300 kilometres per charge was not bad.”
The electric bus costs more than the regular diesel model but has low maintenance costs over the long run, and is environmentally friendly.
