MENU
SEARCHThe GILLIG bus will allow staff to gain operational and maintenance experience and will also allow the agency to conduct bus familiarization training with fire departments.
Pace Director Thomas Marcucci, Executive Director Melinda Metzger, Director Linda Soto, Director Roger Claar, Chairman Rick Kwasneski, Director David Guerin, Director Terrance Carr, and Director Jeffery Schielke with Pace’s first electric bus.
Pace
Pace’s Board of Directors received a tour of the agency’s first electric bus, a leased GILLIG Battery Electric Bus.
“I am pleased to report that Pace has officially entered into the era of electrification,” said Executive Director Melinda Metzger. “With the progress we are making on our [fleet and] facilities transition plan, the arrival of this bus could not have come at a better time.”
Metzger went on to explain the bus will allow staff to gain operational and maintenance experience and will also allow the agency to conduct bus familiarization training with fire departments. As the agency moves toward a more sustainable transportation system and its goal of a zero-emission fleet by 2040, Metzger also shared that the installation of electric charging stations at Pace facilities and park-n-rides had begun with Pace’s headquarters receiving the first station this week.
Two new alternative service options were also announced at the meeting. VanGo is a new vanpool initiative aimed at increasing first/last-mile options for commuters. Scheduled to launch in June in Lake County, VanGo is a first-of-its-kind vanshare program that will allow commuters to reserve Pace-owned vans parked at Metra stations via remote access. Qualified participants will be able to use the vehicle to travel to worksites in the defined geographic zone. This new option will address the need for first/last mile connections where the market doesn’t warrant traditional bus service due to new and variable work schedules.
If successful, the VanGo may be expanded to other areas in the coming year.
In Part 2 of a two-part conversation, AC Transit’s director of maintenance joins co-hosts Alex Roman and Mark Hollenbeck to discuss his maintenance team’s work with various types of vehicle, training, augmented reality, and more.
Read More →
Coalition leaders outline priorities for preserving bus funding, maintaining competitive grants, and ensuring flexibility for transit agencies nationwide.
Read More →
Two battery-electric buses entered service on Earth Day, with four additional vehicles expected to join the fleet this summer. Seven more buses are planned for the end of 2027, bringing Metro’s total zero-emission fleet to 13.
Read More →
Agencies from California to New York offered fare-free rides, community cleanups, and new tools to showcase transit’s role in cutting emissions.
Read More →
A 5% rise in deliveries and a surge in zero-emission buses signaled progress in 2025, but high costs, long lead times, and shifting funding priorities continue to cloud the outlook.
Read More →
The Santa Monica agency’s new charging infrastructure and fleet expansion aim to improve air quality, equity, and long-term system resilience.
Read More →
In Part 1, Blandon shares his journey from the U.S. Marines to a leadership role in public transit, along with insights on mentorship and professional growth within the industry.
Read More →
Sustainability Partners’ Arnold Albiar discusses how a service-based approach is helping airports and public agencies deploy and manage electric fleets more efficiently.
Read More →
NYSERDA funding will support electric microtransit and secure bike storage to improve first- and last-mile connections across downstate New York.
Read More →
In this conversation, TBC’s Executive Director Ed Redfern, President Corey Aldridge, and Washington Representative Joel Rubin outline the coalition’s key policy priorities, the challenges facing transit agencies, and how industry stakeholders can work together to strengthen the voice of bus transit at the federal level.
Read More →