Pace Suburban Bus recently celebrated the completion of the first phase in modernizing its North Division garage into a facility capable of charging a full fleet of battery-electric buses for service in and around Lake County, Illinois.

The ribbon cutting marks the opening of Pace’s first large‑scale bus charging depot, featuring 10 pedestal chargers and two overhead pantographs capable of high‑speed charging. This new infrastructure is a major step toward Pace’s long‑term goal of converting all 60 North Division buses to battery‑electric vehicles.

This is quite an accomplishment as we were just here for the groundbreaking of this project in April of this year,” said Pace Board Member Linda Soto. “This project reinforces that Pace will deliver on the investments made into our system, and with the completion of phase one, we are looking forward to the renovation of this entire facility so we can operate a fully electric fleet here at North Division.”

Phase one was made possible by $12.5 million in Rebuild Illinois funding, which also supported installation of high‑voltage electrical equipment, a stormwater detention system, and reconstruction of the division’s parking lot. Additional state and federal funding, including a Community Project Funding grant from Congressman Brad Schneider and a grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, is supporting the purchase of electric buses for the fleet.

“Because of the Community Project Funding that I secured more than two years ago, Pace is now expanding the vital infrastructure needed to support zero‑emission buses here in Waukegan,” Congressman Schneider said.

Elected Officials Celebrate Project Zero Milestone

State leaders emphasized the broader significance of the milestone. Illinois Senator Adriane Johnson joined the celebration, offering her support for Pace’s zero‑emissions efforts and noting the importance of public transportation service in Waukegan.

“As a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, I have led and passed legislation to accelerate the rollout of electric buses in our transportation systems, and applaud the opening of Pace's new electric bus charging station. This rollout of an all‑electric bus fleet serves those who rely on public transportation and accelerates Illinois' path toward clean energy,” said Illinois Senator Mike Simmons.

“We want everyone in our community to flourish,” said State Representative Rita Mayfield. “With electric buses, we’re taking a major step forward — building healthier neighborhoods, creating more jobs, and boosting our local economy.”

To learn more about Project Zero, Pace's initiative designed to replace aging, higher-emission diesel buses with cleaner, more efficient hybrid-electric and electric vehicles, visit PaceBus.com/project/project-zero.