The solar panels generate enough electricity to offset a significant portion of this facility's annual electricity consumption and have the same environmental benefit as planting more than 285 acres of trees a year.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) unveiled its solar canopy installation project at the Laredo Bus Facility. The federally funded project, finished on time and within budget, is the largest solar canopy in Georgia and the second largest structure of its kind at a public transportation system.
In 2009 MARTA received a $10.8 million federal grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) Program. Thanks to this funding, the project has created new "green-collar" jobs in metro Atlanta and is harnessing clean, renewable solar power to operate the Laredo Bus Facility in a significantly more energy-efficient and cost-effective way.
Ad Loading...
The solar panels generate enough electricity to offset a significant portion of this facility's annual electricity consumption and have the same environmental benefit as planting more than 285 acres of trees a year.
The turnkey project includes photovoltaic (PV) cells that cover 220 bus parking stalls and feature perforated panels to filter sunlight. The canopies are equipped with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) light fixtures to provide ample lighting for safety and maintenance activities at night.
In addition to producing power, the shade structures will reduce summertime temperatures between 20 and 30 degrees underneath the canopies, lower bus fuel consumption, reduce the need for air-conditioning and enhance the general work environment for MARTA operators, maintenance and facilities personnel.
The Laredo Bus Facility Solar Canopy joins MARTA's growing sustainability program which includes a fleet of clean-fuel buses, water reclamation and harvesting operations, the installation of LED lighting and a waste recycling program.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
CEO Nat Ford’s address offered a look at highlights from 2025, with a focus on the future and the innovative ways the JTA is shaping mobility in Northeast Florida.
Expected to enter service in 2029, these locomotives support the agency’s commitment to offer reliable and efficient rail transportation across South Florida.
Transit agencies depend on safe, reliable vehicles to deliver consistent service. This eBook examines how next-generation fleet software helps agencies move from reactive processes to proactive operations through automated maintenance, real-time safety insights, and integrated data. Learn how fleets are improving uptime, safety outcomes, and operational efficiency.
The new filters include substantially more activated carbon than traditional HVAC filters, which is especially helpful in providing a better transit riding experience for vulnerable populations, particularly children, seniors, and people with chronic illnesses, according to the CTA.
In a recent episode of METROspectives, LYT CEO Timothy Menard discusses how artificial intelligence, cloud connectivity, and real-time data are transforming traffic management, boosting bus reliability, and enabling system-wide transit optimization across cities.
