Ameren Missouri applauds Metro Transit’s sustainability milestone

Ameren Missouri on Sept. 25 helped celebrate Metro Transit’s sustainability milestone, which marks 1.5 million miles traveled for its battery-electric bus fleet.

“Through our Smart Energy Plan, we made significant upgrades to serve the growing electric needs of Metro Transit and the surrounding communities,” said Ameren Missouri Chairman and President Mark Birk. “This great partnership is rooted in our shared commitment to reducing carbon emissions by adopting new technologies and transitioning to cleaner sources of energy.”

The electric buses operate out of the Brentwood MetroBus facility, which is powered by a nearby Ameren Missouri substation that also features smart technology, including automated sensors, switches, and self-healing equipment to more rapidly detect and isolate damage in order to restore power quicker, according to the power company.

Since first debuting electric buses in 2021, Metro Transit now owns 24 battery-electric buses that operate across its most popular lines in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County.

“Through our partnership with Ameren Missouri, we were able to turn an exciting idea into one of the largest electric bus deployments in the country in 2021,” Charles Stewart, chief operating officer of Metro Transit, said. “Since then, our electric bus fleet continues to grow.”

Metro Transit estimates an overall cost savings to taxpayers of up to $525,000 over the life of each bus in fuel and maintenance, as well as environmental benefits, including a reduction of up to 160 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year when compared to a diesel bus.

“With new federal funding,” added Stewart, “we continue to make important investments in clean energy, including new charging infrastructure and new battery-electric buses that will benefit our communities both now and into the future.”

The milestone announcement was made during National Drive Electric Week, which runs Sept. 27 through Oct. 6. The nationwide celebration aims to raise awareness about the many benefits of electric vehicles (EVs). Ameren is also hosting a series of free virtual and in-person EV events.

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