​BRAMPTON, ON (October 6, 2021) – Brampton Transit has received an Environmental Sustainability Award from the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) for its milestone electric bus trial at CUTA’s Annual Conference and Transit Show held virtually over the last three days.

The Environmental Sustainability award category recognizes businesses and transit systems whose activities or projects achieved a positive impact on current environmental issues and challenges facing the transit industry. The outcomes may include entirely new concepts, processes or the redevelopment of existing equipment that result in protection of scarce resources, cost saving or measurable environmental benefits, in alignment with CUTA’s Transit Vision 2040.

On May 4, 2021, Brampton Transit launched the largest global deployment to date of standardized and fully interoperable battery electric buses (BEBs) and high-powered overhead on-route charging systems, as part of the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) Pan-Canadian BEB Demonstration and Integration Trial. In total, Brampton Transit has added eight BEBs to its fleet, two from Nova Bus and six from New Flyer.

Brampton joins TransLink and York Region Transit in this global-first, multi-city deployment of fully interoperable buses and charging systems in partnership with Nova Bus, New Flyer Industries, ABB Inc., Siemens Canada, and Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution Ltd. It is the first in the world where vehicles and chargers from different manufacturers can be used in fully interoperable form, meaning they can plug into one another’s charging infrastructure to gain a charge, resulting in zero tailpipe emissions.

The BEBs will also achieve near-zero emissions in their lifecycle. Each bus can charge completely in less than 10 minutes, and saves an estimated 235 tonnes of greenhouse gases (CO2e) per bus, per year.

Quotes

“The global-first Pan-Canadian Battery Electric Bus Demonstration and Integration Trial in Brampton is a milestone in environmental sustainability. We have collaborated our partners to further enhance our city’s transit network with great environmental benefits. Brampton is a Green City, and a leader in sustainability. Thank you to our partners and stakeholders for helping make this recognition possible.”
- Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton

“We are proud to have achieved the Environmental Sustainability award from CUTA following a successful deployment of Brampton Transit’s first electric buses. Brampton City Council is dedicated to reducing our city’s carbon footprint on our journey to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated in Brampton by 80 per cent by 2050.”
- Paul Vicente, Regional Councillor, Wards 1 & 5; Chair, Public Works & Engineering, City of Brampton

“Electric buses support our mission for a greener city. The Pan-Canadian Battery Electric Bus Demonstration and Integration Trial has revolutionized Brampton’s transit system with measurable environmental benefits, helps reduce our contributions to global climate change, and inspires other municipalities to lead sustainability initiatives.”
- Doug Whillans, City Councillor Wards 2 & 6; Member, Environment Advisory Committee; Member, CEERP Community Task Force, City of Brampton

“Brampton Transit is committed to improving transit and active transportation opportunities, focusing on energy efficiency, and bringing innovative technologies to Brampton. The Environmental Sustainability award recognizes how we are greening transit with this innovative bus trial.”
- David Barrick, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Brampton

“Congratulations to Brampton Transit on winning CUTA’s environmental sustainability award for its successful 2021 electric bus trial. Public transit has always reduced greenhouse emissions. By using zero-emission buses, it can play an even larger role in helping Canada meet its climate targets.”
- Marco D’Angelo, CUTA President & CEO