Bus Systems Make Upgrades to Improve Service, EV Transition

Bus systems around the nation continue to roll out technology improvements intended to both boost operations and aid in meeting climate goals.

The King County Metro Transit Department in Seattle is expanding a project to use “advanced service management” (ASM) technology, which helps to prevent the “bunching” of buses on high-capacity routes. The idea is to space buses evenly on the route, rather than having several buses moving as a group, which can have the effect of disrupting schedules. The goal is to have buses arrive at a stop every six minutes, rather than at a particular time, explained Al Sanders, a King County Metro public information officer.

The project has been in pilot mode on three high-volume routes, he said, with plans to introduce the concept to a fourth line.

As of July 2024, the number of zero-emission transit buses in the United States stood at 7,028, up 14 percent from 2023, according to a report by CALSTART. Its March report, Zeroing in on Zero-Emission Buses, noted battery-electric buses (BEB) are on pace to pass the 15,000 units mark by 2030. California continues to be the top zero-emission bus market in the country with at least 2,285 buses, followed by New York (779), Florida (516), Washington (356) and Massachusetts (292). Illinois includes 167 battery-electric transit buses and 12 fuel cell electric buses, according to the CALSTART report.