Mayor Eric Garcetti was joined by City Councilman Mike Bonin and LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds to announce the purchase of 155 new electric buses. (photo courtesy of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office)

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that the Los Angeles Department of Transportation has placed the largest single order for electric buses in U.S. history.

LADOT’s purchase will add 155 zero-emission buses to the city’s fleet. The order helps advance the core goals of Garcetti’s recently signed “L.A.’s Green New Deal: Leading by Example” executive order, which includes measures to make LADOT’s bus fleet entirely emissions free in time for the opening ceremonies of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“The clean transportation revolution is not a distant dream, it’s happening on L.A.’s streets right now,” Garcetti said. “Seeing these zero-emission buses rolling down our roads in the years ahead will bring us one step closer to realizing our vision of cleaner air, lower emissions, healthier communities and a more sustainable future for all Angelenos.”

BYD, a bus manufacturing company based in China with a facility near downtown Los Angeles, will manufacture 130 of the buses, while 25 more will be purchased from local manufacturer Proterra. Delivery and deployment of the buses will begin in March and run through 2021.

“Los Angeles is making a bold investment in a clean transportation future,” added LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds. “These 155 buses will save the city money on fuel costs and improve air quality and health for families across the region we serve.”

Garcetti made the announcement at LADOT’s new bus maintenance yard, a three-acre, LEED Platinum-certified facility where up to 70 buses can be serviced. It is one of the largest EV bus facilities in the state.

The purchase was funded using grants from the Federal Transit Administration, the State Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program, California Hybrid and Zero-Emissions Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Program, Transformative Climate Communities, Low Carbon Transit Operations Program, Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee and matching city funds.

For information, visit ladot.lacity.org.