MADISON, Wis. — Part of President Joe Biden's visit to Wisconsin on Tuesday involved highlighting green energy in public transit.
During Biden's visit to La Crosse he highlighted electric and hybrid buses. La Crosse is one of the first cities of its size to shift to hybrid and electric busses.
It is in the process of expanding its hybrid fleet from two to five busses and add two fully electric busses.
Madison Metro Transit is getting ready to roll out their own fleet of fully electric buses. The City of Madison already has several hybrid buses, but these will be adding three fully electric ones in the fall.
“This is a step forward for the city, our bus rapid transit fleet will be primarily electric and we are looking to transition the rest of our fleet as well over time,” said Satya Rhodes-Conway.
Rhodes-Conway said the city wants to expand its electric bus fleet to lessen the environmental impact of transportation and improve the quality of life for residents — with electric busses being quieter and not emoting diesel fumes on city streets.
“Transportation is a major factor in greenhouse gas emissions and we do need to be over the next decade dramatically reducing our emissions,” Rhodes-Conway said.
Rhodes-Conway also said she been happy with President Biden's administration in their help moving Madison and cities like this forward with expanding electric fleet vehicles.
“I really look forward to hopefully congress passing an infrastructure bill that will continue to make funds available to cities both to reduce our emissions and to improve our transportation infrastructure for our residents,” Rhodes-Conway said.
Municipalities around Wisconsin are expanding electric vehicles in transit. The city of Racine plans on launching nine electric buses later this year and Milwaukee plans on having 11 by the end of next year.