Long Beach Transit and Long Beach State Parking and Transportation Services are continuing commitments to reduce emissions by expanding the number of zero-emission, battery electric powered buses.
Long Beach State is working to reduce greenhouse gases emitted from single commuters driving to campus. Parking and Transportation Services on campus cites that 55% of greenhouse gases emitted at CSULB comes from single passenger cars.
Operating three shuttles on campus, and two for Beachside College Dormitory and the Los Coyotes Diagonal, CSULB gives students a reliable alternative to driving with a fleet of shuttle buses that run on compressed natural gas, reducing vehicle emissions by 70% compared to diesel or regular gasoline.
Last fall, President Jane Close Conoley launched a Commission on Sustainability.
Amy Gerety, director of parking and transportation at CSULB, said the efforts to increase eco-friendly vehicles is a collaborative one within the department.
“One of the committees within this group is the Transportation Solutions Committee,” Gerety said. “This subgroup is responsible for identifying potential mobility improvements and elevating to top administrators for review and potential adoption.”
Students can log into their parking portal through their MyCSULB single sign-on and take advantage of obtaining a Long Beach Transit pass valid on all LBT buses throughout the semester. The cost of the pass per semester is $40.
The LBT Board of Supervisors approved an option in November 2019 to exercise the acquisition of 14 more electric K9M buses, according to Gold. This will bring the fleet’s total of battery electric buses to 24 within a year.
“Long Beach Transit was one of the first agencies in the country to deploy electric buses,” said Mike Gold, executive director of customer relations and communications. “We’re a pioneer with this technology.”
There is currently a request to purchase 40 more battery electric buses through a manufacturer that has not been confirmed. LBT currently operates an assortment of near-zero emissions vehicles in its 220 bus fleet.
“We wanted to test the range to kind of see how it all works out,” said Gold.
The buses can now be seen periodically on lines 45/46 that connect the CSULB campus to Anaheim Street and line 176 ZAP limited stops between The Villages at Cabrillo and Long Beach City College at Carson Street.