The Park City Municipal Corporation, in conjunction with Summit County, unveiled its new fleet of Electric Xpress buses, adding more reasons to skip the rental car and utilize the town’s FREE public transportation system. Park City is the first city in the nation to implement a fleet of zero-emission electric buses.
The Electric Xpress buses are scheduled to run every ten minutes, connecting the Kimball Junction and Park City Transit Centers via State Route 224. These buses will serve as the name implies, as an express service connecting town and Kimball Junction (multi-directional), with stops at Canyons Transit Hub and Fresh Market. Operational hours are 7:00 AM through midnight, seven days a week. Buses feature oversized windows, USB power outlets, and free WiFi connectivity for all passengers.
As part of the county and city’s comprehensive transportation initiative, the six electric buses operate with a fuel efficiency of 21.4 miles per gallon (versus four miles per gallon, on average, for diesel buses). Additionally, these buses will emit minimal noise – around 57 decibels – roughly equivalent to that of a normal conversation. The buses can be charged while passengers board at the transit center. Rapid charging takes less than five minutes to complete. Each bus is wrapped with Park City designs created by local artist, Dave Titensor.
Other noteworthy transit improvements include the construction of the Kimball Junction Transit Center, which was completed in December 2016. Located at 1899 West Ute Boulevard, the facility can accommodate ten buses at once, offers a structure with a seating area where riders to keep warm, and public bathrooms. The new transit center also features an art installation and state-of-the-art designer lighting. Phase two of building is slated for 2018 and is to include a parking lot, plaza, bicycle parking space, and a potential site for farmer’s markets.
The Electric Xpress services follows the implementation of Park City’s clean diesel Trolley, which operates along Historic Main Street and Park City’s downtown district. These initiatives are part of Park City’s commitment to a zero-carbon footprint goal by 2022.
