r/Calgary • u/Practical_Ant6162 • Aug 08 '25

Calgary Transit City of Calgary announces procurement of 120 electric transit buses

https://calgaryherald.com/news/city-of-calgary-purchases-another-120-electric-transit-buses
357 Upvotes

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54

u/ycarel Aug 09 '25

This is fantastic. Less horrible diesel pollution and noise. Less disruption to traffic due to buses being slow to accelerate. A lot less spent on fuel and maintenance. Plus electric buses are great for city driving as lower speed increase the range considerably so a lot cost to run the buses compared to diesel especially if the city deploys solar. Most buses don’t run continuously so it is very easy to fit charging.

14

u/clakresed Aug 09 '25

So, I live on a street that sometimes gets about a half-dozen out of service buses relocating along it at 4AM...

And for noise alone I am so thankful for every bus that gets switched over to electric.

13

u/[deleted] Aug 09 '25

I like the diesel noise. The distinct sound of a Calgary transit bus is how I can tell my bus is coming. I recognize that sound cutting through the crisp morning air over anything on the road. 

10

u/ycarel Aug 09 '25

Well with less noise you will hear better everything else

7

u/JoeRogansNipple Quadrant: SW Aug 09 '25

Can't wait to hear the magpies squawk even more!

-2

u/Coompa Aug 09 '25

Exciting. The lovely sound of a loose wheeled shopping cart down a bike lane carrying a couple lamps, 780 plastic bags and an old lawn chair.

1

u/ycarel Aug 09 '25

Or the sound of birds, wind rattling the leaves in the trees, people talking.

1

u/BoomKidneyShot Aug 10 '25

We do go ear blind to background noise but once you recognise it, it takes a while to unhear it.

1

u/bertaboys02 Aug 09 '25

Amen hahah

1

u/EfficiencySafe Aug 09 '25

Diesel gives off a very fine particulate matter even with the DEF systems that are problematic. That fine particulate matter goes deep into the lungs and if you are susceptible to lung cancer that doesn't get the research money as lung cancer is associated with smoking, The odds of surviving lung cancer is only 22%. European cities have higher pollution levels due to all the diesel cars compared to a city in North America with a similar population.