LA Metro Drives the Resistance By Committing to Electric Buses

Today, LA Metro approved a policy to get to 100% electric buses by 2030. I wrote about this important move previously, so here’s an update. As the nation’s second largest transit agency, this is the largest commitment to electric buses in the United States.

This marks a real change in policy since October when natural gas buses were the default for LA Metro. This move by the LA Metro Board is critical to pushing an end to our addiction to fossil fuels and internal combustion engines.

Even in the face of roadblocks set by those who want the agency to stay in the past, LA Metro demonstrated courage to push past these entrenched gas interests and focus on a zero emission future. And the stakes were high for the gas industry, which was desperate to keep its hold on LA Metro. They sought to confuse issues. Here are two great pieces from Evan Gillespie of Sierra Club and Jimmy O’dea from the Union of Concerned Scientists debunking some of these efforts.

Now, this decision is not all about buses. The California Air Resources Board has made clear that building bigger markets for electric buses will enhance markets for other large electric vehicles like trucks. Thus, LA Metro’s decision is a critical step in the transition to large electric vehicles.

This political leadership did not happen in a vacuum. The LA County Electric Bus Coalition and many others helped change LA Metro’s position on this. Earthjustice is a very proud member of this coalition, and we’re proud of what this group of environmental and good jobs advocates accomplished.

We have a lot more work to do to monitor implementation, but today is a good day for breathers in LA County. Our transit agency really delivered on a zero emissions future.