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Transit district expands service and reports early success — charging infrastructure remains a hurdle
Summary
The transit district reported service expansions and ridership gains and said two pilot electric buses have met range expectations, but officials told the RiverCOG board that charging capacity, demand charges and winter performance constraints limit immediate scale-up.
The regional transit district told the RiverCOG board it expanded service in May, adding hourly frequency on several routes, new Saturday service and "extra-mile" zones that together have driven tens of thousands of rides. The expansion zones recorded about 27,000 rides, with the majority in Madison, Milford and Middletown.
The district also described an early electric-bus pilot that includes two battery buses placed on short runs. "We started off being cautious — we had a 5-hour run, a 7-hour run — and so far they've been performing very well," the transit representative said, noting the vehicles frequently return with charge remaining. Ridership and operational experience have allowed staff to lengthen runs; one bus is now routinely used on shifts of eight to 10½ hours.
But board members and transit staff said charging infrastructure is the limiting factor for wider electrification. The district currently uses 50-kilowatt chargers that take roughly six hours to replenish a depleted battery, far below the 150–400 kW fast chargers used by many electrified fleets. That forces the agency to charge buses before staff leave, concentrates demand in peak windows and exposes the agency to high utility demand charges.
Staff also cautioned that seasonal performance varies: batteries charge and discharge differently in cold weather, and winter operations will require facilities capable of parking, heating and charging buses inside. The district noted that a full conversion will likely require major electrical upgrades — including substation work and higher-capacity chargers — and potentially demand-management systems to avoid punishing peak charges.
Transit and RiverCOG staff said the pilot results are encouraging but preliminary. Officials recommended continued piloting while pursuing state and federal support for infrastructure upgrades, and asked member towns and partners to plan for long-lead electrical work if they seek broader electrification.
