SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 23, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — State transportation officials say Utah’s future is electrifying.
The Utah Transit Authority brought together federal, state and local elected officials, the business community, educators and industry experts Friday for a daylong discussion about electrifying the state’s transportation infrastructure.
UTA’s inaugural Utah Transportation Electrification Forum included an update on the transit agency’s shift to electrification, as well as discussion on improving Utah’s air and overall quality of life.
“We want to share information with others about the work we’re doing and the potential of others to benefit from that,” UTA Executive Director Jay Fox said in a news release. “We can make a significant impact on air quality and climate change through electrification.”
In 2017, UTA officials began investigating and implementing emerging technologies to start transitioning its fleet of trains, buses and other vehicles to electric power.
Over the past five years, UTA has introduced 13 electric buses into its fleet, with another 20 ordered, transit officials said.
UTA officials project that 40% of the agency’s 500-bus fleet will run on electricity by 2040.
“Forty-two percent of Utah’s air pollution comes from mobile sources,” Fox said. “If we work together with our elected officials and business leaders on a strategic transportation electrification plan, we can make a significant impact on air quality while creating innovative opportunities for economic development.”
Potential projects to help electrify UTA’s fleet include developing large-scale charging hubs to support the power needs for commuter rail, inland port freight, medium and heavy trucks, transit buses and micro-transit vehicles.
