Government

Public Works Announces Major Upgrade to Public Transit Fleet, Including Electric Buses and New ADA-Compliant Ferry

The Department of Public Works hopes to improve public transportation options by completely replacing fixed-route and paratransit buses in the territory. That’s according to Derek Gabriel, DPW commissioner who provided an update on the status of roads, road projects and public transportation before the Housing, Transportation, and Telecommunications Committee on Wednesday. In his testimony, he informed legislators that the acquisition of new buses will occur “over the next 14 months,” and that VITRAN will “transition its fleet from fossil fuels to hybrid and electric buses.” The electric transition has already begun, as the Virgin Islands Energy Office funded the acquisition of two electric vans for the St. Croix district earlier this year. “VITRAN will continue this path by purchasing electric service trucks and supporting vehicles,” Mr. Gabriel explained. DPW intends to purchase 9 fixed-route buses and 10 paratransit buses. The decision to transition is largely economic. “ Maintain...