Oakland, Calif. – August 1, 2022: On Thursday, July 21st, the Port of Oakland Commissioners approved the purchase of five electric buses from BYD Coach and Bus LLC. The new buses will be utilized as parking shuttle buses at Oakland International Airport (OAK). The shuttles are expected to be ready for service in early 2024.
These five will be the first battery-electric buses to be put in service at OAK and will help position OAK to meet State electrification regulations. This addition is the first step in the eventual electrification of the airport’s shuttle bus fleet, which is currently powered completely by CNG (compressed natural gas). Fleet electrification will continue over the next decade until OAK reaches a 100% zero emission shuttle bus fleet.
“This move by the Port of Oakland commissioners is an important one for OAK. This acquisition will kick off our initiative to shift to an all-electric passenger shuttle bus fleet,” says Bryant L. Francis, Director of Aviation at the Port of Oakland. “We celebrate this progress towards a greener OAK, and we look forward to revealing these new vehicles to our passengers when they begin operations in early 2024.”
The total cost of the project is estimated to be $5.5 million. Partial funding is expected from different federal and state grant programs in support of this type of project. One grant in particular that is being pursued by staff at OAK is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) grant. The grant is expected to total approximately $1.5 million or more if additional funding becomes available.
Also, OAK reminds passengers that its new online parking reservation system is available at book.oaklandairport.com. Passengers can reserve their parking in any of the airport’s customer parking lots until two hours prior to their arrival at OAK. It is easier than ever to Park OAK. For more information, visit the reservation page HERE and the general parking page HERE.
About Oakland International Airport
Oakland International is the main airport for the greater East Bay, the most populated area in the metropolitan San Francisco Bay area. It is the closest airport to most Bay Area employers. By roadway and BART air-rail, OAK enables excellent access to all of the region’s business, entertainment and tourism venues. The vision of Oakland International Airport is to be the airport of choice for San Francisco Bay Area residents and visitors alike. OAK is operated by the Port of Oakland, which also oversees the Oakland seaport and 20 miles of East Bay waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 84,000 jobs in the region with more than a $130 billion economic impact.
Updates about travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, current departure and arrival information, airport maps, and details about on-airport parking, shopping and dining and more, can be found at www.iflyoak.com.
Contact – Members of the Press and Media Only
Kaley Skantz – Airport Spokesperson, Click here to contact Kaley Skantz
Media On-Site Request & Parking Form:
https://www.iflyoak.com/media-on-site-request-form/
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