Austin buses gain 10 extra hours of service with new on-route chargers
Two new park-and-ride hubs now allow electric buses to top up batteries at the end of their routes, extending daily operation from eight to over twenty hours.
By Emily Carter ·
CapMetro, the transit agency serving Austin, Texas, has opened two new park-and-ride facilities equipped with overhead charging systems. The Goodnight Ranch and Expo Center hubs began operations this month, marking the first public use of the infrastructure announced in June. These sites serve as endpoints for the agency's Rapid 800 and Rapid 837 electric bus routes.
The primary function of the new terminals is to extend the operational window for electric vehicles. Buses that finish their outbound trip can lower a pantograph to draw power from the grid before returning. This on-route charging eliminates the need for long overnight stops at a central depot for every single run. Andy Skabowski, Chief Operations Officer and Executive VP at CapMetro, noted that this method extends service time from the typical eight hours to between 20 and 22 hours. He stated that this frequency allows the agency to maintain 10 to 15-minute headways.
The charging network is anchored at CapMetro's main bus depot. Infrastructure partner Camber Charging installed two 1,440 kW systems at this central location. These systems connect to 48 industrial dispensers, creating a total capacity of 2.9 MW. The setup is capable of charging 48 electric buses simultaneously overnight. The new terminals extend this grid to the outer edges of the Rapid 800 and 837 lines.
The buses operating these routes are built on the Xcelsior battery-electric platform by Canadian manufacturer New Flyer. While specific battery specifications for the Austin fleet were not released, New Flyer indicates the platform can offer up to 660 kWh of available capacity. The vehicles produce up to 320 all-electric horsepower. Full torque is available at 0 rpm, a specification designed to handle frequent stops in urban traffic.
Camber Charging manages the technical operations across all three sites. This includes preventive maintenance, energy management software, and remote diagnostics. The agency continues to expand its electric fleet, with these new hubs providing the necessary power infrastructure to support increased ridership and service frequency.
The facilities also offer improved passenger amenities at the ends of the transit lines. The combination of charging infrastructure and passenger services aims to make the electric bus routes more viable for daily commuters. CapMetro has confirmed that the system is fully operational as of this week, with no further announcements scheduled regarding the expansion of the charging network.
Source: Electrek
