Hilly terrain and a spread-out campus make UCSC’s shuttle buses an indispensable service for students, staff and faculty. However, the existing bus fleet consists of aging diesel vehicles, which are cost-effective but emit more than 50 tons of carbon dioxide per year.

This report analyzes the potential for electric buses to serve the UCSC campus, considering both the cost and practical issues such as vehicle range, charging locations and the ability of the buses to navigate steep hills. Although electric buses have a higher upfront cost, the report concludes that they are a better choice than a new diesel fleet to reach carbon neutrality, and would be more cost effective in the long run.

Read the report (access to UCSC affiliates only).