New electric bus fleet begins service in Toronto
Toronto Transit Commission has rolled out a fleet of electric buses on major downtown routes, reducing carbon emissions and noise pollution.
Published on: June 17, 2025 at 18:48 | By The Daily Boreal Editorial Team
Toronto has officially launched a new fleet of electric buses as part of its effort to modernize public transit and reduce carbon emissions. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) began deploying the zero-emission buses on several busy downtown routes this week, marking a milestone in the city’s Green Bus Program.
The new buses, manufactured by Canadian company New Flyer, are powered entirely by electricity and produce no tailpipe emissions. Each vehicle features improved accessibility, quieter operation, and enhanced energy efficiency compared to traditional diesel buses.
City officials say the rollout of electric buses is a key component of Toronto’s climate strategy, which aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. Replacing older diesel buses with electric alternatives is expected to significantly lower transit-related pollution in densely populated areas.
The TTC has installed high-capacity charging stations at its garages and has trained maintenance crews to service the new vehicles. The buses have a range of up to 300 kilometers on a single charge, sufficient to complete most daily routes without recharging.
Commuters riding the new buses this week noted the smoother ride and reduced noise. “It’s a big improvement over the old models,” said one passenger traveling along Queen Street. “It’s quiet, clean, and feels more modern.”
The initial deployment includes 60 buses, with plans to expand the fleet to 300 by 2026. The program is funded through a mix of municipal investment and federal grants from Canada’s Zero Emission Transit Fund.
Environmental groups and transit advocates have praised the initiative, calling it a model for sustainable urban transportation. The city plans to gather performance data from the first year of operations to guide future investments in electrified transit infrastructure.