Electric bus ready to take passengers around Macon

Macon-Bibb County leaders were able to get a ride Monday morning on the latest electric bus to come to town.

The BYD, Build Your Dreams, electric bus was taken on a short trip around downtown Macon as it gears up for going on routes this week. Mayor Robert Reichert has advocated for electric buses to be used along the Second Street Corridor as part of a new downtown urban development strategy.

Macon-Bibb County Transit Authority General Manager Rick Jones said the electric bus will likely be used this week on a morning route to the Macon Mall and at nights for the Mercer University shuttle.

“Every great vision starts with a dream,” Jones said during a press conference Monday. “We would like to take transit a step forward more than before.”

Reichert has said he wants to find another avenue to pay for the buses if Macon-Bibb does not receive a $14 million grant to help cover costs.

BYD is the third vendor to bring an electric bus to Macon. BYD’s 40-foot long bus costs about $780,000 and has a battery that would last about 20 years, Jones said.

This story was originally published September 21, 2015 at 12:58 PM with the headline "Electric bus ready to take passengers around Macon ."