Today, in partnership with RMI, the Department of Public Transportation released a comprehensive report detailing Bermuda’s transformative journey in electrifying the island’s public bus fleet. With the fleet growing to 70 electric buses by December 2023, this has significantly enhanced public transportation operations while yielding substantial economic and environmental benefits.
The report explores the planning and implementation phases of the electric bus (e-bus) initiative, shedding light on the lessons learned and challenges overcome. It offers best practices that can serve as valuable insights for other island nations pursuing similar transit electrification efforts.
This shift not only modernizes the island’s public transit system but also replaces outdated diesel buses, contributing to an expected annual savings of over $400,000 in fuel costs and the avoidance of 800,000 litres of imported diesel fuel.
“Bermuda’s electric buses exemplify the benefits of electric mobility—they are quieter, more economical, and emit far fewer pollutants than their diesel predecessors,” said the Hon. Wayne Furbert, Minister of Transportation. “We hope Bermuda can serve as a model for other island communities in their own electric transitions.”
The success of the e-bus deployment has inspired the Government to expand its clean transportation initiatives, including the electrification of government fleet vehicles. These efforts align with Bermuda’s goals to enhance resilience against climate change and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels. Coupled with an increase in locally generated renewable energy, Bermuda is poised to lead in the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future.
Bermuda embarked on this electrification journey in 2018 through a collaboration between the Department of Transportation and RMI, focusing on creating a more energy-efficient and resilient public transportation system. RMI provided technical support and strategic insights throughout the project. This helped facilitate the acquisition of 30 e-buses in April 2022 and an additional 40 in December 2023.
The RMI report is available for download here.
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