Battery-electric buses have been increasingly foisted upon transit agencies around the country despite their nascent nature and growing recognition that battery-electric buses — at least at this stage of development — are a serious threat to reliability, service delivery, and the agency bottom line. But there’s an electric bus technology that has existed for almost a century that continues to go untapped at scale. Alan Fisher of Armchair Urbanist dives into how San Francisco is ready-made for electric trolleybuses and has a robust network of them today — just like Seattle — and why they’re better than battery-electric buses. With a little effort, San Francisco could widely expand electric trolleybuses with strategic investments to almost every corner of the city, Fisher shows.
Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.