City administration has outlined in a report, the City could save $66 million dollars if it made the move to a 100 per cent electric fleet.

The Transportation Committee will review the report which suggests the City of Saskatoon intends to purchase two electric buses rather four new diesel buses due to significantly lower operational costs.

The report says “There will always be limited funds and a high degree of urgency for fleet replacement. Considering all factors, the Administration believes that moving to BEBs (Battery Electric Buses) now makes sense because this investment will lower the long-term costs to the City and provide for better performance in cold weather.”

The report follows a pilot project in which the City utilized an electric bus for a period of one year. The pilot found the bus was using the lowest battery power during the month of May when less battery use was needed compared to the winter and summer months to keep the bus heated and cooled.

Councillors will discuss the report at 2 o’clock this afternoon (mon).

Early last week, the City stated they were experiencing shortages on some routes due to challenges in finding parts in a world-wide supply chain issue, an aging fleet with more mechanical issues, and the bouts of cold weather. Jim McDonald, Director of Transit said during a news conference last Wednesday that the City was beginning to catch up on the backlog of repairs.