The Jule Introduces Its First Electric Bus

The Jule has added a new vehicle to its fleet: its first electric bus. The fully electric bus has the same passenger capacity as the City’s traditional buses, but operates without diesel fuel, produces less noise and vibration, features smoother acceleration, and has lower maintenance and operating costs than a diesel bus.

The new Gillig electric bus replaces a 2002 Gillig diesel bus and will serve The Jule’s fixed-route service. The $1,177,255 purchase was funded through a Federal Transit 5339 Capital Project Grant, which provided $901,000, with the remaining $276,255 covered by City funds. The grant also supported the purchase of a charging station for the bus.

Staff estimate the electric bus’s maintenance costs will be approximately 30% lower than those of a diesel bus, with fewer routine service needs, such as oil changes, and longer-lasting brakes. The bus is also expected to offer savings on energy costs compared to traditional diesel fuel expenses.

In addition to training to operate and maintain it, City staff have been testing the new bus and have been impressed with its performance. Dubuque’s topography is beneficial for the bus’s battery charging system, which charges the batteries when the bus decelerates and goes down hills as the brakes are applied. “Electric buses are already operating in communities throughout the Midwest, giving us an opportunity to learn from their experiences as we introduce this technology in Dubuque,” said Transportation Director Ryan Knuckey. “As we head into the winter months, we know that cities in Minnesota and Wisconsin have been successfully operating this same Gillig model for several years and we are confident it will perform well here.”

Knuckey said Dubuque’s approach to the addition of an electric bus has been to gain insight from lessons learned by other communities. This has allowed the City to choose tried and tested equipment and to benefit from new technology, which is changing each year.

The new bus is part of the City’s ongoing investment in public transportation and cleaner vehicle options. The City has also secured funding to purchase two additional electric buses, which are anticipated to arrive in 2029.

Community members are invited to see the bus before the Nov. 16 council meeting. The bus will be available from 5 to 6:30 p.m. outside the Historic Federal Building, 350 W. 6th St.

For more information about The Jule, including routes and schedules, visit cityofdubuque.org/thejule.