
Save the Electric Buses in Cambridge, Belmont, and Watertown!


The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is planning to get
rid of the fully electric trolleybuses (buses that use power from
overhead catenary wires) that run routes 71, 73, 77A, and formerly 72.
These buses will be replaced temporarily with diesel buses starting
March 13th, 2022, before eventually being replaced with battery electric
buses (BEBs).
Batteries for BEBs are extremely harmful for the
environment to produce, and often include child labor in production. In
addition, the BEBs that the MBTA plans to use require diesel heating,
making them significantly less environmentally efficient than today’s
trolleybuses.
We suggest that the MBTA halt the replacement of
the trolleybuses, and reconsider electrification strategies, including
first starting to replace diesel buses before the electric ones, as well
as get a newer, more efficient trolleybus fleet, and replace older
sections of catenary wires that limit speeds on the line 71 and 73,
potentially using battery-assisted trolleybus technology that charges
on-the-move, which combines the flexibility of BEBs with the efficiency
of trolleybuses that don’t have to stop and charge, and don’t require
polluting diesel motors.
Sign below and spread the word to help create a cleaner environment for you and the generations to come!
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