Free EV Bus Rides for All, as SEPTA, Proterra, and PECO Democratize Transportation at the 2016 Democratic National Convention

PHILADELPHIA, July 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As the nation converges on Philadelphia for the historic 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC), the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Proterra and PECO will demonstrate their shared commitment to sustainable transit by providing test rides on an American-made electric bus, the Proterra Catalyst®.  The project is one component of Philadelphia's commitment to hosting the most sustainable national political convention ever.

SEPTA, along with Proterra and PECO, invites residents, delegates and visitors to SEPTA headquarters at 1234 Market Street to tour and ride SEPTA's soon-to-be-deployed battery-electric bus on Monday, July 25 from 1-5 p.m., and Thursday, July 28 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. In addition to the tour and demonstration, SEPTA will debut a new lobby exhibit showcasing the evolution of SEPTA's bus fleet over the years. Those interested in seeing the bus, or taking a ride, can learn more about the event by using #SEPTAINABLE on Twitter.

SEPTA, one of the largest transit agencies in the United States and operator of one of the greenest bus fleets in the nation, serves as a model transit agency and case study for the economic and environmental advantages of going electric. To better serve the 3.9 million residents across the five counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania, SEPTA was awarded a $2,585,075 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to purchase 25 Proterra Catalyst buses and five overhead chargers that will begin operating on two routes in South Philadelphia in 2017.

"SEPTA is looking forward to adding 25 emission-free electric buses from Proterra," said SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon. "SEPTA already has one of the greenest bus fleets in the nation, with over half of our vehicles operating diesel-electric hybrids. The addition of electric buses furthers our commitment to a sustainable future for our riders and local residents."

PECO, Pennsylvania's largest electric and natural gas utility, has worked closely with SEPTA and Proterra to provide EV bus charging infrastructure during the DNC. PECO also will support the overhead charging installations in the coming months. In addition to this effort, PECO's parent company, Exelon, is the official zero carbon energy provider of the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

"We are pleased to join SEPTA and Proterra in supporting clean, sustainable energy and transportation solutions at the 2016 Democratic National Convention," said Craig Adams, PECO President and CEO. "As part of the nation's largest energy services company, we are taking a leadership position in advancing the clean electric vehicle market across our region."  

"As more cities embrace zero-emission mass transit, we are honored to partner with SEPTA and PECO at such a historic event," said Ryan Popple, CEO of Proterra. "Looking back on how far the electric bus industry has come over the last few years, it is very promising to see buses operating coast to coast. We look forward to gaining more support, as other cities understand that EVs offer higher performance, better economic savings and a number of environmental and public health benefits."

About Proterra:
Proterra is a leader in the design and manufacture of zero-emission vehicles that enable bus fleet operators to eliminate the dependency on fossil fuels and to significantly reduce operating costs while delivering clean, quiet transportation to the community. Proterra has sold more than 252 vehicles to 28 different municipal, university, and commercial transit agencies throughout North America. Proterra's configurable EV platform, battery and charging options make its buses well suited for a wide range of transit and campus routes. With unmatched durability and energy efficiency based on rigorous U.S. certification testing, Proterra products are proudly designed, engineered and manufactured in America, with offices in Silicon Valley, South Carolina, and Los Angeles. For more information, visit: http://www.proterra.com and follow us on Twitter @Proterra_Inc. Media Contact: [email protected]

About SEPTA:
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is the sixth largest public transportation system in the U.S., with an average weekday ridership of approximately 1.1 million. SEPTA's service area covers 2,202 miles in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. SEPTA also provides rail service to Delaware and Trenton, N.J.  SEPTA operates multi-modal transportation services, including two subway/subway-elevated lines, 118 bus routes, eight trolley routes, three trackless trolley routes, one inter-urban High Speed Line, 13 Regional Rail (commuter rail) lines and ADA Paratransit service.

About PECO:
Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). The company's 2,400 dedicated employees provide advanced, innovative energy solutions to 1.6 million electric and more than 511,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2015 PECO delivered 86.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 38 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. The company also has an estimated annual economic impact of $4.5 billion in Pennsylvania, supporting more than 9,600 local jobs and producing $760 million in labor income. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations. For more information visit PECO.com, and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.

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