Pierce County unveiled a new public transit option today that could help ease the pain of commuting while also protecting the environment.
What makes these vans different is the way they're powered.
These Chryler Pacific hybrid plug-in vehicles run on 97 percent carbon-free electricity.
They are the first electric vehicles to join the fleet of vanpools operated by Pierce Transit.
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This is the first eight and we want to go from there and increase, increase, increase," said Don Ashmore, the fleet manager for Tacoma Public Utilities.
These vans will run 32 miles on battery power - before needing to be recharged or tap into gasoline.
Pierce Transit estimates these vehicles will help eliminate about 6,000 gallons of gasoline each year.
Joan Thornhill will be among the first riders to use these hybrid vans.
She lives in Puyallup and works at Tacoma Public Utiltiies - who's partnering with Pierce Transit for this new program.
The agency installed eight charging stations for hybrid vehicles at their office in Tacoma.
Riders like Thornhill said aside from saving money on gas along with the wear and tear on her car - she gets to play her part in saving the environment.
"I think a lot more people are starting to realize that this is a good way to save some energy and also a little bit less of a carbon footprint," Thornhill said.
In all, there are currently over 300 vanpools picking up riders from Snohomish to Thurston counties. Users just have to live and work in Pierce County.
If this latest program is successful, the goal is to create even more green transportation options in the future.
Cox Media Group
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