Zion National Park has just made history by becoming the first national park — and one of the first organizations of any kind — to adopt an all-electric bus fleet, Electrek reports.
A highlight of southern Utah, Zion National Park is famous for colorful canyons and striking stone arches located along miles of beloved hiking trails. It first started to become popular in the 1990s, Electrek revealed — leading to the need for shuttle buses to cut down on traffic.
The buses went into service in 2000, and many roads were closed to the public, reducing traffic, noise, and pollution to preserve the park for visitors.
"The remarks we got from visitors in the very first summer were fantastic," said Jeff Bradybaugh, Zion National Park superintendent, per Electrek. "They said, 'You have given us back the canyon.' They said, 'We can hear the birds sing and the air is fresh.' No longer were the traffic jams fouling the air, impacting the soundscape, and diminishing the visitor experience."
But that still left the problem of the buses themselves, which were fueled with propane. They were smelly, noisy, and polluting, just like any internal combustion engine vehicle.
Electric vehicles, on the other hand, run very quietly, and without producing any direct air pollution. Plus, as EV and battery technology have advanced in recent years, the vehicles have gotten cheaper, more powerful, longer-running, and more versatile.
Now, Zion National Park has replaced its fleet of 39 propane-fueled buses with 30 efficient electric buses, using a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Besides the benefits that come from going electric, the new buses have also been updated to be larger and more accommodating to visitors with disabilities, and they now include air conditioning — a must with the region's heat.
"This is the state-of-the-art electric bus fleet in the country," said Robin Carnahan, administrator of the General Services Administration, per Electrek. "It is going to set a standard for other national parks."
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Indeed, the National Park Service hopes to make similar upgrades at national park locations such as the Grand Canyon, Acadia, Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, and Harpers Ferry.
You can get many of the same benefits by electrifying your ride.
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