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New Sportran Bus Terminal 2nd Of Its Kind In The World

Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News

NEW BUS TERMINAL:  Hundreds of people crowded into the brand  new  City Bus Terminal for its ribbon cutting in Shreveport yesterday.   Among the special guests were Louisiana’s  Governor  John Bel Edwards.   The facility dubbed the Sportran Intermodal Terminal is the first of its kind in the state featuring no-emission electric buses with special battery technology. It  also has another unique distinction as Edwards pointed out. 

Credit Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News
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Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News
RIBBON CUTTING-La. Governor John Bel Edwards is joined by several dignitaries for Sportran's official ribbon cutting Wednesday.

"This is what's exciting is that we're in Shreveport, Louisiana  in this new terminal" explained Edwards, "celebrating the second ever in the entire world, mass transit system that has buses employing this battery technology. The second system in the world to do that.  Louisiana Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson was also on hand,  he offered more details as to how the bus terminal and electric buses will affect public transportation for not just the city but the region as well.  "A lot of communities use CNG (natural gas) buses ,  they offer tremendous savings and value but not as much as the all-electric buses." 

Construction on the facility was funded by the Federal Transit Administration at a cost of  $5.8 million dollars.  The FTA also awarded a $3.9 million dollar grant for the electric buses through the Low or No Emission Vehicle Program.  The Sportran Intermodal Terminal has amenities such as an enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, customer information center, sales kiosk / convenience store, wifi and a food court.  Operations at the terminal and the hub will begin on Sunday, November 12th. 

http://www.sportran.org/   

Credit Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News
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Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News
GET ON THE ELECTRIC BUS - Sportran intermodal terminal is one of two facilities in the world that is using all-electric buses.

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.