Waukegan Pace bus garage being renovated for new electric fleet; ‘This saves money and improves air quality’

By the end of the year, approximately half the Pace buses transporting people around the Waukegan area will be electric-powered and, by the end of 2027, diesel-fueled vehicles will be a thing of the past in the city for the suburban transportation company.The complete conversion of the fleet in Waukegan is part of Pace’s Project Zero, making all buses in the company’s six-county area around Chicago electric-powered by 2040.Maggie Daly Skogsbakken, Pace’s chief communications officer, said it will be a boon for the environment.“Not having any emissions going into the air is a good thing,” she said. “Transportation companies like ours can improve the environment by taking cars off the road and now by removing emissions. This saves money and improves air quality.”Pace broke ground on the first phase of renovation of its north suburban bus garage on Friday in Waukegan, with plans to build a covered space for 12 charging stations to accommodate the new buses arriving by the end of the year....