Property management giant JLL (NYSE:JLL) plans to lease 10 Proterra Catalyst electric buses to provide commuter shuttle services between Chicago’s commuter train stations and two of the city’s tallest buildings, the Prudential Plaza and Aon Center.

The electric shuttle fleet, which is funded in part by Drive Clean Chicago, will begin service in December.

“Increasingly, we’re seeing tenants request more transit options to ease their commutes,” said Bryan Oyster, Senior VP at JLL. “With Proterra’s leasing option, we are able to provide a top-of-the-line shuttle service that meets tenants’ commuting needs and Chicago’s clean vehicle goals, while staying true to our own sustainability goals.”

“Creating clean transportation options is a key pillar of the City’s sustainability goals,” said Randy Conner, Chicago’s Acting Commissioner of Transportation. “This fleet is exactly the type of adoption we hoped Drive Clean Chicago would spur, and we look forward to seeing how other fleets respond to the precedent that has been set.”

To date, e-bus manufacturer Proterra has sold more than 312 vehicles to 35 municipal, university, and commercial transit agencies throughout North America.

“At Proterra, we are dedicated to ensuring every transit provider can seamlessly transition to a zero-emission fleet,” said Ryan Popple, CEO of Proterra. “By leasing the buses, Proterra customers can electrify their fleets with no out-of-pocket cost and total annual payments and costs equivalent to the total operating costs of a leased diesel bus.”

Read Charged feature: The inevitability of electric buses

Source: Proterra