SunLine Transit Agency

SunLine Transit Agency (STA) was established under a Joint Powers Agreement, initially between Riverside County and Coachella Valley cities (Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, Palm Desert, and Palm Springs) on July 1, 1977. Cathedral City, Indian Wells, La Quinta, and Rancho Mirage were added later. Each of the nine member cities selects one member of the SunLine Board of Directors, with the tenth provided by Riverside County.{{cite report |url=https://www.sunline.org/sites/default/files/STA%20Short%20Range%20Transit%20Plan%20SRTP%20FY18-19%204Mb.pdf |title=SunLine Transit Agency Short Term Transit Plan, FY 2018/2019 {{!}} FY 2020/2021 |publisher=SunLine Transit Agency |access-date=26 April 2021}}{{rp|1}}

The service area covers {{convert|1120|mi2|abbr=on}}, bounded approximately by the San Gorgonio Pass on the west and the Salton Sea on the southeast.{{rp|13}} In addition to its transit operations, SunLine regulates local taxi services (as the SunLine Regulatory Administration, a division of the SunLine Services Group){{cite report |url=https://www.sunline.org/sites/default/files/STA_SRTP_FY16-17_FINAL_3Mb.pdf |title=SunLine Transit Agency Short Term Transit Plan, FY 2016/17 – FY 2018/19 |publisher=SunLine Transit Agency |access-date=26 April 2021}}{{rp|25}} and sells CNG and hydrogen to the public from dispensers at its Thousand Palms and Indio operations facilities, under the brand SunFuels.{{cite web |url=https://www.sunline.org/sunfuel-alternative-fuel-stations |title=SunFuel Alternative Fuel Stations |publisher=SunLine Transit Agency |access-date=27 April 2021}}{{cite report |url=https://www.csusb.edu/sites/default/files/Dialogue%201%20Proceedings_CV.pdf |title=Affordable, Sustainable Transportation in the Coachella Valley: Solutions for the Local Workforce |date=January 29, 2019 |publisher=California State University San Bernardino |access-date=27 April 2021}}{{rp|3}}

Services operate weekdays only.

Destinations served include:{{cite web |url=http://www.sunline.org/riding-sunline/destinations |title=Destinations |publisher=SunLine Transit Agency}}

{{div col |colwidth=20em}}

• Agua Caliente Casino
• Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
• National Date Festival Fairgrounds
• Indian Wells Tennis Garden
• Palm Springs Air Museum
• Indio High School
• La Quinta High School
• Palm Desert High School
• Palm Springs High School
• Cathedral City High School
• Rancho Mirage High School
• Desert Memorial Park
• Eisenhower Medical Center
• Westfield Palm Desert
• McCallum Theater
• College of the Desert
• Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
• California State University, San Bernardino
• San Bernardino Transit Center

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SunLine is governed by a board of directors with 10 members{{Cite web |title=Boards and Committees {{!}} SunLine Transit Agency |url=https://www.sunline.org/about-us/meetings-agendas/boards-and-committees |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=www.sunline.org}}

• 1 City Council member From Palm Springs
• 1 City Council member from the 9 cities in the Palm Springs Area that are not Palm Springs City.
• 1 from the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, that represents the Palm Springs Area (District 4)

Chair

Nancy Ross

Vice Chair

Lynn Mallotto

Chief Executive Officer

Mona Babauta

{{multiple image |align=right |direction=vertical

|header=Early fuel cell buses

|image1=XCELLSIS Fuel cell Bus.jpg

|caption1=XCELLSiS ZEbus refueling at Thousand Palms facility

|image2=AC Transit 4285 Fuel Cell PICT0111 (12193010834).jpg

|caption2=Thor/ISE ThunderPower in service with AC Transit after initial operations with SunLine}}

The initial fleet included 22 buses in 1977. SunDial paratransit operations started in 1991.{{cite report |url=https://www.sunline.org/sites/default/files/SRTP%20FY17-18%20FINAL%2020170530.pdf |title=SunLine Transit Agency Short Term Transit Plan, FY 2017/18 – FY 2019/20 |publisher=SunLine Transit Agency |access-date=26 April 2021}}{{rp|11}}

The SunLine Board of Directors adopted a resolution in 1992 to convert their fleet to alternative fuel, and became the first transit agency in the United States to do so in 1994, using compressed natural gas (CNG) buses.{{rp|11}}

Starting in 2000, SunLine began limited operations with hydrogen fuel cell buses, installing a hydrogen fuel station using a Stuart Energy electrolyzer to supply the XCELLSiS ZEbus for a 13-month trial.{{cite report |url=https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2014/03/f10/sunline_final_report1.pdf |title=Cooperative Agreement Project Number CA-26-7022 |date=September 2, 2001 |publisher=Federal Transit Administration |access-date=27 April 2021}} The first revenue operations were conducted with the Thor/ISE ThunderPower fuel cell bus, using an ElDorado National EZ-Rider II chassis, between November 2002 to February 2003.{{cite web |url=https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2014/03/f12/33639.pdf |title=SunLine Test Drives Hydrogen Bus |date=August 2003 |publisher=United States Department of Energy |access-date=27 April 2021}} By that time, SunLine also had installed a HyRadix methane reformer to generate hydrogen.{{cite report |url=https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2014/03/f11/sunline_report.pdf |title=ThunderPower Bus Evaluation at SunLine Transit Agency |author1=Chandler, Kevin |author2=Eudy, Leslie |date=November 2003 |publisher=U.S. Department of Energy |access-date=27 April 2021}}{{rp|6}} SunLine tested a hydrogen hybrid internal combustion engine (HHICE) bus in early 2005; the bus was subsequently sent to Winnipeg Transit for cold weather testing.{{cite web |url=https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/03/f10/40107_0.pdf |title=SunLine Tests HHICE Bus in Desert Climate |publisher=US Department of Energy |access-date=27 April 2021}}

STA plans to convert their fleet to zero-emission buses (ZEB) by 2035, with only ZEBs purchased starting in 2021.{{cite report |url=https://www.sunline.org/sites/default/files/SunLine%20ZEB%20Rollout%20Plan_FINAL.pdf |title=Zero-Emission Bus Rollout Plan |date=June 24, 2020 |publisher=SunLine Transit Agency |access-date=27 April 2021}}{{rp|1;3}} Due to the relatively long fixed routes, the final mix of ZEBs is expected to be mostly hydrogen fuel-cell buses.{{rp|9}}

SunLine has two operations and maintenance facilities: one (including the administrative offices) in Thousand Palms, and another in Indio. {{as of|2021}}, on-site refueling and charging capabilities include an electrolyzer that can produce {{cvt|900|kg/day|lb/d|abbr=on}} of hydrogen at Thousand Palms, which came online in 2019, and six 80 kW AC/DC battery-electric bus chargers, three each at both Thousand Palms and Indio.{{rp|1;3;17}} Hydrogen dispensers (using delivered liquid {{chem|H|2|link=Hydrogen}}) and additional chargers are planned for both facilities.{{rp|7–8}}

Hydrogen production started in November 2000. Two electrolyzers and a natural gas reformer were part of the initial installation. One electrolyzer, supplied by Teledyne Brown, generated {{cvt|40|ft3|abbr=on}} per hour using 7.5 kW of electricity, supplied by solar panels; the other electrolyzer, supplied by Stuart Energy, produced {{cvt|1400|ft3|abbr=on}} per hour. The reformer produced {{cvt|4200|ft3|abbr=on}} per hour.{{cite web |url=https://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/pdfs/30535ah.pdf |title=SunLine Transit Agency: Hydrogen Commercialization for the 21st Century |author=Clapper Jr., William L. |publisher=SunLine Transit Agency |access-date=27 April 2021}} The HyRadix Adéo reformer was installed at the end of 2003.{{cite web |url=https://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/pdfs/progress05/viii_c_3_harness.pdf |title=Auto-Thermal Reforming Based Refueling Station at SunLine Services |author=Harness, John |date=2006 |publisher=US Department of Energy |access-date=27 April 2021}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://sunline.org/ Official SunLine Transit Agency website]

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{{IE Mass Transit}}

{{Southern California Transit}}

{{San Bernardino}}

Category:Public transportation in Riverside County, California

Category:Coachella Valley

Category:Bus transportation in California

Category:Transit agencies in California

Category:Cathedral City, California

Category:Coachella, California

Category:Desert Hot Springs, California

Category:Indio, California

Category:La Quinta, California

Category:Palm Springs, California

Category:1977 establishments in California