For Immediate Release: November 9, 2019
Tucson, Ariz. – A new zero-emission electric shuttle service funded and powered by Tucson Electric Power (TEP) began operating today at the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area Visitor’s Center.
TEP President and Chief Executive Officer David G. Hutchens joined elected officials and representatives from the Regional Planning Center (RPC), the Pima Association of Governments and the U.S. Forest Service at the unveiling, which included a ceremonial ride on the new “Canyon Crawler.”
TEP donated $1.5 million and provided an additional $1 million interest-free loan to fund the RPC’s purchase of shuttles for the service. These contributions came from corporate resources and will not be recovered through customers’ rates. TEP also built new electric infrastructure to support charging stations for the shuttles.
“TEP is proud to support this collaborative community effort,” Hutchens said. “Electric vehicles are the key to a cleaner, greener energy future. Through our investment in these zero-emission shuttles, residents and visitors can experience the canyon safely and quietly without disturbing wildlife and the beauty of this national treasure.”
The wheelchair-accessible, open-air shuttles carry up to 62 passengers through Sabino Canyon every hour between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Along the one hour, 7.4-mile round-trip tour, passengers can simply enjoy the scenic views or listen to a narrated presentation using personal earbuds. The educational presentation highlights interesting facts along the route and is offered in English and Spanish.
For shuttle tours and ticketing information, visit www.SabinoCanyonCrawler.com.
TEP is playing a key role in driving the deployment and use of electric vehicles in the commercial markets. Some of our efforts include educating the community about EV technology, offering special rates and EV charger rebates for residential customers and providing electric infrastructure support to customers introducing EVs to their fleets.
TEP provides safe, reliable and affordable electric service to approximately 425,000 customers in Southern Arizona. For more information, visit tep.com. TEP and its holding company, UNS Energy Corp., are subsidiaries of Fortis Inc., which owns utilities that serve more than 3 million customers across Canada and in the United States and the Caribbean. To learn more, visit fortisinc.com.
News Media Contact
Sherri Cadeaux
(520) 780-3261
scadeaux@tep.com
