EUGENE, Ore. – The Lane Transit District is going green with 11 new electric buses.

The battery-electric 40-foot heavy duty transit buses will replace their older diesel buses.

Officials said the electric buses are much quieter and they’ll have USB outlets for passengers.

Buying the buses is only half the battle in reducing greenhouse gases, they said. They need more people to ride them, too.

This is all part of a plan for LTD to be 20% electrified in the next two years.

“All the major bus manufacturers now produce an electric bus. The same players are in the market, and there’s only four or five bus manufacturers in the United States, and so they’re all making electric buses now,” said assistant general manager Mark Johnson.

The buses come with a nearly $11 million price tag. They’ll be paid for with money from the Federal Transit Administration Low or No-Emission Fund and LTD general funds.

Officials said the first bus should arrive in November. They should have all 11 by summer of next year.