The goal is emission-free public transport

Since 2014, Ruter has been building stone by stone for a green shift in public transport. Trams and subways were already emission-free, now it was the turn of the rest of Ruter’s vessels and vehicles. Buses accounted for the majority of Ruter’s emissions, but boats had the highest emissions per passenger kilometer.

We first established the Fossil-free 2020 project – a plan for how buses and boats in Oslo and Akershus would run on only renewable energy in 2020. Ruter began exploring everything from biofuels and hydrogen to hybrid and electricity.

The goal of not only fossil-free, but completely emission-free public transport by the end of 2028 was adopted by a broad cross-political majority in the Oslo City Council in 2020. It is an important part of the city’s climate strategy: To cut direct emissions by 95% compared to 1990, and become the world’s first emission-free capital by 2030.

Akershus, for its part, has set a goal of being a pioneering county in climate policy. In line with the Regional Plan for Climate and Energy in Akershus, the county will cut 55% in direct emissions by 2030, and 85-90% by 2050, compared to 1991. As much as 80% of the county’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the transport sector. The political platform for the county council 2023-2027 states that the ambition in Akershus is also for public transport to be emission-free in 2028.

The Emission-free 2028 target for public transport in Oslo and Akershus was set based on a study by Ruter in 2018 and four years of preparatory work. The assessment was that emission-free public transport in 2028 was an ambitious but realistic goal for both Oslo and Akershus. For Oslo, it could probably happen faster, as the development of electric city buses, in particular, had progressed further than for regional buses.

The analysis that formed the basis was based on the report «Renewable energy powertrain options for Ruter» from 2015. It warned against too rapid a technological change. Therefore, Ruter has spent almost a decade on its green shift, in close collaboration with operators and suppliers.

Cross-party political commitment to a green transition over a long period has been crucial. But this commitment also requires appropriate organization. Ruter believes that the tender model in Oslo and Akershus has been the key to the zero-emission success.

By Ruter procuring transport services from companies competing for the contracts, we have been able to set strict requirements for zero emissions and let the operators and their innovative capacity compete to find the best solutions. It was not a given in advance that the answer was electric, but it quickly emerged as the best alternative – on land and at sea.

As early as December 2014, Ruter invited international suppliers to a conference to announce the desire to explore the possibilities for a major investment in electric bus operations – and to request input on how we could test it in practice.

The signal from the market was that it was possible to deliver electric buses that met the needs for Norwegian winter operation. This gave the impetus for a two-year pilot project in 2017, with six emission-free buses. Several cities in Europe were testing electric buses, but none had a comprehensive and concrete plan for the entire transformation process, like Ruter.

All operators were invited to participate, three did. They were allowed to decide the number and type of buses and charging solution, and which lines they wanted to test on. Ruter’s requirement was that all data and insights should be shared between those involved to get the most learning out of the pilot.

In 2019, Ruter escalated to a system test with more buses in operation through change orders in existing contracts. The three operators were still involved. A total of 70 electric buses were put into service on 13 lines in Oslo. Since then, Ruter has included environmental options in bus tenders to allow for the gradual phasing in of electric buses during the contract period.

The rest is history. Since the tender for Oslo Inner City, which started in April 2023, and the tender for Oslo East, which started in December 2023, emission-free has been an absolute requirement in all new contracts. The same applies to the upcoming bus tenders in Akershus. At the start of all bus tender processes, we have had dialogue conferences where operators and suppliers could provide input in advance. All to continuously learn – and ensure a safe transition to new technology.

We have been ambitious and found good solutions. But as with anything new, we have encountered challenges – and it is our customers who have paid the price. The operation of electric buses and boats has generally worked well until the winter of 2023-2024. Then extreme cold and heavy precipitation put the entire society to the test. Public transport stopped several times.
Ruter is supposed to deliver a safe and stable public transport service to the residents of Oslo and Akershus. In periods, we have not succeeded. But we believe that the picture that has been created of where the shoe pinches is wrong and simplified: Too rapid introduction of electric buses.

The causal picture is far more complex – and is in 2024 the subject of solid investigation and evaluation. Ruter is working on a comprehensive plan, together with a number of actors, to ensure that the bus arrives on time, all year round, regardless of the weather, throughout Oslo and Akershus. Even during cold spells. That responsibility is ours.

Ruter is proud of the work we have done for a green shift in public transport in Ruter’s region.

Three decades have passed since the first climate summit in Berlin in 1995, COP 1, and member countries began the painstaking process of committing to reducing man-made climate emissions and slowing climate change. Since then, emissions have more than doubled (a 60% increase since 1990).

In 2021, the UN Secretary-General shouted «code red» when the Climate Panel (IPCC) presented its report. The 1.5-degree target is failing. The green transition is going too slowly. «This report must be a death knell for fossil fuels,» said António Guterres.

Against this backdrop, it is difficult to support the idea that the green transition in public transport in Oslo and Akershus has gone too fast. Ruter has long since given fossil fuels a death knell. And shown that it is possible – even if it costs to lead the way.

Ruter defines emission-free operation as a service carried out with vehicles and vessels where the engine neither emits CO2 nor pollutes locally through emissions of NOx and particulate matter. Emission-free public transport therefore means not only lower greenhouse gas emissions, but also less noise and cleaner air – especially in densely populated areas. This contributes to more pleasant street environments and is an important factor in making city centers attractive areas where people want to live and move around.

There are also economic benefits: After a transition period with investments, electric transport is now cheaper compared to emission-based transport. This means more transport for the money.

The benefits also extend beyond the capital region and Norway. We have shown that it is possible to become emission-free – and how it can be done. At the same time, it has contributed to developing the supplier market and stimulated the development of new environmentally friendly and cost-effective solutions, which are increasingly being demanded and put into use elsewhere.

The figures for 2023 speak for themselves:

Ruter is to ensure that the residents of Oslo and Akershus have a sustainable, emission-free, and good public transport service. Using purchasing power to drive new technology forward and ensure that the technology has a market when it is in place, that is Ruter’s method.

Now we are doing the same to create the public transport of the future, which to a greater extent meets the individual needs of customers – and ensures that the zero-growth target for car traffic is achieved in the face of a constantly increasing population in our region.

We will continue to dare to be ambitious on behalf of the residents of Oslo and Akershus.