The South Dade Transit Operations Center (SDTOC) is the first of its kind in the United States. An all-electric facility designed to accommodate up to 100 battery electric articulated transit buses up to the largest 60-foot articulated bus. The facility will have 100 charging positions and is equipped with a charging infrastructure that can charge each bus in 3-4 hours, and the entire fleet in 8 hours.

The buildings at the SDTOC complex maximize the opportunities for natural daylight, natural ventilation, outdoor lounge areas, access to landscaped areas, and the use of green products to promote a healthy workplace for employees and visitors. The project features a pedestrian bridge connecting the employee/visitor parking area to the Maintenance & Operations building and providing a grade-separated crossing that ensures pedestrian safety while avoiding disruptions to bus operations at the Main Entrance of the facility.

SDTOC has also been designed with an eye towards educating the public about its function and encouraging younger generations to visit and be inspired by its native habitat, environmental restoration, and the resulting benefits of increased biodiversity, tree canopy, and carbon sequestration. The project will introduce over 45 species of native plants and wildflowers to increase biodiversity and create pollinator/bird/bat habitat while restoring South Florida native plant communities. This didactic theme was also incorporated within building design, offering curated views of the electric bus operations: views from the elevated pedestrian bridge and outdoor lounge areas highlight bus movement within the facility for charging, washing and storage; continuous windows from the second floor Operations area allow for observation of the various Maintenance bays and catwalks.

The complex aims to improve the quality of life for the neighborhood by providing shaded sidewalks and three (3) parklets along the perimeter of the facility that will offer seating, shade, and interpretive signage that provides educational information about the landscape, the buildings and the operation of an electric bus facility.

Images Credit: Perez & Perez Architect Planners