A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Wednesday morning for the five Zero-Emissions buses picking up riders in the region.
These are the first electric vehicles to join the fleet.
They'll be on routes between Merced and Planada and out to the UC campus in northern Merced.
The buses are quieter, and their use will result in cleaner air.
The funds for the buses came from the local Measure V sales tax, which helped secure federal grant money.
The Merced County Association of Governments says the goal is to transition the current fleet to all-electric buses by 2040.