BATON ROUGE- The CATS Board of Commissioners announced on Thursday the approval of purchasing three electric Proterra buses.

The buses will be used to enhanced planned Bus Rapid Transit service launching in 2018.

The board says the buses will cost approximately $2.8 million, which will be funded through three federal transit grants.

The electric buses will be the first for CATS, and will mark the beginning stages of planning for express service along its popular Plank Road and Florida Boulevard lines.

These Bus Rapid Transit lines will launch in 2018 and are said to offer quicker service and fewer stops. The new Bus Rapid Transit lines will also have enhanced stops with features like areas for Uber and Lyft drivers and a place for Bike Share bikes.

The new buses are set to arrive in the Spring of 2018.