GREENSBORO -- Greensboro's transit authority just ordered several electric buses becoming the first city in the state to not use fuel for bus transportation. 

In a city of about 100,000 residents, people consistently ride the bus each year to get around.

"I ride it every day I have to get to school," passenger Erika Walker said. Her trips to school count as one of the more than four million trips.

"It usually takes me exactly where I need to go," Dianne Wickoff said.

However, the use of fuel and complaints of the buses “rumbling” down the streets have passengers voicing concerns.

"All these fumes and stuff is really bad for a lot of people's health," Wickoff said. These complaints aren’t falling on deaf ears. Greensboro's Transportation Director, Adam Fischer, is listening.

The department is purchasing four all electric buses to replace four aging diesel ones making them the first to hit the roads in the state. 

"As a diesel engine gets older and older in that 12 year life cycle it's much more expensive to maintain and operate than an electric motor would be," Fischer said.

Fischer said to keep those older buses running, it costs the city around $325,000 for the lifespan of each bus. 

"That's the primary reason we are purchasing and going all electric is to save money over the long haul" Fischer said.

It will cost $3.84 million dollars for the new buses. They are being paid for through the bond passed during the 2016 election cycle along with a grant from Duke Energy. Fischer hopes within the next five to seven years all of their buses will be electric.

"We're at a critical need right now to replace buses," Fischer says.

Fischer expects to have the four new buses rolling through the city by next summer.