South Dade Transit Operations Center Holds Groundbreaking

A major construction project is underway in South Dade. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, County Commission Chairperson, Oliver Gilbert III and other leaders participated in a groundbreaking event for the new South Dade Transit Operations Center (SDTOC) project. This is considered the first of its kind in the United States.

The center is an innovative transit project that will meet all the requirements for Envision Silver Certification. It will house and maintain a new fleet of 100 articulated battery electric buses. The SDTOC will have dedicated areas for maintenance, parts storage, driver training, bus dispatch, cleaning and detailing. If there is a major storm or other emergency, the center can be used as an Emergency Command Center. It will also contain a solar component, reclaimed water system and native tree area to show commitment to the environment.

The center will serve as an economic hub and create at least 270 jobs in the Homestead area, according to Luis Espinoza, spokesperson for Miami-Dade County. This project will be completed in summer 2026 with some portions opening in summer 2025. This is the first major garage facility built in 40 years and important to serving South Dade with more complete transit services, according to Espinoza.

“This new facility, funded by the People’s Transportation Plan surtax dollars, will play a crucial role in better serving the transit needs of south Miami-Dade – one of the fastest-growing areas of our county. It will help our county government to better meet the increasing demand for reliable and efficient public transportation, connecting more people to jobs, education, and essential services,” said Robert Wolfarth, Chair of the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust – the trust that allocates and oversees the People’s Transportation Plan (PTP) surtax funds.

Located on a 20-acre site in South Dade at SW 127 Avenue and Biscayne Drive, SDTOC is the first all-electric facility with a capability to accommodate up to 100 battery electric articulated transit buses in the country, making it the first of its kind in the United States. It is one of the first 100% zero-emissions transit facilities of this scale to be built in the nation.