New Flyer of America, a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc., one of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers, announced that the Connecticut Department of Transportation (“CTDOT”) has awarded New Flyer a contract for 12 Xcelsior CHARGE battery-electric, forty-foot heavy-duty transit buses, with options to purchase up to 63 additional zero-emission buses in thirty-five or fortyfoot lengths throughout the remaining term of the five-year agreement.
CTDOT owns and operates nearly all public transportation services in Connecticut, delivering more than 27 million annual trips. Its CTtransit bus system is the state’s largest – supporting eight urban areas – and includes CTfastrak, a bus rapid transit system launched in 2015.
“For over 25 years, we have supported CTDOT with reliable transportation, delivering over 900 New Flyer buses and MCI coaches. With a goal of building more livable and sustainable communities, CTDOT is now counting on New Flyer technology for zero-emission adoption at scale,” said Chris Stoddart, President, New Flyer and MCI. “Every Xcelsior CHARGE bus on Connecticut roads will reduce up to 160 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, delivering immediate benefits with cleaner, quieter, more sustainable mobility – a win for everyone.”
The purchase, supported by Federal Transit Administration funds, furthers the CTDOT Electric Bus Initiative, a partnership between CTDOT, CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and bus transit providers that has committed to providing a safe, reliable, sustainable clean energy transportation system.
“We are thrilled to be developing – and soon operating – the first full-sized automated buses in revenue service in North America,” said Dennis Solensky, Transit Administrator, CTDOT. “And, we believe we have assembled a world class team to lead and accomplish this remarkable challenge.”
New Flyer technology is powering CTDOT’s pursuit of sustainable integrated mobility. In 2020, New Flyer announced in partnership with CTDOT, Robotic Research, and the Center for Transportation and the Environment, that it would deploy North America’s first automated transit bus on CTfastrak with a battery-electric, Society of Automotive Engineers J3016 Level 4 automated transit bus.
New Flyer continues to lead the evolution to scalable zero-emission mobility. Designed on the proven Xcelsior platform, New Flyer offers the battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE and fuel cell-electric Xcelsior CHARGE H2 buses, and supports zero-emission deployment with New Flyer Infrastructure Solutions, which provides safe and reliable infrastructure services for smart, sustainable mobility projects.
