USA: Broome County, Augusta Transit and BCRTA in Ohio expand fleets with zero- and low-emission buses
Three U.S. transit agencies have expanded their fleets with new zero- and low-emission vehicles, adding electric and propane buses to local networks in New York, Ohio, and Georgia, is reported on North American trade media Mass Transit Mag. According to the latest Zeroing in on Zero-Emission Buses report by CALSTART, “as of July 2024, full-size transit […]
Three U.S. transit agencies have expanded their fleets with new zero- and low-emission vehicles, adding electric and propane buses to local networks in New York, Ohio, and Georgia, is reported on North American trade media Mass Transit Mag.
According to the latest Zeroing in on Zero-Emission Buses report by CALSTART, “as of July 2024, full-size transit ZEB adoptions in the country have grown to 7,028—an increase of 14% from 2023. If this pace of adoption continues, the United States will surpass 15,000 full-size transit ZEBs by the year 2030”.
Broome County received six GILLIG BEV buses
In New York, Broome County Transit has rolled out six 40-foot GILLIG battery-electric buses, funded almost entirely through external sources that covered nearly 95% of the $10.4 million project cost. The new vehicles replace diesel models and are supported by six Heliox/Siemens 180 kW overhead chargers installed inside the depot under the direction of the New York Power Authority, with PlugIn Stations Online as contractor. Solar panels and stationary battery storage will follow by 2027. The deployment marks the county’s first step toward a fully zero-emission fleet by 2035, a plan supported by the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), which provided project management and technical oversight throughout the process.
“Broome County depends on BC Transit to connect our residents to work, school and essential services every day,” said Broome County Executive Jason Garnar, as quoted on Mass Transit Mag. “This investment allows us to modernize our fleet while protecting taxpayers. Nearly 95% of this project was funded through state and federal grants, helping us bring cleaner, quieter and more reliable transit to the people of Broome County.”
Further south, Augusta Transit has launched five battery-electric buses financed through a $6.2 million FTA Low-No grant, complemented by the installation of six ChargePoint high-capacity chargers at the maintenance facility. CTE will continue to support the city by collecting performance data and helping shape a long-term zero-emission strategy.
Finally, the Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA) in Ohio has added three propane-powered buses as part of the Ohio Zero Emission Ready Ohio (OH-ZERO) initiative. While not fully zero-emission, the vehicles represent an interim step within a wider plan to renew the fleet with cleaner technologies and prepare the transition to electric propulsion.
