Nova Bus secures contract with MTA into 2021

PLATTSBURGH | A new contract between Quebec-headquartered Nova Bus and New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) secures a base order of 165, 40-feet-long hybrid buses with the option to purchase an additional 126 hybrid buses and 209 diesel buses, resulting in a potential total of 500 buses. This contract, announced at a recent press conference, is expected to produce a need for workers at the Volvo Group company's Plattsburgh location with about 40 new jobs created as well as continued partnership possibilities with area suppliers. Plattsburgh General Manager Greg Cody said at a recent press event that he was proud of the manufacturer's sustainable solutions and cross-border collaboration among teams. "The exceptional quality and durability of our buses, as well as the extraordinary support of our teams, are determining factors for the selection of Nova Bus [as the New York City MTA contract winner]." He concluded, "It's a long order, and a good run for us." Last year's sustainable electric product launch In addition to its available hybrid options, in 2019 the public-transit bus manufacturer announced the release of its long-range battery-electric bus—an expansion upon its LFS (Low Floor Series) platform. The new LFSe+ model was the first bus to pass the U.S. Federal Transit Association (FTA) pass/fail standard in Altoona, Pennsylvania, "required for any company selling buses in the United States that are purchased with federal funds," according to a recent news release announcing the accomplishment. BAE Systems, a tech group based in Arlington, Virginia, contributes a propulsion system to the full-electric vehicle model. These electric modifications are expected to reduce fuel consumption and emissions in line with the transit-bus manufacturer's Electro-Mobility Strategy. Pilots are projected to roll out in May 2020, with the balance completed in 2021. Growth for the North Country's "Transportation Equipment Cluster" This Nova Bus contract announcement comes just weeks after the news that fellow leading North Country employer and transportation manufacturer Bombardier, operating in Plattsburgh since 1995, confirmed the intended sale of its rail transit division to French global railway company Alstom. At the time of the division sale, North Country Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Garry Douglas stated that "in North America and elsewhere, there has been a need for consolidation to create a larger and stronger competitor in the marketplace to face the growing presence of newer players from China and elsewhere. This combination should be able to compete even more effectively for more contracts in the future, keeping the already very busy operation in Plattsburgh even busier for years to come." ■

Signup for our newsletter

Nova Bus secures contract with MTA into 2021

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS