Oakland, Calif.-based Alameda Contra Costa Transit (AC Transit) approved the purchase of 23 (46 equivalent units or EUs) New Flyer Industries Inc. Xcelsior diesel 60-foot heavy-duty articulating buses.
The order for 23 buses was placed using options from another U.S. transit authority. The original contract, signed in June 2012 , enables the assignment of up to 155 options, of which 130 still remain after this procurement, and are currently included in New Flyer's backlog.
From 1988 to1997, New Flyer manufactured 168 high-floor modeled 40- and 60-foot heavy-duty diesel buses for AC Transit. Today, AC Transit's active fleet size consists of nearly 700 buses in an array of bus lengths and servicing a variety of routes. The articulated buses, once in service, will account for 18% of AC Transit's 60-foot articulated fleet.
Production of the buses is anticipated to begin in March 2013 , with delivery expected by August 2013 .