The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is welcoming the return of battery-electric buses (BEBs) to service, with each bus returning to the road, one at a time, as each battery is replaced.

Back in August, Nova Bus, the manufacturer, recalled the batteries. Although the manufacturer declared the buses safe to drive, MCTS, out of extreme precaution, removed the BEBs from service.

Clean diesel buses continued the high-frequency service along the bus rapid transit (BRT) line called CONNECT 1. Nova Bus has issued all new batteries at no charge to MCTS as the buses remain under warranty.

New Battery-Electric Buses Join the Fleet

The electric buses will start returning to the mixed fleet of both battery-electric and clean-diesel buses now through November. In addition, two new battery-electric buses have arrived, bringing the total number serving the BRT to 11.

The next four electric buses on order to complete the fleet of 15 are expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2024.

MCTS also recently announced that due to a supply chain issue, the pre-board payment equipment on BRT platforms has been delayed. Riders can continue to ride the CONNECT free into early 2024, until the new pre-board payment validators are installed.