AC Transit to purchase Gillig buses

In line with its strict "Buy American Goods" policy, the Oakland, Calif.-based AC Transit's board of directors agreed to purchase as many as 40, low-floor coaches from Hayward-based Gillig.

In total, the 40-foot long, diesel-fueled buses will cost $16.4 million-with $8.2 million in agency funds being matched by $8.2 million from the State Local Partnership Program.

A prototype of the new bus is expected to be delivered to the agency by the end of the year, and several of the buses are expected to be in service in the early part of 2013.