The Vehicle Research and Innovation Laboratory project is proposed as a testing facility to address challenges faced by transit vehicle manufacturers in adopting low- or no-emissions technologies.
The new collaboration with College of DuPage creates a fast path to employment by helping qualified applicants obtain their CDL permit through a customized two-week program before beginning paid training with Pace.
When the FCEBs enter revenue service within the next few years, they will replace 16- to 17-year-old diesel buses that have exceeded their useful lifespan.
The $1.26 million project is partly funded by a nearly $950,000 grant provided through the FTA’s ADAS for Transit Buses Demonstration and Automated Transit Bus Maintenance and Yard Operations Demonstration Program, with CapMetro funding the remaining costs.
The Durham Region Transit Thornton Facility in Oshawa, Ontario will support a fleet of 215 zero-emission buses to be stored, operated, maintained, and serviced on location.