The expansion insources transit bus part fabrication, centralizes the welding process, expands workspace for the administration team, and adds Calhoun County’s first and only dine-in cafeteria amongst all manufacturers.
Cody Hensleigh Photography
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The expansion insources transit bus part fabrication, centralizes the welding process, expands workspace for the administration team, and adds Calhoun County’s first and only dine-in cafeteria amongst all manufacturers.
Cody Hensleigh Photography
New Flyer of America Inc. cut the ribbon on a $25 million renovation and expansion of its Anniston, Alabama advanced manufacturing facility.
The ribbon cutting opens an additional 76,000-square feet of space, bringing the total campus to nearly 400,000-square feet of advanced manufacturing capacity and completing site readiness for production of battery-electric transit buses. The expansion insources transit bus part fabrication, centralizes the welding process, expands workspace for the administration team, and adds Calhoun County’s first and only dine-in cafeteria amongst all manufacturers.
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Continuous improvements were also completed throughout the existing plant to improve quality and supply management, and to increase American-sourced components for New Flyer’s transit buses.
“The investment in our Anniston facility furthers New Flyer’s commitment to American jobs and manufacturing, and reiterates our ability to build and deliver safe, reliable, and technologically advanced transit buses,” said Wayne Joseph, president of New Flyer of America.
New Flyer’s Xcelsior CHARGE™ zero-emission, battery electric demonstration transit bus, also built in Anniston, was onsite for the occasion. The event follows New Flyer’s late 2017 announcement to invest into the manufacturing facility, which preceded the opening of its Vehicle Innovation Center (VIC) in Anniston in October 2017.
The VIC is America’s first and only innovation lab dedicated to advancing bus and coach technology in the electric and autonomous space. Since opening, the VIC has welcomed over 1,000 industry visitors, including transit properties, regulator, media, suppliers, utility companies, and investors, and New Flyer further invested $5 million to develop electric bus programming and production capacity.
Joining New Flyer of America President Wayne Joseph in lending remarks were U.S. Senator Doug Jones, Anniston Mayor Jack Draper, Calhoun County Economic Development Council Executive Director Don Hopper, and more.
New Flyer
The expansion builds on New Flyer’s commitment to investing in American infrastructure, manufacturing, innovation, and jobs. Over the past year, jobs at its Anniston facility have grown by nearly 30% to over 750 people. New Flyer proudly employs more American workers than any bus manufacturer in North America.
The New Flyer of America Anniston campus, formerly North American Bus Industries, was acquired by New Flyer in 2013 and consists of five buildings on 36 acres. It manufactures transit buses from part fabrication to high-strength frame welding and final assembly. In 2015, New Flyer invested $20 million to transform the campus to a world-class LEAN manufacturing site capable of producing New Flyer’s Xcelsior® heavy-duty bus platform.
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Combined with the $20 million invested in 2015 and $5 million spent on electric bus production upgrades and programming over the past year, the expansion marks a total $50 million invested in Anniston.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
