New Flyer of America Inc. (New Flyer) has been awarded a contract from the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) to provide seven zero-emission buses as the agency begins the transition to a zero-emission bus fleet.

Included in the contract are three 60-foot zero-emission, battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG heavy-duty transit buses (six equivalent units or “EUs”), and four 40-foot battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG transit buses (four EUs) for a total of 10 EUs.

The MDOT MTA provides over 3.5 million annual bus rides.

MDOT MTA is awarding the pilot ZEB contract to NFI by using grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Low or No Emission Grant Program and the Volkswagen Settlement. The new buses will help fulfil Maryland’s new Zero-Emission Bus Transition Act, which mandates all new buses procured must be emission-free beginning in 2023.

“Since 1995, NFI has delivered over 1,260 buses and coaches to the Maryland Transit Administration, and today we begin enabling its transition to zero-emission mobility,” said Chris Stoddart, president, North American Bus and Coach, NFI. “Our battery-electric buses provide safe, efficient, quiet and emission-free public transportation, and will ultimately improve air quality and the quality of passenger experience in the state of Maryland.”