Steamship Authority receives three electric buses
FALMOUTH (June 30, 2023) – The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority is pleased to announce that it has received its first three electric buses to transport customers from its off-site parking lots to its mainland ferry terminals in Hyannis and Woods Hole.
The Authority’s bus drivers will now begin training on the new buses, which are expected to go into service in Falmouth and Hyannis in mid-July 2023.
“Now that our first electric buses are in hand, we are excited to put them into use and continue our efforts to make our operations more environmentally friendly,” said General Manager Robert B. Davis.
The three 40-foot long, low-floor electric buses, along with the necessary charging infrastructure, were purchased from BYD North America following approval by the Authority Board in 2021. The bus manufacturing and delivery processes were delayed by supply chain issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other production issues.
The approximately $3 million purchase price was offset by two grants the Authority received in 2019 totaling $875,000. One was from the Volkswagen Settlement Grant Program (administered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection) and the other was awarded under the Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No-Emission Program.
Later this year, the Authority expects to take delivery of an additional four 40-foot low-floor electric transit buses, along with the necessary charging infrastructure, from Gillig LLC of Livermore, California. The Authority Board authorized the purchase of the buses at its February 2022 meeting, for a total price not to exceed $4 million.
For more information on the Authority’s environmental initiatives, including an upcoming solar panel project at its largest parking lot, please visit www.steamshipauthority.com/green.
Since 1960, the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority has served as the transportation lifeline to the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard year round. The Steamship Authority is the largest ferry service to the islands and offers the most frequent daily departures for passengers, automobiles, groups and trucks. In 2022, more than 2.9 million passengers and more than 695,000 vehicles of all sizes were transported to and from the islands. Our U.S. Coast Guard-certified crews are committed to the highest level of safety at sea while our vessels offer comfort and convenience with spacious seating, free Wi-Fi and TV on board.
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