Steamship Authority commemorates start of electric bus service
FALMOUTH (September 12, 2023) – The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority celebrated the start of the first electric transit bus service on Cape Cod with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday at its Administrative Offices. The buses will be used to transport customers from the Authority’s off-site parking lots to its mainland ferry terminals in Hyannis and Woods Hole.
General Manager Robert B. Davis was joined by Port Council member Robert S.C. Munier, who represents Falmouth, at the brief ceremony, which was followed by a ceremonial “first ride” to the Woods Hole Terminal and back.
“Welcoming these buses into service is an important first step of our region’s journey into the transition to cleaner transportation options,” Davis said at the ceremony. “We are excited to be the first of what will be many agencies and municipalities making these investments in the coming years.”
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 January 2021. The buses were delivered to the Authority in June 2023, and its bus drivers have spent the summer familiarizing themselves with their operation. The Authority has also been in the process of completing installation and activation of the necessary charging infrastructure at its Falmouth bus maintenance facility, its Palmer Avenue Parking Lot in Falmouth, and its Yarmouth Road Parking Lot in Hyannis.
“We are proud that the Steamship Authority has chosen BYD|RIDE to provide its customers with new, clean energy transportation to and from the ferries. These battery electric buses will make a great addition to the fleet already serving the (Vineyard Transit Authority) on Martha’s Vineyard,” said Patrick Duan, BYD senior vice president of operations and co-chief executive officer of RIDE, the new spinoff company of BYD USA.
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.
The Authority is in the process of accepting 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.
BYD Bus Specifictions:
- Length: 40 feet
- Total seats: 35
- Maximum passenger capacity: 60 passengers (including standees) plus one driver
- Battery capacity: 446 kWh
- Operating Range: 225 miles (will vary depending on route conditions)
- Operating Efficiency: 2.16 kWh/mile
- Charging time: 3-3.5 hours (with DC charging)
- Other facts: The buses were built in Lancaster, California, and meet federal Buy America requirements.