County Unveils New Hybrid Electric Transit Buses
October 30, 2009 - County of Rockland Press Release
Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef unveiled on October 30, 2009 the first low-floor, hybrid electric bus to enter the Transport of Rockland (TOR) fleet.
At a late morning event held outside the County Office Building in New City, Vanderhoef announced that the new bus is part of the County’s acquisition of 16 new hybrid-electric buses. The buses will replace older buses in the TOR fleet and all 16 buses will be in service by the end of this year. The buses were purchased with Federal Transit Administration (80%), NYS Department of Transportation (10%) and other transportation dollars allocated to Rockland County (10%) at an average cost of approximately $550,000 each. No County tax funds were used to pay for the vehicles.
“Transitioning the TOR fleet to hybrids is just the latest step Rockland County is taking to do its part in reducing emissions and improving our environment,” said Vanderhoef. “Coupled with our bus fleet retrofit project, which will install particulate filters on our existing diesel engines, and our use of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel, these are the cleanest and greenest buses on the road in Rockland County.”
“I am also pleased to announce that the County has just ordered four more hybrid buses for TOR, thanks to a $5,547,824 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant awarded to us by the Federal Transit Administration,” said Vanderhoef.
The ARRA grant, in combination with an FTA grant previously awarded to the County, will fund a total of nine hybrid buses. In addition to the four buses just ordered for TOR, three 45-foot hybrid commuter coaches will be purchased to replace buses retiring from the TAPPAN ZEExpress (TZx) fleet. Two additional hybrids for TOR will also soon be ordered. All nine buses are expected to arrive in late 2010. Ten percent of the ARRA grant will also be used to offset operating costs for the TOR system. The ARRA grant is 100% Federal funding and requires no local match.
The 16 new hybrids arriving this year will replace buses in the TOR fleet that have met or exceeded the end of their useful lives and include two 40-foot buses, eight 35-foot buses and six 30-foot buses.
Download the complete press release here
Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef unveiled on October 30, 2009 the first low-floor, hybrid electric bus to enter the Transport of Rockland (TOR) fleet.
At a late morning event held outside the County Office Building in New City, Vanderhoef announced that the new bus is part of the County’s acquisition of 16 new hybrid-electric buses. The buses will replace older buses in the TOR fleet and all 16 buses will be in service by the end of this year. The buses were purchased with Federal Transit Administration (80%), NYS Department of Transportation (10%) and other transportation dollars allocated to Rockland County (10%) at an average cost of approximately $550,000 each. No County tax funds were used to pay for the vehicles.
“Transitioning the TOR fleet to hybrids is just the latest step Rockland County is taking to do its part in reducing emissions and improving our environment,” said Vanderhoef. “Coupled with our bus fleet retrofit project, which will install particulate filters on our existing diesel engines, and our use of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel, these are the cleanest and greenest buses on the road in Rockland County.”
“I am also pleased to announce that the County has just ordered four more hybrid buses for TOR, thanks to a $5,547,824 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant awarded to us by the Federal Transit Administration,” said Vanderhoef.
The ARRA grant, in combination with an FTA grant previously awarded to the County, will fund a total of nine hybrid buses. In addition to the four buses just ordered for TOR, three 45-foot hybrid commuter coaches will be purchased to replace buses retiring from the TAPPAN ZEExpress (TZx) fleet. Two additional hybrids for TOR will also soon be ordered. All nine buses are expected to arrive in late 2010. Ten percent of the ARRA grant will also be used to offset operating costs for the TOR system. The ARRA grant is 100% Federal funding and requires no local match.
The 16 new hybrids arriving this year will replace buses in the TOR fleet that have met or exceeded the end of their useful lives and include two 40-foot buses, eight 35-foot buses and six 30-foot buses.
Download the complete press release here
