September 17, 2021. The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) has exercised options for 18 Xcelsior® compressed natural gas (CNG) forty-foot, heavy-duty transit buses, converted from NFI subsidiary New Flyer of America Inc.’s backlog. The award follows COTA’s second option conversion of 28 CNG buses, delivered earlier this year.
The options were exercised from a five-year contract originally announced in 2018 for 154 Xcelsior CNG forty-foot transit buses. Both purchases were supported by Federal Transit Administration funds as part of COTA’s 2013 commitment to convert its entire fleet to natural gas within 12 years.
COTA provides public transit in the greater Columbus and central Ohio region, and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, delivered more than 19 million passenger trips a year. COTA has been named Outstanding Midsize Public Transit Organization twice by the American Public Transportation Association, receiving the international recognition in 2018 and 2020.
“NFI continues to lead the evolution to low- and zero-emission buses by providing the industry’s broadest range of propulsion options to suit individual customer needs and unique operating environments,” said Paul Soubry, President and Chief Executive Officer, NFI. “We are proud to be awarded COTA’s follow on requirement for state-of-the-art transit buses, in support of its environmentally responsible vision for transit.”
NFI has been a CNG leader for more than 25 years, offering unmatched expertise in designing and deploying low-emission transit buses. Xcelsior CNG buses emit 90% less nitrogen oxide than diesel engines, resulting in cleaner, more breathable air.
“With over 155 buses delivered to COTA since 2001, New Flyer continues to provide safe and sustainable transportation to the greater Columbus region,” said Chris Stoddart, President, North American Bus and Coach. “Today, there are over 13,000 New Flyer CNG buses on the road in North America, proving the safe, scalable, and efficient performance of these low-emission buses. With CNG technology onboard, they emit virtually no visible particulate matter from the tailpipe – delivering immediate emission reduction and moving toward cleaner air for all.”