LOS ANGELES, CALIF. (2/1/2021) – BYD (Build Your Dreams) announced it will build battery-electric buses for the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority. The buses will be built at the company’s U.S. Coach & Bus factory in Lancaster, California.
The Steamship Authority plans to deploy BYD 40-foot K9Ms to transport customers from its off-site parking lots to its mainland ferry terminals in Hyannis and Woods Hole.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Steamship Authority in helping to create a more sustainable world,” said BYD North America Vice President Patrick Duan. “BYD’s innovative zero-emission bus technology is a perfect fit for the Steamship Authority’s drive to incorporate green technology in their operations.”
“The addition of these three electric buses to our fleet furthers the Steamship Authority’s ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility,” said Robert B. Davis, general manager of the Authority. “We are thankful for the support from both the state and federal grant programs that are helping to offset the cost of these vital additions to our shuttle fleet.”
“I am happy that we have been chosen as a partner and congratulate The Steamship Authority on their decision to go green,” said Randy Premo, BYD Regional Sales Manager, Northeast. “I look forward to working with and supporting them as they implement these buses into service and as they pursue further green technologies for their operations. This is a great day for the region as well.”
Prior to committing to purchase BYD buses, the Steamship Authority borrowed one from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional Transit Authority for test runs. Drivers put it through its paces in both day and night runs, with the Authority calling it a successful “proof of concept” trial.
The battery-electric, zero-emission K9M has 37 seats, a range of 155 miles, and can be rapidly charged in 4.5 to 5 hours.
BYD’s high quality zero-emission buses not only meet, but exceed, Federal Transit Administration “Buy America” requirements, incorporating more than 70% U.S. content.BYD is America’s first battery-electric bus manufacturer with both a unionized workforce and a Community Benefits Agreement, which sets goals for hiring veterans, single parents, second chance citizens, and others facing hurdles in obtaining manufacturing employment.
