NY: Hochul announces Buffalo has largest electrified bus depot in New York State

New York State looks to address climate change in a variety of ways, and Gov. Kathy Hochul pointed to one of them on Tuesday, as she announced Buffalo has taken a major step as it transitions to a clean public transit system that reduces greenhouse gases and helps to improve air quality for residents, workers and visitors.

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority has become the operator of largest electrified bus depot in state, the governor said, with the introduction of a new charging system by the New York Power Authority that includes 36 overhead chargers in the NFTA’s Cold Spring maintenance garage, along with a new substation built to accommodate future expansion.

Hochul said the project will serve as a model for public transit agencies across the state as they transition from diesel-powered buses.

“We are building a transportation infrastructure that is cleaner, healthier and more sustainable, and the Buffalo bus depot is the newest feature of our efforts,” she said in a news release. “Our investment in electrified buses and charging infrastructure not only improves the environmental impact of the fleet itself, but encourages New Yorkers to make public transportation their first choice – resulting in cleaner air and a greener future for everyone.”

NFTA announced last year that it was preparing to ramp up its fleet of Metro Buses, after being awarded nearly $29 million in federal funding to purchase new electric buses and expand its charging infrastructure. That funding was made possible to the NFTA through a competitive grant provided under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Low or No Emission Grant Program, part of the 2023 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The multimodal public transportation agency received its first battery electric bus in 2022. It now has 24 on site, with 21 additional electric buses expected to be operational during the next two years. The electrical capacity of the maintenance garage can serve about 50 buses, or half the depot, and can be scaled up to serve the entire depot. NFTA has a goal of operating a 100% zero-emission bus fleet by 2035.

NFTA Executive Director Kim Minkel said in a statement that the agency remains dedicated to creating a cleaner, healthier environment through the use of electric buses.

“With each battery electric bus we deploy, we reduce annual carbon emissions and significantly improve the air quality throughout Western New York,” Minkel said. “We are grateful to Gov. Kathy Hochul and the entire Western New York delegation for their unwavering support and commitment to our state’s national-leading climate plan.”

The Power Authority handled the design and installation of the NFTA overhead charging systems during the past couple years. Four bus lanes were reconfigured for electric buses and the facility’s roof structure was reinforced to accommodate high-tech overhead pantograph dispensers. The new NFTA-owned substation was designed so it can be expanded for full electrification of the system.

NFTA officials estimated the planned transition from diesel fuel to electric buses will save the authority $440,942 per year in diesel costs.

©2024 The Buffalo News (Buffalo, N.Y.) Visit www.buffalonews.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.