New Jersey Transit unveils first battery-electric bus
New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) took a big step toward its planned transition to a zero-emission fleet by 2040 with the introduction of its first battery-electric bus. The 40-foot bus is the first of an eight-vehicle base order with New Flyer of America. The $9.4-million contract has options allowing for up to 75 additional zero-emission buses to be ordered.
The new electric bus will be used for training of bus operators and first responders before it enters service in the Camden, NJ, area.
“The future is now for NJ Transit, and this bus is just the first step along our transition to a more sustainable transportation system,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti.
The bus was inaugurated at a ceremony in Camden at NJ Transit’s Newton Avenue Bus Garage, which was outfitted earlier this year with bus chargers in anticipation of the first electric buses entering service.
At the ceremony, NJ Transit President and CEO Kevin S. Corbett explained Camden was selected for the agency’s electric vehicle pilot for two major reasons: Its densely populated urban environment means the community is disproportionately impacted by climate change and its topography and route structure made for an ideal test case. Corbett says data will be collected during the pilot program to evaluate the performance of the electric vehicles before additional zero-emission buses are deployed in other areas of the state.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
