NEWS RELEASE
REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF YORK
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York Regional Council has given the green light to move forward on researching and testing electric buses and the purchase of six 40-foot battery electric buses.
“Investing in electric bus technology allows us to operate more efficiently and moves us closer to York Region’s commitment to producing zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2051,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson. “There are a number of benefits to this electric bus trial, including a reduction in fuel and maintenance cost and gaining experience and knowledge in the field of electric transit vehicles.”
The purchase of six electric buses will allow York Region to gain practical hands-on experience and allow the Region to continue participating in the Pan-Canadian Electric Bus Demonstration and Integration Trial lead by the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium.
“Electric buses are one of the best options for a transit system as they do not generate greenhouse gas emissions, and with advancing technology, more and more transit agencies in North America are incorporating them into their fleet,” said King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini, Chair of the Region’s Transportation Services. “Important programs like these ensure we remain innovative and are continuously improving the way we provide transit to travellers in York Region.”
Additional partners include utility agencies, the Town of Newmarket and Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution Ltd., bus manufacturers New Flyer Industries and Nova Bus, and Siemens providing support for electrical charging equipment. The Federal Government is funding a portion of the charging infrastructure that will need to be installed.
Of the six buses, four will be from New Flyer and two from Nova Bus at a cost of $1.2 million per bus.
For major service alerts, news, travel tips and other relevant transit information, call 1-866-MOVE-YRT (668-3978), visit yrt.ca or follow YRT on social media. You can also check out talk2yrt.ca, a website where you can view questions and answers about YRT or submit your own questions.
The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns and provides a variety of programs and services to 1.2 million residents and 51,000 businesses with 620,000 employees. More information about the Region’s key service areas is available here.
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