The Long Beach Transit Board of Directors has awarded an $11.7 million contract to Los Angeles-based BYD Motors Inc. to manufacture 10 battery-powered electric buses and charging systems.
Long Beach transit chef executive Kenneth McDonald said the decision would benefit customers. The buses will be zero-emission, he said, adding that they will be the “the cleanest bus we have offered to date” and on the “leading edge of technology in the industry,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
The contract approved Monday, which brought a competitive bidding process to a close, includes funding for training and required equipment associated with the purchase of the buses, according to Long Beach Transit. The money comes from a combination of federal, state and local funds, with the majority of funding coming from a federal grant, according to Long Beach Transit.
The agency plans to operate the electric buses on the Passport route in downtown beginning in the fall of 2016. The deal includes options for additional bus purchases, according to The Times.
—Staff and wire reports