For the first time in Westchester County history, the County is running all electric buses. The County has added six all electric Bee-Line Buses on the fleet. The buses, which are all part of the clean fleet initiative, are two 40-foot buses and four 35-foot buses. County Executive George Latimer will be on hand to welcome the first of the new buses, a New Flyer Xcelsior XE35 electric bus, to Westchester on Aug. 31.
Latimer said: “This is an exciting day for commuters and the environment. The unveiling of our first all-electric bus shows Westchester County’s commitment to modernizing its fleet with greener vehicles. In addition to meeting our sustainability goals by reducing emissions, these new electric buses will save the County money by providing the system with significant fuel savings.”
The first of the six is a 35-foot bus with 32 seats and each bus is expected to save approximately 5,000 gallons of fuel per year compared to a traditional diesel bus, while preventing greenhouse gas emissions from polluting the environment. The new bus includes amenities like USB charging ports at every seat, a bike rack, 14 cameras for added security and a protective shield for operators. The cost of the new bus was $969,028.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (“NYSERDA”) through its New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program is providing $326,357 in Volkswagen settlement funding for the purchase of the bus. The New York Power Authority (NYPA), with its main office in White Plains, is installing six electric vehicle chargers within the bus depot to charge the new buses that the County will own and operate. NYPA’s $1.7 million project includes $682,000 in Volkswagen diesel emissions settlement funding through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). NYPA is also working more broadly with Westchester to provide a masterplan to determine how the County can make additional investments in order to reach its 25 percent electric transit goal by 2025 and 100 percent by 2035.
Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Public Works and Transportation Hugh Greechan said: “We have made it a priority to replace our existing bus fleet with new, energy efficient cleaner models. We are excited to add the first all-electric bus to our Bee-Line fleet and implement charging infrastructure at our bus garage in Valhalla. These buses will provide a smooth exhaust free ride for our Bee-Line passengers who rely on our system to get them where they need to go.”
The Bee-Line currently has 325 buses in its fleet, 177 of which are hybrid diesel-electric. In 2018 the County added 78 hybrid diesel-electric 60-foot articulated buses to its fleet. In addition, the County is in the process of procuring 106 forty-foot hybrid diesel-electric buses which will be delivered in 2022. These buses will replace diesel buses.
County Director of Energy & Sustainability Peter McCartt said: “As our fleet ages out, the County Executive has mandated that their replacements be only electric or plug-in electric vehicles – saving money, our lungs, and the planet. So we have been and will continue adding Chevy Bolts, Chrysler Pacificas, and Toyota Prius Primes along with these wonderful electric buses. Procurement of these vehicles is the relatively easy part in comparison to the infrastructure needed to power all of them, so we also thank the Department of Public Works and Transportation, New York Power Authority, and NYSERDA for all of their expertise and hard work to make this electric charging available.”
The Bee-Line is Westchester County’s bus system, serving over 27 million passengers annually with convenient service connecting residents to jobs, recreation, shopping and other regional transportation services. It is the second largest transit bus fleet in New York State, operated by the County’s Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T). Over 65 percent of all Westchester County residents are within walking distance of a Bee-Line bus route, making the bus both close and convenient. The system has over 3,300 bus stops and almost 60 routes. All Bee-Line buses are accessible and designed with many accessibility features including “kneeling” buses, ramps and lifts.
County Executive Latimer also recently announced improvements to the Bee-Line bus system, and fall service changes effective on September 7. Several enhancements and adjustments will better meet the needs of Bee-Line customers, including additional weekend service on Routes 5, 6, 7, 13, 40 and 60. There will also be adjustments to scheduled running times to reflect actual travel times and changing demand.
Riders should consult timetables for specific details about each route.
Routes: 1, 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 25, 30, 40, 42, 60, 61, 62, 70, 71, BxM4C.
For a full list of all the summer service changes and new bus schedules, visit www.westchestergov.com/beelinebus or call the Bee-Line customer service center at (914)-813-7777, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Automated information is available 24 hours a day.
