Nashua Transit System and BAE Systems partner to bring hybrid diesel-electric transit buses to the streets of New Hampshire

Have you heard the latest transit electrification news? New Hampshire’s own Nashua Transit System will be replacing two diesel-powered trolleys with a pair of hybrid diesel-electric buses! Earlier this year, they pursued a competitive grant through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The Granite State Clean Cities Coalition (GSCCC) provided a letter of support towards their application to the FTA Low or No Emission Vehicle Program. We’re excited to announce that they were chosen to receive a grant of $1.1 million towards their project. To top it off, they are partnering with another GSCCC stakeholder, BAE Systems, to procure the buses. It’s projects like these that allow the GSCCC annual report to tell the story of New Hampshire’s stakeholders’ accomplishments. 

Back in May, GSCCC stakeholders attended a demo of a 2017 Gillig Electric Hybrid Transit Bus that was equipped with BAE Systems’ HybriDrive Electric Propulsion System. Nashua Transit System hosted the demo, which was facilitated by John Hroncich and Greg Marx of BAE Systems. They showcased a transit bus and answered questions, then everyone got to go for a ride through downtown Nashua and experience the bus’s zero emissions electric range drive… so quiet and smooth!    

- advertisement -

It’s great to see where this experience has led. The two hybrid vehicles, which are expected to arrive in late 2019/early 2020, will be joining Nashua Transit System’s fleet of transit buses that run on compressed natural gas. Diversification is a key element of fleet sustainability and efficiency, and opportunities to ride in or drive alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles firsthand can be the catalyst in finding the right fit for the technology.  For more information about GSCCC, visit their website: GraniteStateCleanCities.NH.gov