What the state’s top government official is calling the largest electric charging bus depot in New York is now operational in Buffalo.
The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) project installed 36 overhead charging systems in the Cold Spring maintenance garage. A new substation also was built to accommodate future expansion of the electric bus charging facility.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul praised the NFTA’s work to achieve fleet electrification on such a state-leading level. Read more on Mass Transit Fleet Electrification in New York.
“We are building a transportation infrastructure that is cleaner, healthier and more sustainable, and the Buffalo bus depot is the newest feature of our efforts,” Gov. Hochul said in a statement. “Our investment in electrified buses and charging infrastructure not only improves the environmental impact of the fleet itself but encourages New Yorkers to make public transportation their first choice – resulting in cleaner air and a greener future for everyone.”
The New York Power Authority oversaw the design and installation of the overhead charging systems in four bus lanes at Cold Spring garage. NFTA owns the substation.
The transportation authority received its first battery-electric bus two years ago and now has 24 on site. The current charging infrastructure can handle about 50 buses or half the depot capacity.
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“With each battery electric bus we deploy, we reduce annual carbon emissions and significantly improve the air quality throughout Western New York,” NFTA Executive Director Kim Minkel said. “We are grateful to Governor Hochul and the entire Western New York delegation for their unwavering support and commitment to our state’s national-leading climate plan.”
The pantograph chargers are designed overhead so buses no longer have to plug and unplug each time they need to charge. Instead, they park into the connection with the ceiling-mounted chargers.
National Grid provided grid connection support for the upgrade. NFTA has received close to $110 million in federal and state funding to help build out bus system charging infrastructure.
Last year, NFTA transported more than 15 million riders in the western New York region.
