For those who are not aware Novabus has won the bid to deliver a total of 245 buses for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). This is a four year contract made to Novabus. This is a rather unusual contract – for one not all of the buses will arrive in one year. The order would be spanned over the course of four years. Ofcourse this all depends on funding. The first of the Nova artic hybrids are slated to arrive here in December 2012. It has been rumored that the pilot may arrive here as early as September. This acquisition cost for these buses is $171 million.
The tentivitve break down of this order is as follows:
- SEPTA has received an grant to buy 160 hybrid buses during the course of the first two years of the contract (FY 2013-FY 2014)- Tentatively 155 hybrids would be artics, while the other five hybrids give would be 40 footer.
- 155 Novabus hybrid artics – to be divaded and delivered over the course of two years. No idea on the number of amount of artics per year. These buses will replace the 155 Neoplan An460 articulated buses which has been in service since 1999-2000.
- Five out of the 90 forty-foot (40 foot) hybrids would be purchased in the first two years of the contract. (FY 2013-FY 2014)
- 85 out of the 90 forty-foot (40 foot) diesel buses to be delivered over the course of the last two years (FY 2015-FY 2016). The order for these buses may change from straight diesel buses to hybrids. Tentatively, five buses out of the 90 order of Nova LFS are to be hybrid buses (LFS HEV). All of these buses may be hybirds, but it all depends on whether or not SEPTA will receive additional federal funding for this purchase. Once all said and done, these 90 buses will replace the remaining 91 NABI 416s which are still in service at Comly and Midvale.
Please note: Contract orders can and will change, please stay tune for more details and/or corrections being made.
http://articles.philly.com/2012-03-16/news/31201854_1_hybrid-buses-septa-board-diesel-buses