TCAT receives $1.2 million contract to purchase hybrid buses

ITHACA, NY — Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) received a $1.2 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to purchase two new diesel-electric hybrid buses, officials with the local bus company announced Thursday.

According to a press release, due to the lengthy procurement and manufacturing process, it is expected that the two buses “will not be operating in the hills of Tompkins County for at least another year.”

The grant comes after years of labor and maintenance problems at TCAT led to performance issues at the transit agency. TCAT CEO Matthew Rosenbloom-Jones said the grant will help address those issues.

“TCAT is struggling with an aging fleet. This investment from the federal government is critical to regularly renewing our fleet and providing our community with clean and reliable public transit service,” Rosenbloom-Jones said.

The release said that one transit bus could take 60 vehicles off the road with just one person, curbing greenhouse gas emissions. These improvements would help reduce air pollution and noise pollution in Tompkins County, the release said.

In August last year, Proterra, the California-based electric bus manufacturer that supplied TCAT, filed for bankruptcy. Seven of the battery-powered electric buses they supplied to TCAT were shut down last March after mechanics discovered a crack in the fiberglass body of one of the buses. On another Proterra bus, mechanics also discovered that an axle had separated from the frame, raising safety concerns.

Each of the electric buses costs about $1 million, funded with the help of a $2.3 million federal grant, an $8.7 million grant, a settlement with Volkswagen, and state and local funds. Currently, the seven Proterra buses sit unused in the agency’s garage, and the chances of returning them to service are uncertain.

Following Proterra’s bankruptcy, TCAT’s board approved the purchase of five diesel buses, violating the organization’s plan to have a zero-emissions fleet by 2035. The FTA requires buses to remain in service for at least 12 years before they can be replaced with public funds.

TCAT remains committed to its goal of 100 percent zero emissions, but has a “more pragmatic timeline,” according to the press release. TCAT’s board has prioritized improving fleet services before fully transitioning to a zero-emission fleet.

TCAT plans to purchase the diesel and hybrid buses from another California bus manufacturer, Gillig. The company also plans to purchase six more electric buses using another federal grant the FTA awarded to TCAT in 2022. However, due to the limited number of manufacturers producing electric buses and the sharp increase in demand, Tompkins County residents will have to wait until at least 2026 to ride a new electric bus.

Until then, Rosenbloom-Jones said TCAT staff will focus on maintaining and repairing the existing fleet. New strategies for recruiting, training and retaining employees will improve the reliability of the service, he said.

TCAT will resume service on the 14S West Hill Shopper and other weekend and night trips starting August 18.

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