NJ Transit has approved the purchase of 286 new buses, including 26 battery-electric models, in what the public transport operator called its largest procurement to date. The $500 million investment is part of the agency’s plan to modernise its aging fleet.
The order includes 260 “clean diesel” 40-foot buses and 26 battery-electric vehicles, though the agency did not disclose specific models. In 2022, NJ Transit signed a five-year contract with New Flyer for up to 75 Xcelsior Charge NG electric buses, suggesting the new electric units could be supplied under that agreement.
“Authorising these bus purchases marks the necessary final step toward the full modernisation of our fleet by 2031 for the first time in the agency’s 45-year history,” NJ Transit president and CEO Kris Kolluri said. “Customers will see the impact through vastly improved reliability, enhanced safety features, and a customer experience our riders deserve.”
While the expansion of electric buses marks progress, the majority of the purchase remains diesel-powered. Transit operators in other U.S. cities have leaned more heavily on electrification, but NJ Transit said its long-term NJT2030 strategy is designed to phase out older vehicles and make room for more zero-emission units in the future.