A new hybrid-electric Bee-Line bus is just one of the fleet Westchester will be rolling out.
Photo courtesy of Westchester County
Governor Andrew Cuomo has awarded Westchester County $3 million to go toward the purchase of a fleet of clean-fuel hybrid buses.
“Thank you to Governor Cuomo for recognizing the need here in Westchester County to provide safe, clean, and green transportation,” says County Executive George Latimer. “This money will go a long way to furthering the electrification of our fleet.”
The news comes on the heels of Latimer recently introducing legislation to require electric charging stations in all new and newly renovated county owned parking garages and lots.
Read More: Latimer Wants to Require More Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Throughout the County
The county is going to great lengths to reduce its carbon footprint, with the Director of Energy Conservation and Sustainability Pete McCartt saying, “This funding will help as we further electrify our fleet, doing our part to reduce our carbon footprint by mitigating our greenhouse gas emissions. We are on track to have our entire transit bus fleet running on either electric or electric-hybrid by 2025.”
The changeover has been an initiative of Latimer’s since the beginning of his administration, originally promising a fleet of six-dozen diesel-electric 60-foot buses, 40 40-foot models, and two full-electric buses. Those buses already in use have reportedly saved Westchester over one million gallons of fuel, while preventing 18,400 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from polluting the environment.
Cuomo’s award to Westchester is part of a larger plan where the governor designates 14.2 million in State funding to counties and cities in order to modernize public transportation services.
