Azure Dynamics Corporation, a developer of state-of-the-art green technologies that address environmental and cost issues for the commercial transportation industry, today announced its success on a recent bid for 50 Balance Hybrid Electric Shuttle Buses. Ten buses were ordered immediately by three separate Kentucky municipalities with an option for up to 40 additional buses.
The State of Kentucky, under direction of its Office of Transportation Delivery, is one of the first states to receive Federal Transit Administration (FTA) stimulus money aimed at providing fuel efficient and environmentally friendly transportation solutions. The stimulus funds were provided to members of the Kentucky Public Transit Association. Under a competitive bid process a contract was awarded to National Bus Sales and Leasing, Inc. for the Azure Balance Hybrid Electric drivetrain on a Ford E450 chassis and shuttle bus bodies built by Goshen Coach.
The Azure vehicles are expected to be delivered by the beginning of September. The City of Owensboro, via Audubon Area Community Services, will receive seven buses for its paratransit program. Two other vehicles will be used for Demand Response in the state capital of Frankfort. The final bus serves in a pilot program for the Rural Transportation Enterprise Council (RTEC). The latter organization has a shuttle fleet of 150 buses operating in 13 counties. This is its first hybrid electric vehicle. The organization hopes to add additional hybrid electric vehicles pending results of this pilot program.
David Clawson, Regional Manager of Transit Sales for National, said, "Kentucky has demonstrated that it can act quickly to take advantage of available federal funding support to upgrade its vehicle fleet. As more municipalities access these programs, we expect to see a significant increase in orders for hybrid electric technology like that on the Azure products specified by Kentucky."
Goshen Coach of Elkhart, Indiana, will be providing shuttle bodies in both10-passenger plus two wheelchair and 12-passenger plus two wheelchair configurations.