Westchester County Replacing Diesel Buses With Electric

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Electric buses will be replacing the existing diesel fuel buses in Westchester County's fleet. The county Board of Legislators approved a $4,475,000 bond, with an additional $2,125,000 of federal funds being used, for the purchase of the electric buses.

Officials said the move will also save the county money due to less reliance on costly diesel fuel.

County Executive George Latimer said his administration made it a priority to replace the existing bus fleet with new, cleaner models.

"This is another step in that direction," he said. "As we move to a more sustainable future, mass transit — and clean mass transit — must play a larger role."

Early in his administration, Latimer announced that the county's Bee-Line Bus fleet would be expanding with 78 diesel-electric 60-foot buses, 40 diesel-electric 40-foot buses and two fully electric buses.

According to a spokesperson, the clean diesel-electric buses and the full electric buses have been credited with already saving the county more than 1 million gallons of fuel, while preventing 18,400 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from polluting the environment.

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