MBTA continues New Flyer electric bus rollout despite New York MTA pausing orders over reliability concerns
By Eve
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has 12 New Flyer battery electric buses in service and is proceeding with further procurement, even as New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has paused orders for hundreds more vehicles from the same manufacturer. The MTA took delivery of its first 60 New Flyer electric buses in 2024 but reported battery reliability problems, with the vehicles breaking down more than three times as frequently as conventional buses, according to data presented at a June MTA board meeting. Both agencies use New Flyer because the manufacturer meets Buy America requirements for federally funded transit buses.
Why it matters: The contrasting approaches highlight procurement risk when scaling electric bus fleets with limited supplier options under Buy America rules. Reliability data from early MTA deployments may inform warranty negotiations and maintenance planning for other transit agencies buying New Flyer vehicles, including the MBTA's ongoing rollout.