Steamship Authority Electrifies Fleet with BYD | RIDE Zero-Emission Buses

Steamship Authority Electrifies Fleet with BYD | RIDE Zero-Emission Buses

FALMOUTH, MA. (September 25, 2023) – The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority received its first three battery-electric buses from BYD | RIDE, a delivery that represents an important step in Steamship Authority’s journey toward sustainable zero-emission transportation. The milestone was commemorated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its administrative office in Falmouth.

“We are proud to partner with the Steamship Authority and are committed to providing them with reliable and eco-friendly solutions,” said Patrick Duan, Senior Vice President of BYD | RIDE. “The addition of the K9M buses will further enhance the environment and the surrounding communities by providing clean, zero-emission transportation.”

Steamship Authority, the largest ferry service to the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket from Cape Cod, will use the buses to provide transportation from offsite parking lots to the mainland ferry terminals in Hyannis and Woods Hole. The 40-foot K9M bus has a seating capacity of up to 37 passengers. All BYD | RIDE buses are equipped with industry’s safest battery technology.

“Welcoming these buses into service is an important first step of the Steamship Authority’s journey into the transition to cleaner transportation options,” Steamship Authority General Manager Robert B. Davis said at the ceremony. “We are excited to be among the first of what will be many agencies and municipalities making these investments in the coming years.”

The buses are purpose-built by members of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and  Transportation (SMART) Workers Union, Local 105, at the BYD | RIDE Coach and Bus Facility located in Lancaster, CA. BYD | RIDE is the only battery-electric bus manufacturer that has both a unionized workforce and a Community Benefits Agreement, which sets goals for hiring veterans, single parents, second chance citizens, and others facing hurdles in obtaining manufacturing employment.