NJ TRANSIT UNVEILS NEW ELECTRIC BUS CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN CAMDEN
Chargers and Infrastructure Upgrades at Newton Ave. Bus Garage Set the Stage for Upcoming Deployment of First Electric Buses
March 22, 2022
CAMDEN, NJ – NJ TRANSIT’s Newton Avenue Bus Garage in Camden is ready to plug into the future of electric buses. NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett today announced the installation of eight Electric Vehicle Chargers (EVCs) at the garage has been completed. These chargers and associated infrastructure upgrades represent the next step in NJ TRANSIT’s goal of transitioning to a 100% zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040. This work sets the stage for a deployment of the agency’s first eight battery electric buses in Camden later this year.
“The future of transportation is clean energy, and it’s no surprise that Camden is ahead of the curve in adopting these technologies,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “These busses not only get us closer to a zero-emissions future, but they also make our communities healthier today by immediately reducing emissions in our neighborhoods and cities. The Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act will build upon state efforts by plugging New Jersey into a nationwide EV charging network, making clean energy transportation more available to personal vehicles as well.”
“The completion of electric bus charging infrastructure at the Newton Avenue Bus Garage is a major step toward putting the first electric buses in New Jersey into service,” said Governor Murphy. “This program reflects our commitment to eliminating reliance on fossil fuels and to environmental justice in the state of New Jersey.”
"The completion of this NJ TRANSIT electric bus charging infrastructure construction project marks a truly special day for the City of Camden and the Garden State," said Assemblyman Bill Moen, Vice-Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee. "Not only will this project bring some of the state's first electric buses to Camden City - which will be another step towards improving our region's air quality - but this program's success will be the model that the rest of our state will follow as we work to foster a clean energy economy for generations to come."
“Thanks to the installation of these eight chargers at the Newton Avenue Bus Garage we are one step closer to achieving sustainable eco-friendly public transportation in New Jersey,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. “NJ TRANSIT is well on its way to transitioning to a 100% zero-emissions bus fleet in accordance with Governor Murphy’s Energy Master Plan.”
“I am pleased to see that NJ TRANSIT is making strides in its implementation of green, sustainable technology and equipment, supporting the Energy Master Plan and paving the way for a green fleet in the near future,” said NJ TRANSIT Board Vice-Chair Cedrick T. Fulton.
“The installation of these charging stations in Camden marks the next big step in transforming NJ TRANSIT into the green transportation innovator that I know it can become by achieving its goal of a 100% zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040 and changing the agency and the state for the better,” said NJ TRANSIT Board Member Sangeeta Doshi.
“In order to see the dramatic shift into green energy, hard work needs to be done and words need to be turned into action. The rapid advancement of the garage modernization in Camden, with its eight electric buses on the way, and charging stations now in place, shows NJ TRANSIT’s commitment to making its zero-emissions bus fleet goal a reality,” said NJ TRANSIT Board Member James D. Adams.
“With the successful installation of the charging infrastructure at our Newton Avenue bus garage, which will support our eight electric buses arriving later this year, NJ TRANSIT celebrates a significant milestone on our roadmap to a 100 percent zero-emissions bus fleet,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “NJ TRANSIT’s Zero-Emissions Bus Program is aligned with Governor Murphy's Energy Master Plan and we remain committed to achieving our goal of a fully zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040.”
“Electric vehicles are the way of the future and having this electric bus charging infrastructure here in Camden City will allow us to utilize more sustainable means of public transportation and rely less on carbon emitting, traditional vehicles,” said Camden County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash, who also serves as the liaison to the county’s Environmental Commission. “We’re excited to have such a transformative initiative underway here in our city and we hope to be an example to other municipalities to show that investing in renewable energy will benefit our communities and our planet in the long run.”
“I commend Governor Phil Murphy for helping reduce emissions not only in Camden but across New Jersey,” said Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen. “I am also grateful to Congressman Donald Norcross for advocating for sustainable initiatives and transformational projects which improve the quality of life for residents. It makes me proud to know NJ TRANSITS’s new electric bus charging stations at Newton Avenue Garage in Camden will be a first of its kind. This is a huge step towards making
NJ TRANSIT greener. It shows a strong commitment to not only being environmentally responsible to customers riding NJ TRANSIT buses but also to all those living near the Newton Avenue Garage.”
In September 2020, NJ TRANSIT’s Board of Directors awarded a $3.235 million contract to Scalfo Electric of Vineland to renovate the Newton Avenue Bus Garage with electric vehicle charging stations and other associated infrastructure modifications.
The Camden project is a first of its kind initiative for NJ TRANSIT, which will test electric buses in real world conditions on specific NJ TRANSIT routes. This will provide invaluable data and information on the effects of weather, passenger volume, road conditions and other factors on electric bus performance, including travel distance available between recharging. The project will also review the infrastructure resources and work required to modernize NJ TRANSIT’s bus garages to accept new charging stations, and the significantly greater power feeds needed to energize them.
The Bus Garage Modernization project was identified as a capital need in NJ TRANSIT’s 5-Year Capital Plan and is aligned with NJ TRANSIT’s commitment to achieving a full transition to 100% zero-emission bus fleet by 2040 and meeting the schedule included in Governor Murphy’s Zero-Emissions-Bus Initiative.
As part of the continued progress on the ambitious Bus Garage Modernization project, the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors just approved a $4.3 million contract with AECOM on Monday for 100 percent Final Design and Construction Asistance for the Hilton Garage charging infrastructure in Maplewood, as well as a systemwide survey and condition assessment for all 16 of NJ TRANSIT’s bus garages to identify the structural, power & utility, and information technology upgrades necessary, as well as other physical elements, to support zero-emissions buses .
About NJ TRANSIT
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 253 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 166 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.