Academy Bus orders New Flyer Xcelsior CHARGE™ battery-electric buses to operate Columbia University Shuttle

ST. CLOUD, MN, Dec. 12, 2017 /CNW/ - (TSX: NFI) New Flyer of America Inc. ("New Flyer"), the U.S. subsidiary of New Flyer Industries Inc. ("NFI Group"), the largest transit bus and motor coach manufacturer and parts distributor in North America, today announced that Academy Express, LLC ("Academy Bus") has awarded New Flyer a contract for six Xcelsior CHARGE™ battery-electric, forty-foot heavy-duty transit buses complete with three charging stations.

The buses will be deployed in 2018 on Columbia University's Intercampus Shuttle network, operating between locations in Manhattan, New Jersey, and Rockland County serving over 30,000 students per year, with over 20,000 students using the Intercampus Shuttle network per month.

Introduction of New Flyer's battery-electric, zero-emission buses support Columbia University's Sustainability Plan, which aims to reduce transportation emissions through greener campus fleets and commute alternatives. The purchase is supported by New York State Electric Vehicle Voucher Incentive Funds (NYSERDA) focused on advancing clean vehicle technologies in New York.

"We are proud to support Academy Bus and Columbia University with their transition to sustainable transportation," said Wayne Joseph, President of New Flyer of America. "Our zero-emission, battery-electric buses not only lend positive environmental impact for students and the surrounding communities, but also feature American innovation in motion on the streets of New York and New Jersey."

"Academy maintains a long standing mutually beneficial relationship with Columbia University," said Francis Tedesco, President of Academy Bus. "We are excited to bring New Flyer's industry-leading technology on campus, and to assist the university with its aim of reducing emissions for the shuttle service."

Based in Hoboken, New Jersey, Academy Bus is the largest privately owned and operated motor coach company in the United States. Utilizing almost 1,200 buses across 18 locations from Boston to Miami, the company maintains a diverse set of service in charter, commuter, and casino operations. Academy Bus is the contractor on record for Columbia University shuttle procurement.

About NFI Group

NFI Group and its subsidiaries comprise the largest bus and motor coach manufacturer and parts distributor in North America, with 32 fabrication, manufacturing, distribution, and service centers located across Canada and the United States and employing nearly 6,000 team members.

NFI Group provides a comprehensive suite of mass transportation solutions under several brands: New Flyer^® (heavy-duty transit buses), ARBOC^® (low-floor cutaway and medium-duty buses), MCI^® (motor coaches), and NFI Parts™ (bus and coach parts, support, and service). 

NFI Group's vehicles incorporate the widest range of drive systems available ranging from clean diesel, natural gas, diesel-electric hybrid, trolley-electric, battery-electric and fuel cell.

• New Flyer is North America's heavy-duty transit bus leader and offers the most advanced product line under the Xcelsior^® and Xcelsior CHARGE™ brands. New Flyer actively supports over 44,000 heavy-duty transit buses (New Flyer, NABI, and Orion) currently in service, of which 6,400 are powered by electric and battery propulsion.
  
  
• ARBOC is North America's low-floor, body-on-chassis ("cutaway") bus leader serving transit, paratransit, and shuttle applications. With more than 2,500 buses in service, ARBOC leads the low-floor cutaway bus market providing unsurpassed passenger accessibility and comfort over traditional high-floor cutaway vehicles. ARBOC also offers a medium-duty bus for transit and shuttle applications.
  
  
• Motor Coach Industries is North America's motor coach leader offering the J-Series, the industry's best-selling intercity coach for 11 consecutive years, and the D-Series, the industry's best-selling motor coach line in North American history. Motor Coach Industries is also the exclusive distributor of Daimler's Setra S 417 and S 407 motor coaches in the United States and Canada. MCI actively supports over 28,000 coaches currently in service.
  
  
• NFI Parts is North America's most comprehensive parts organization, providing replacement parts, technical publications, training, service, and support for NFI Group's bus and motor coach product lines.

Further information is available at www.newflyer.com, www.arbocsv.com, and www.mcicoach.com. The common shares of NFI Group are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NFI.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements relating to expected future events and financial and operating results of NFI Group that involve risks and uncertainties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, investors cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and the differences may be material. Actual results may differ materially from management expectations as projected in such forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including market and general economic conditions and economic conditions of and funding availability for customers to purchase buses and to purchase parts or services, customers may not exercise options to purchase additional buses, the ability of customers to suspend or terminate contracts for convenience and the other risks and uncertainties discussed in the materials filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Due to the potential impact of these factors, the NFI Group disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law.

SOURCE New Flyer of America Inc.