WARWICK, N.Y. — Trans Tech’s all-electric eSeries school bus has earned a spot on New York’s Type A school bus contract, the bus manufacturer announced on Wednesday.

School districts will now be able to purchase a New York made all-electric school bus from the state contract for the first time, according to Trans Tech.

New York added the Trans Tech eSeries to its procurement vehicles for school districts, making it one of two electric school bus models to earn a spot, with the eSeries being the only all-electric Type A school bus to be made in the state, according to the manufacturer. The other all-electric school bus added to the New York contract is the eLion from Lion Bus.

“It is truly a pioneering milestone to be among the first all-electric Type A school buses awarded a spot on the New York state contract,” said John Phraner, president of Trans Tech. “Trans Tech is committed to developing and manufacturing not only the safest school buses on the road, but also the most efficient, and our all-electric eSeries is a testament to that commitment.”

Trans Tech builds the eSeries on a Ford E-450 chassis in partnership with Motiv Power Systems of California, which manufactures the powertrain.

In New York state, school bus contractor Educational Bus is using eSeries buses for the Copiague Public Schools in Long Island.

Trans Tech’s Trans Star bus also earned a spot on the state’s contract. The Trans Star, which is built on Ford’s transit chassis, is also a Type A school bus that comes standard with the manufacturer’s aerodynamic design, fuel efficiency, pan-formed galvanized steel floors, and the company’s Versa-Track seating system.

The eSeries all-electric school bus has not received a lot of attention from school districts yet due to the price differential between its all-electric powertrain and Trans Tech’s conventional powertrains, according to Trans Tech. However, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) offers a $90,000 voucher incentive program to help offset the incremental cost between the conventional chassis and the Motiv Power Systems all-electric powertrain for the Ford E-450 chassis.  

To apply for electric school bus vouchers under NYSERDA’s NYT-VIP program, go here. (The funds must be redeemed by June 30, 2018.)