ENC has been named an approved manufacturer under a five-year cooperative transit bus contract led by the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) in North Carolina.
The agreement gives PART and two other participating transit agencies the option to purchase up to 99 buses from ENC or New Flyer during the five-year contract period.
The contract has a base quantity of 49 buses, with options for a further 50 vehicles. Alongside PART, the participating agencies are Winston-Salem Transit Authority (WSTA) and Burlington’s Link Transit.
The cooperative procurement arrangement allows the agencies to purchase buses through the contract without running separate competitive procurement processes. This is intended to reduce administrative work and shorten the time needed to acquire new vehicles.
PART can purchase 30-foot E-Z Rider II and 40-foot AXESS diesel buses, along with additional 30-, 35- and 40-foot configurations.
WSTA can procure 33-foot AXESS and E-Z Rider II diesel buses, as well as 35-foot AXESS diesel-electric hybrid buses. Link Transit can purchase 33-foot AXESS diesel-electric hybrid buses.
The agreement extends a relationship between ENC and PART that began in 2022, when PART selected the manufacturer to supply E-Z Rider II diesel buses.
Scott Rhine, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of PART, said:Reliable, well-built vehicles are essential to the service our communities depend on. This cooperative contract gives our participating agencies the flexibility to invest in quality, American-built transit buses, and we value our continued partnership with ENC.
ENC’s buses are manufactured in Riverside, California, and are available in 30-, 32-, 33-, 35- and 40-foot configurations.
Propulsion options include diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), diesel-electric hybrid and battery-electric power. The buses are designed to meet ADA accessibility requirements and can be configured with different interior layouts and mobility features.
The E-Z Rider II is available in 30-, 32- and 35-foot versions and includes wheelchair accessibility and a swept windshield intended to provide the driver with a wider field of view.
John Obert, Vice President of Transit Sales, ENC said:PART is a valued ENC customer, and we are proud to have earned our place on this contract alongside the region's leading transit agencies. This award reflects the confidence these agencies place in ENC's American-built, Altoona-tested vehicles. We are actively engaged with PART, WSTA, and Link Transit, and look forward to delivering the quality and reliability their riders deserve.
