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Winnipeg Transit #652, a 1995 New Flyer D40LF, WB on Graham Avenue as a route 32 back in July 2020. Normally an express route, the 32 was modified to "all stops" to spread out ridership during the peak of the Covid-19 Pandemic in March-August 2020. This bus was originally Calgary Transit #7568, part of an order of 24 second-hand buses Winnipeg Transit acquired in 2016 to help with a fleet shortage. The last of these buses were retired in February 2025 after just under 30 years of service between the two agencies---an impressive number given that most transit agencies tend to retire vehicles at the 15-18 year service mark, if not sooner!
Winnipeg Transit #378, a 1994 New Flyer D40 (high floor), WB on Portage Avenue at Polo Park as a route 25 back in June 2015. Also of note are the four D40LF's in the background; a rare sight today with more retired each year. Winnipeg Transit retired its last high floor buses in December 2016. The Manitoba Transit Heritage Association (MTHA) retains one similar unit, #858 delivered in 1990, as part of their historic vehicle collection.
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After prior testing with diesel hybrids, CNG
buses, and battery electric buses, ETS has added a hydrogen fuel cell bus to
their fleet for testing, in partnership with the Alberta Government through
the
Alberta Zero Emission Hydrogen Transit (AZEHT) project. Strathcona
County Transit is also involved in the project, with ETS purchasing both
buses and then being reimbursed by Strathcona for their share of their bus,
as well as Emissions Reduction Alberta for the balance of the Strathcona
bus, and about half the cost of ETS's bus, which is about $1.6 million each.
Both buses were delivered to ETS's Ferrier Garage in July 2022. ETS's
unit is #6016, continuing on from the 2 Proterra's that ran around prior to
delivery of the regular ETS units.
Strathcona's unit arrived as #7001 following on from #7000 used on the test
double decker. However, once the uses received their hydrogen graphics, the
sides of the Strathcona bus were changed to #5001 and the rear remained
#7001.
Without adequate hydrogen leakage detectors (presumably) the buses have
remained outside at Ferrier. They received their decal work in late
September, and were shown off at the Electric & Hydrogen Vehicle Expo at the
Edmonton EXPO Centre during the weekend of Septemember 24 & 25, 2022.
In the mean time, no other details about operations have been revealed. It
is to be a 23 month test. Calgary Transit and the Bow Valley Regional
Transit Services Commission are also involved in the project, so expect to
see one or both buses go on road trips.
#7001 / 5001 is Strathcona County's first New Flyer bus in 21 years.
The buses are to be fueled at the
Alberta Zero Emission Truck Electrification Collaboration (AZETEC) site
which is being developed to refuel Class 8 fuel cell trucks.
Photos courtesy of Nico Sander. |
