Author: Jessica Malatt

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on every aspect of our lives. Those of us in the transit industry have certainly felt its effects, and we will for quite some time.

But there are several key takeaways from what we’ve learned thus far:

1. The transit industry is full of brave and selfless front-line heroes who deserve the accolades being showered on that community right now.
2. The sudden shutdown in transportation that occurred at the beginning of the pandemic demonstrated how significantly our driving choices affect the environment, as CO2 levels plummeted and major city skylines became clearly visible for the first time in years.
3. We don’t need to return to our “same old” vehicle choices when we emerge from the pandemic – in fact, we have an opportunity to improve our transportation choices in a way that helps our environment in the long term moving forward.

While commercial and municipal transit fleets have recognized electrification as a major part of their sustainability strategy, there are still significant challenges (including high capital cost, insufficient infrastructure, and lack of product options) that are keeping fleets from moving forward with large numbers of battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

As a result, demand for hybrid electric (HEV) fleet options has never been higher. These readily available solutions are available as upfit options to provide immediate fuel economy and sustainability value while overcoming the most pressing challenges of their all-electric counterparts.

Hybrid Fleet Advantages

• No charging infrastructure required
• Reduced capital and operating costs
• Readily available vehicles and applications
• No driver or maintenance team training
• Immediate progress toward sustainability goals

If you have sustainability goals to meet, there’s no reason to wait for all-electric transit vehicles to become available and for the infrastructure to catch up with the demand for greener products. Hybrids are available, effective and affordable for transit companies looking to make an impact right away.

About Colonial

Colonial is a full-service provider of transportation solutions in the mid-Atlantic, and is an advocate for sustainability and environmental responsibility in the vehicles we offer and the ways in which the company operates. We are a long-standing Sales and Installation Partner for XL Fleet, the leading producer of hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric drive solutions for class 2-6 transit vehicles.  Contact us at 800-GO-BY-BUS today.