Omnitrans expands California’s zero-emission public transit footprint with four new Xcelsior CHARGE(TM) buses from New Flyer

Battery-electric buses to immediately reduce air pollution in the Inland Empire region

ST. CLOUD, MN, Feb. 27, 2020 /CNW/ - (TSX: NFI) New Flyer of America Inc. ("New Flyer"), a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. ("NFI"), one of the world's leading independent global bus manufacturers, today announced that Omnitrans of San Bernardino Valley, California has placed a new order for four forty-foot, battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE™ heavy-duty transit buses.

Omnitrans is a leader in California's plan to address challenging mandates for improved public health, air quality, and climate protection via zero-emission vehicles. With this new order for zero-emission battery-electric buses, Omnitrans further supports its commitment to providing comprehensive public transportation services which maximize comfort, safety, and customer satisfaction in an environmentally sensitive manner that further reduces air pollution in the Inland Empire. The California Air Resources Board passed its Innovative Clean Transit Regulation in December 2018, which requires transit agencies to transition their fleets to zero-emission technologies by 2040.

Since 2000, New Flyer has delivered 300 buses to Omnitrans, which currently operates more than 175 forty-foot and sixty-foot compressed natural gas ("CNG") transit buses from New Flyer.

"New Flyer commends Omnitrans on their forward-looking commitment to expanding public transportation services with new and innovative technology solutions," said Chris Stoddart, President, New Flyer of America. "We are proud that our zero-emission Xcelsior CHARGE™ battery-electric buses will help the people of San Bernardino Valley get to work, school, family and healthcare, on buses that are safe, accessible, and environmentally responsible."

New Flyer has delivered nearly 10,400 buses into the State of California, and has over 200 on order or pending delivery over the coming year. In addition, NFI offers four locations in California to support customers with bus service, parts, and manufacturing support, located in Ontario (San Bernardino County), Los Alamitos, Fresno, and the Bay Area (Hayward).

Omnitrans is the public transportation provider in San Bernardino County, California, carrying over 11 million passengers each year throughout its 480-square mile service area, covering 15 cities and portions of the unincorporated areas of the county.

New Flyer is proud to lead the industry with innovative mobility solutions including zero-emission buses, technology, and infrastructure that together, help build sustainable public transit for growing cities across North America. New Flyer has more than 50 years of experience in manufacturing zero-emission buses (ZEBs), with more electric buses on the road in America than any other manufacturer. It also operates the Vehicle Innovation Center, the first and only innovation lab of its kind dedicated to advancing bus technology and providing essential workforce development through electric bus training. New Flyer was the first bus manufacturer in the world to sign on to the Shared Mobility Principles for Livable Cities, and is currently developing automated bus technology to improve safety in public transit.

About NFI

With 9,000 team members operating from more than 50 facilities across ten countries, NFI is a leading independent global bus manufacturer providing a comprehensive suite of mass transportation solutions under brands: New Flyer^® (heavy-duty transit buses), Alexander Dennis Limited (single and double-deck buses), Plaxton (motor coaches), MCI^® (motor coaches), ARBOC^® (low-floor cutaway and medium-duty buses), and NFI Parts™. NFI buses and motor coaches incorporate the widest range of drive systems available including: clean diesel, natural gas, diesel-electric hybrid, and zero-emission electric (trolley, battery, and fuel cell).  In total, NFI now supports over 105,000 buses and coaches currently in service around the world. NFI common shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NFI. News and information are available at www.nfigroup.com, www.newflyer.com, www.mcicoach.com, www.arbocsv.com, www.alexander-dennis.com, and www.nfi.parts. 

About New Flyer

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. It also offers infrastructure development through New Flyer Infrastructure Solutions™, a service dedicated to providing safe, sustainable, and reliable charging and mobility solutions. New Flyer actively supports over 41,000 heavy-duty transit buses (New Flyer, NABI, and Orion) currently in service, of which 7,300 are powered by electric motors and battery propulsion and 1,600 are zero-emission. Further information is available at www.newflyer.com.

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.

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