October 10, 2026. New Flyer of America Inc. has announced it has been awarded a contract from the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) for up to 45 sixty-foot Xcelsior® compressed natural gas (CNG) heavy-duty transit buses (90 equivalent units, or EUs).
The contract includes a firm order of 12 buses, with options for COTA to purchase up to 33 additional buses. The firm order will be added to New Flyer’s third quarter 2026 backlog, while the option buses will be added to the company’s option backlog.
The articulated Xcelsior CNG buses will replace end-of-life vehicles while supporting the launch of a new bus rapid transit (BRT) service in Columbus and surrounding communities. The purchase is supported by funding awarded through the Low or No Emission (Low-No) Grant Program, following New Flyer and COTA’s successful 2025 collaboration to secure funding for articulated CNG buses.
New Flyer has partnered with COTA since 2000, delivering more than 230 buses, including 102 CNG-powered buses. This latest award represents a new milestone in that relationship, marking COTA’s first purchase of 60-foot New Flyer articulated buses as the agency expands high-capacity transit service across Central Ohio.
More information in www.usgasvehicles.com
