The University at Buffalo (UB) in New York just welcomed eight new 40-foot battery-electric transit buses now transporting students, staff, and campus visitors. 

The buses were unveiled on August 31 with the university’s transportation solutions provider WeDriveU and fleet electrification specialists Zenobē in a celebration event.  

The vehicles are the first of the UB Stampede fleet to transition away from diesel. Serving approximately 16,000 passengers each day, the full UB Stampede fleet will continue the transition as part of UB’s 10 in 10 roadmap for a zero-emissions campus by 2030, ahead of the 2045 deadline set under New York Executive Order 22 for state-operated heavy-duty vehicles.  

Ten chargers have been installed at WeDriveU’s Buffalo customer service center to support the fleet, with plans to continue phasing diesel buses out over the next four years. 

This milestone transition of the Stampede fleet is expected to avoid 5,984 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, representing a 55.6% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with diesel-powered service. That reduction is equivalent to removing approximately 1,395 cars from the road, according to the announcement. 

“Our goal is to provide safe, reliable transportation while continuing to reduce our environmental impact,” said Christopher Austin, UB director of parking and transportation. "These buses help us do both. They improve the rider experience today and represent another investment in the future of mobility at UB.” 

The project, announced in June 2024 with UB’s selection of WeDriveU to manage campus transportation, was delivered on schedule in partnership with Zenobē, which has a longstanding global relationship with WeDriveU’s parent company Mobico Group.