Due to a manufacturer's recall, and out of an abundance of caution, the Milwaukee County Transit System will remove all Nova Bus LFSe+ battery electric buses from the CONNECT 1 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line temporarily, starting today. Nova Bus, the manufacturer of the electric buses, notified MCTS of a potential issue that may have occurred during the manufacturing process. While the risk is low, MCTS made the decision that the CONNECT 1 BRT will be served by clean diesel buses until the batteries have been replaced. The electric buses are operated only on the BRT.
Nova Bus formally notified MCTS about the potential concern via letter on August 24, 2023. Following a thorough safety-related analysis of the issue, Nova Bus has determined the bus is still safe to drive. However, MCTS will park the buses at its maintenance facility as a precautionary step. As the provider of a public service, MCTS is committed to safety above all else.
“We made the decision to take our battery electric buses off the BRT line until the batteries are replaced. Even though Nova Bus did not recommend that course of action, we felt it was important,” said MCTS President and Managing Director Denise Wandke. “We are confident that Nova Bus’s proactive recall shows their commitment to safety and product quality. The new Bus Rapid Transit line, which launched in June, has been extremely popular with the community. Battery electric buses are a unique part of the CONNECT 1 experience, and we look forward to seeing them back on the line as soon as the issue is resolved.”
Battery replacements under this recall will be performed on all eleven electric buses at no cost to MCTS.