ST. CLOUD, Minn., Feb. 08, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSX: NFI, OTC: NFYEF, TSX: NFI.DB) NFI Group Inc. (“NFI”), a leading independent bus and coach manufacturer and a leader in zero-emission mass mobility solutions, today announced that United States Vice President Kamala Harris will visit New Flyer of America’s (“New Flyer”) St. Cloud, Minnesota manufacturing facility on February 9, 2023, to highlight the Biden-Harris Administration’s investment in zero-emission public transportation and the associated skills developed and jobs created across the industry.

“NFI is leading the evolution to zero-emission mobility with scalable, clean, and sustainable mobility solutions. We have zero-emission buses in service today with 17 of the 25 largest North American transit agencies and with another 100 cities globally. Our electric vehicles have travelled over 20 million zero-emission miles throughout the United States and Canada and over 80 million zero-emission miles internationally,” said Paul Soubry, President and Chief Executive Officer, NFI Group Inc. “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA, signed in 2021, is a historic, once-in-a-generation bill that has translated to unprecedented demand for NFI’s buses and coaches, driving improvements to public transportation throughout the United States that will benefit our employees, customers and their riders across the country for years to come.”

“New Flyer is the largest heavy-duty transit bus manufacturer in North America, with a 90-year legacy of quality and innovation. We provide mobility solutions, including buses, charging infrastructure, service, and spare parts to meet the demands of transit agencies today and into the future,” says Margaret Lewis, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing & Facilities, New Flyer. “It is our pleasure to welcome Vice President Harris to our New Flyer St. Cloud facility to showcase our zero-emission buses and to meet our incredible team as we develop the workforce of the future.”

New Flyer’s St. Cloud facility employs over 685 team members, including more than 500 union team members from Communications Workers of America (“CWA”) Local 7304. The facility manufactures multiple lengths of the Xcelsior CHARGE NG™, New Flyer’s next generation battery-electric, zero-emission bus - the most advanced electric bus on the market today. New Flyer provides Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (“DBE”) and Minority Women Business Enterprises (“MWBE”) the opportunity to participate in the sourcing of components and materials used in manufacturing. In 2021, New Flyer launched an Electrical Technician Training Program (“ETTP”) for its employees, to provide workforce development for high-demand electrical skills to assist with the continued pursuit of enabling the new mobility era in Minnesota.