Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Legislation and Policy, China, USA, BYD



Like the stop-an-go nature of the municipal routes its electric buses will be serving, the progression of China-based BYD and its goal to get cities to adopt its vehicles has not been a smooth one. This time, the news is about the city of Long Beach, CA. And it's not all good.
The federal government has notified the city that BYD was eligible for bidding when it won a $12.1 million contract last March to supply the Los Angeles-adjacent city with 10 electric buses. The issue is whether BYD complied with federal-funding rules relating to passing on some of the resulting business to minority-owned entities, according to the Long Beach Press-Telegram. And since the feds were slated to foot the bill for $9.6 million of that $12.1 million, Long Beach may be forced to either cancel the contract or foot the entire bill for the contract itself.

"The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) informed Long Beach Transit that BYD is out of compliance with certain Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) requirements," Long Beach Transit Marketing Manager Kevin Lee wrote to AutoblogGreen. "As required, Long Beach Transit has given BYD a period in which they may attempt to cure. During that period, LBT will have no further comment regarding this issue."

"Constructive discussions with Long Beach Transit continue," BYD spokesman Micheal Austin wrote to AutoblogGreen. "We have no further comment at this time."

On the more positive side, the company said last week that the fines it was assessed by the Los Angeles Labor Commissioner for alleged labor violations were cut to $37,803 from $99,245. The charges stemmed from what BYD says is a "false" (yep, there's that word again) charge that it paid temporary workers from China at its Lancaster, CA, facility less than the state's minimum wage.

Earlier this month, BYD said it received an order from the China city of Dalian for 1,200 electric buses. And last summer, the city of Los Angeles agreed to purchase as many as 25 buses (no federal funds are involved), but that was followed up by news last September that some of the BYD buses being tested were developing frame cracks. You can check out BYD's press release on the fine reduction below.Continue reading BYD electric bus sale to California city gets a closer look from the feds

BYD electric bus sale to California city gets a closer look from the feds originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 22 Mar 2014 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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