St. Albert Transit strengthens its fleet with another 13 Nova Bus LFS buses

St. Albert Transit (StAT), public transport operator from the Canadian province of Alberta, has placed an order for a further 13 diesel-powered Nova Bus LFS 40-foot (12.19-metre) city buses. The procurement is part of the company’s fleet renewal and expansion programme, which aims to meet growing passenger demand in the metropolitan region surrounding the provincial capital, Edmonton, while further strengthening the partnership between StAT and Nova Bus.

The Canadian bus manufacturer, part of the Volvo Group and specialising in urban models, has been active only in its home market since withdrawing from the United States, but it continues to hold a strong position there. The transport operator of St. Albert, a city located in Edmonton’s north-western metropolitan area, already ordered a 19-vehicle batch of the LFS last year, meaning that once the latest contract is completed, the total number of Nova Bus LFS buses delivered to the company since 2025 will reach 32. Although the vehicle specifications have not been detailed, the previously delivered units were fitted with Cummins L9 diesel engines paired with Allison B400R automatic transmissions, so there is a good chance that the same powertrain, extremely popular overseas, will also be installed in the newly ordered vehicles.

Originally developed from the Canadian plant of General Motors’ former bus manufacturing division, Nova Bus now has a history spanning more than 30 years and, alongside its all-electric models, still sees a future for diesel and hybrid buses in North American urban transport. According to the company, urban buses, regardless of propulsion type, remain one of the fundamental solutions for sustainable mobility, as they make a meaningful contribution to reducing the number of private cars. Nova Bus, for its part, seeks to support transport operators with a product portfolio designed and manufactured 100% in Canada, focused on durability, reliability and performance, and tailored to the varying operational needs of local transit agencies and the pace of their energy transition.

Cover image: Nova Bus