The Maine Military Authority in Limestone has won a $19 million contract to overhaul dual bus/trolleys for the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. Gov. Paul LePage says the contract could increase to $24 million.
The MMA was founded in 1997 to repair and rebuild military vehicles for the National Guard. In 2012, when military contracts dried up, the company turned to overhauling school buses, after upgrading its facilities to accommodate large and over-sized vehicles.
Under the MMA's contract with MBTA, the company will refurbish 32 so-called "Dual Mode Articulated" bus/trolleys, which are powered by a combination of diesel and electricity.
MMA officials say the overhauls will extend the service life of the transit vehicles from 12 years to 18 years.
