New Flyer cele­brated the grand opening of a new 100,000-square-foot bus final assembly and service facility in Ontario, CA, on April 2 in ceremonies attended by local dignitaries including company executives and staff, ­members of the media, and other guests.

The new facility expands New Flyer’s presence in California, said Paul Smith, the company’s executive vice president, sales and marketing, who moderated the grand opening ceremonies.

“As a leader in the transit industry, providing quality service and support to all our customers is just as important as the world-class transit buses we manufacture,” Smith said. “This new service facility builds on New Flyer’s local service abilities, and has the capability to provide support to the New Flyer and NABI buses in service today to California and all its customers.”

Several other New Flyer executives and dignitaries attended the event, including Wayne Joseph, executive vice president, bus business, New Flyer; Brian Peck, deputy director, international affairs and business development, California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development; and Debra A. ­Johnson, interim chief operations officer, Los Angeles Metro, one of the company’s ­California clients.

The service facility will handle assembly and service for both New Flyer and NABI Bus, and will provide support to the 6,400 New Flyer and NABI buses currently in service in California and throughout the country, from CNG and diesel-­electric hybrids to the company’s all-electric battery buses, which are currently being prepared for the marketplace. The facility has already begun the assembly of 500 buses for Los Angeles Metro.

The Ontario facility is also providing skilled employment, including jobs for former ­public transit employees and members of the military.

New Flyer is one of the public transportation industry’s leading manufacturers of heavy-duty public transit buses in Canada and the United States. Its corporate head­quarters are in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

New Flyer's Paul Smith welcomes dignitaries and guests to the grand opening of the company's Ontario, CA, facility.