BYD Raises the Bar for Cleanliness and Safety

LOS ANGELES - July 15, 2020 - PRLog -- BYD (Build Your Dreams) Tuesday enhanced its long-standing commitment to cleanliness and safety unveiling distancing, disinfectant and antimicrobial options for its line of buses and coaches. The options, reflecting the new realities of mass transit, are designed to help transit agencies and coach operators assure that both drivers and customers are protected while on board.

The newly unveiled options include technologically superior driver barriers, innovative antimicrobial coatings and protective Plexiglas dividers. The options will be available in buses built by members of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Union, Local 105, at BYD's American factory in Lancaster, California.

"In everything we do, BYD always has been – and always will be – focused on the safety of the riding public," said Patrick Duan, Vice President of BYD North America. "BYD can provide affordable solutions to bus operators looking to do all they can to protect their customers and provide peace of mind."

As the global pandemic grew in early 2020, BYD shifted resources into the creation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including NIOSH-certified N95 particulate respirators, single-use adult surgical masks, and hand sanitizer.

BYD is also developing UV Light protection systems and a MERV 13 (hospital grade) HVAC filter, offering a higher level of particle and virus filtration, Duan said. Those items should be available later this year.

The company continues to follow safe operating guidelines set by the state of California, Los Angeles County, and the City of Lancaster while it continues manufacturing electric transit buses and motor coaches that meet stringent Buy America standards.

Currently available BYD protection options include:

- DryVgard, a simple one-piece barrier originally used on cutaway buses. The barrier allows for better airflow to the driver, fastens to existing bus hardware with short installation time, and is made of high-quality, scratch-resistant, strong polycarbonate material which exceeds industrial standards for side windows.

- Vapor: vShield Door, a two-part door with fixed upper glass portion. The glass portion features an electric-powered ventilation window, is anti-glare, and functions as a sneeze guard.

- Bentech is a plexiglass barrier available in one-piece and two-piece designs.

- Arrow Global is a two-part door available as a slide stow model, which is easy to slide close, offering the driver quick protection in the event of an emergency and can be adjusted into multiple positions. There is also a full-fixed model with a fixed upper glass portion, designed to be attached securely to the vehicle chassis or carlines.

Media Contact:

Jim Skeen/media relations specialist jim.skeen@byd.com/661-264-8365