Albuquerque returns electric buses over safety concerns

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The city of Albuquerque says a fleet of problematic buses that were supposed to serve passengers as part of a long-delayed transit project are being returned to the manufacturer.
City officials said bus manufacturer BYD began removing the electric buses Wednesday.
Mayor Tim Keller announced earlier this month that he was pulling the plug on the electric buses over concerns about battery life, brake failures and other equipment malfunctions.
BYD had argued that the buses and batteries were safe.
The troubled Albuquerque Rapid Transit project — or ART — comes at a cost of $135 million. In addition to $14 million in federal funds designated to reimburse expenses related to construction along Central Avenue, the city has received $75 million from the Federal Transit Administration.