The U.S. Department of Transportation Wednesday announced nearly $1.5 billion in grants to help modernize bus fleets and facilities across the country.
Vice President Kamala Harris joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Administrator Nuria Fernandez in announcing the grants that are part of the FTA’s Low or No Emission (Low-No) Grant Program and the FTA’s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program.
“This is another example of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in action. We’re making the largest ever investment in this program for buses and bus facilities, helping to deliver better commutes and cleaner air to American communities,” Buttigieg said.
Through the Low-No program, the FTA will provide $1.1 billion in competitive grants for agencies to purchase or lease U.S.-built low or no emission vehicles, as well as related equipment or facilities. Per the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Low-No will receive $5.5 billion over the next five years for the program — more than 10 times what it received previously.
The Buses and Bus Facilities Program will provide $372 million in grants for transit agencies to purchase or rehabilitate buses, vans, and related equipment, including bus facilities. The program will receive nearly $2 billion over five years from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“Manufacturing thousands of new, American-built buses will create jobs all over our nation, offering cleaner, faster and safer rides as we move toward a better transportation future,” Fernandez said. “When transit agencies are applying for these grants, they will propose projects that address climate change, improve air quality, open new opportunities and include workforce training to help workers transition to operating and maintaining these new, clean energy fleets.”