The Hawai’i Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that it would be deploying 21 alternative energy and low-emission buses thanks to a $35 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The grant, part of the “Buses and Bus Facilities” and “Low or No Emissions” programs, is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and will be split between the counties of Maui, Kauai, and Hawai’i.
“Congratulations to the three counties of Kauai, Hawaii Island, and Maui. These competitive grants will benefit many thousands of residents and visitors to those islands,” said Jade Butay, Director of the Hawaii Department of Transportation. HDOT manages federal transit grant requests for the three counties.
HDOT said the County of Hawai’i would use the funds to procure six fuel cell electric buses and support hydrogen charging infrastructure, as well as improvements to bus stops and shelters, transit hub design, and zero-emission infrastructure, among other things. The County of Kaua’i will procure four battery electric buses and expand its base yard to prepare the infrastructure needed to transition its fleet to electric buses by 2035. The County of Maui, HDOT said, will procure four battery electric buses, prepare the infrastructure for the transition to electric, and purchase three commuter and four microtransit-type buses.
Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services (DTS) said it also secured its competitive grant of $20 million to purchase new electric buses.