FTA awards $409 million grants for 70 transportation project in 39 US states

President Biden and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded $409.3 million in grants to 70 projects in 39 states to modernize and electrify America’s buses, make bus systems and routes more reliable, and improve their safety.

FTA received more than $2.5 billion in funding requests, more than five times the amount of funding available under the previous law. Under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, an additional $5.1 billion in formula and competitive grant funding is authorized under the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program over the next five years – meaning more projects can be funded, FTA points out. 

Fundings for e-bus projects in the USA

Examples of projects selected to receive Fiscal Year 2021 funding include:

• The Connecticut Department of Transportation will receive $11.4 million to buy battery-electric buses to replace diesel-powered buses that are past their useful life. The new buses will improve reliability and advance Connecticut’s zero-emission bus deployment program to help achieve the state’s climate goals.
   
• The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) will receive $15 million to build a new bus maintenance facility in Clayton County, GA. This project will help improve the reliability of its bus fleet and improve service for riders.
   
• Laketran, which serves Lake County, Ohio, will receive nearly $14.7 million to expand a bus garage, add operations and maintenance facilities, and modernize its main headquarters. This project will help improve overall service for Laketran and its riders.
   
• The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada will receive nearly $5 million to buy new hydrogen fuel cell buses to replace older diesel buses and to install renewable energy lighting at bus stops throughout its system. This project will improve air quality as well as safety and service reliability for residents in the greater Las Vegas area.

In response to the Notice of Funding Opportunity, FTA received 303 eligible project proposals totaling approximately $2.56 billion in requests. Thanks to the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the FTA will be able to support more projects in the next round of grant awards, it is pointed out in the press note.

Zero emission buses to address climate crisis

“These grants will help people in communities large and small get to work, get to school, and access the services they need,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Everyone deserves access to safe, reliable, clean public transportation – and thanks to the President’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are bringing modern buses to communities across America.” 

“Transit agencies are replacing aging buses and facilities with newer, cleaner infrastructure that is more efficient to operate and maintain,” said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. “Modern buses, especially those powered with electric batteries or fuel cells, improve air quality and help us address the climate crisis.”