The U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Transit Administration is investing nearly $60 million in 27 new projects that will aid transit agencies in buying and alternative fuel vehicles and related fueling infrastructure.
The $59.3 million in funding will support the replacement of diesel buses with new compressed natural gas (CNG), hybrid-electric or all-electric vehicles, as well as go toward the construction of new alternative-fueling stations. The FTA says demand for this round of funding was competitive, with 146 project applications totaling $516 million in requests coming into the agency.
Among the projects being funded is a $4,725,000 initiative from the Chicago Transit Authority, which will be purchasing 60-foot articulated diesel-electric hybrid buses to replace existing 40-foot conventional diesel-powered buses. Similarly, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission – which operates in California's Bay Area, is receiving $4.32 million to replace diesel trolleys/buses with electric units.
In Minnesota, the St. Cloud Metropolitan Transit Commission has been awarded $3.35 million to upgrade its bus storage and maintenance facility to accommodate its growing fleet of CNG vehicles, as well as to construct a CNG fueling station.
Over in Texas, Sun Metro and the City of El Paso are receiving $1.23 million to replace existing stock with new CNG paratransit vehicles. This project will make the paratransit fleet 100% natural gas-powered.
A map and information about all the projects is available HERE.
