The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced its Fiscal Year 2016 Low or No-Emission (Low-No) bus grant awards.
The announcement includes an award to Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (Metro) in the amount of $3.8 million, which will fund three all-electric (zero emissions) 45-foot over-the-road coaches and an in-ground inductive fast electric recharging station. The new buses will be dedicated to the Highway 17 Express commuter service. The electric buses will provide more efficient service over the hill, pulling steep grades with an equivalent 480 HP, compared to the current fleet at about 280 HP.
According to Metro Board Chair Mike Rotkin, “This award will bolster our efforts to meet two important goals: Providing efficient transportation options to Santa Cruz County residents seeking high paying jobs in Silicon Valley and moving toward a zero-emissions bus fleet that will contribute to cleaner air in the Monterey Bay region. We are deeply grateful to Congressman Farr for his effective advocacy on our behalf for so many years.”
“This grant could not have come at a better time,” remarked Metro CEO Alex Clifford. “Our agency has been facing a fiscal crisis that has prevented us from replacing our aging bus fleet, and last year the Board directed us to seek opportunities to add electric buses to our fleet in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks to Congressman Farr’s efforts, we will use the Federal assistance to address both of those challenges.”
As usual, the FTA grant program was way-oversubscribed. There were $446 million in grant applications chasing only $55 million in grant money. Metro's award was among the highest awards in the nation and the highest award in California. 20 transit agencies in 13 states received awards. California alone received 5 awards.
In early June 2016, Caltrans announced a grant award of $709,292 to Metro to purchase a battery-electric (zero emissions) bus that will run as a new circulator service in downtown Watsonville. This project is funded through the State Cap and Trade Program - Low Carbon Transit Operations Program, which aims to curb climate change and emphasizes new and expanded services for disadvantaged communities.
Metro provides fixed-route and Highway 17 commuter service to Santa Cruz County, transporting about 5.5 million passenger trips a year. Metro also provides paratransit service to Santa Cruz County with its ParaCruz service, providing about 98,000 trips per year. Metro’s operating budget in FY17 is $47 million.
