Ahead of an official announcement from the U.S. Department of Transportation, congressional offices have been notifying their constituents of where six of the Low or No Emission (Low-No) Bus Program were awarded.
The six recipients operate in Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio and Vermont and were awarded a total of $13.16 million from the Low-No Bus Program. Mass Transit previously reported where nine grants totaling more than $20 million were awarded. The grant awards total, $33.16 million, represents about 40 percent of what the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) was allocated to award in FY19 for the program.
FTA issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity in March for the $85 million it was allocated for the program in Fiscal Year 19. The Low-No Program helps project sponsors purchase or lease low or no emission vehicles that use advanced technologies for transit revenue operations, including related equipment or facilities.
The six grant recipients include:
- $744,000 for Coast Transit Authority in Mississippi
- $1.9 million for the Port Authority of Allegheny County
- $2.32 million for the Greater Peoria Mass Transit District
- $2.6 million to the city of Lincoln, Neb., for StarTran electric vehicles and infrastructure
- $2.6 million to the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA)
- $3 million to Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) for vehicles and infrastructure in the state’s Upper Valley
“This grant expedites the transition of mass transit to electrification right here in the heart of the nation’s largest mobility ecosystem,” said COTA President/CEO Joanna M. Pinkerton. “We appreciate the Federal Transit Administration’s support of our commitment to a low- or no-emission fleet by 2025 through this grant, and will continue to apply sustainable, eco-friendly practices to reduce emissions as growth in our region increases demand on our system.”
“We are very excited to have been selected as a recipient of the Low or No Emission (Low-No) Grant Program. Electric buses will be a great addition to our aging fleet, and with technology changing rapidly in the bus industry, this will help us stay current with the trends in the industry,” said Doug Roelfs, general manager of the Greater Peoria Mass Transit District. “Adding electric buses to our fleet will also help us continue our mission of being an environmentally conscious transportation agency.”
Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird added, "This grant helps us literally put wheels in motion that advance our efforts to create a sustainable future for our city.”
