Florida awards more than $68 million for electric buses

Florida has awarded more than $68.1 million to 13 counties throughout the state to purchase electric transit buses. The funds are part of the Volkswagen settlement and have been awarded through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) using its Florida Beneficiary Mitigation Plan, which outlines how the state’s $166 million settlement allotment should be distributed.

The funding will support the purchase of 227 electric transit buses in Alachua, Broward, Duval, Escambia, Hillsborough, Leon, Marion, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco and Pinellas Counties.

“This funding will help lower emissions while also bringing our transit bus fleets to more modern standards,” said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. “This is a win-win for air quality and advancing the state’s efforts to bolster growing electric vehicle usage.”

The distribution of funds are as follows:

• Broward County Transportation Department will receive $7.8 million to secure 26 electric buses.
• Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX) will receive $9 million to secure 30 electric buses.
• The City of Gainesville Regional Transit System will receive $1.2 million to secure four buses.
• Key West will receive $300,000 to secure one bus.
• The city of Ocala will receive $300,000 to purchase one bus for SunTran.
• The city of Tallahassee will receive $5.1 million to purchase 17 buses for StarMetro.
• The Escambia County Board of County Commission will receive $2.7 million to purchase nine buses.
• Jacksonville Transportation Authority will receive $1.8 million to purchase six buses.
• Miami-Dade (DTPW) will receive $19.8 million to purchase 63 buses.
• Palm Beach County will receive $1.8 million to purchase six vehicles for PalmTran.
• Pasco County Public Transportation will receive $600,000 to purchase two buses.
• Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PTSA) will receive $18 million to purchase 60 buses.
• USF Parking & Transportation Services will receive $600,000 to purchase two buses.

“Florida continues to be a national leader in air quality and is proud to be the most populous state in the nation to have met all of EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards,” said DEP Secretary Shawn Hamilton. “Through collaboration with partner agencies and the private sector, we are able to implement projects to protect air quality and support the needs of our communities.”