USA: FTA announces $130 million in grant selections

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced approximately $130 million in grant selections to 41 projects. The Low- or No-Emission (Low-No) Grant program funds the deployment buses and corresponding facilities.

Forty-one projects in 40 states and the District of Columbia will each receive funding through the program. The grants should fund the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and supporting facilities. The FTA will focus on the introduction of new technology not commonly found within U.S. transit systems such as advancements to propulsion systems. These include hydrogen fuel cells, battery-electric engines, and related infrastructure investments such as charging stations.

“These grants will help communities nationwide deploy the next generation of bus technology to enhance their transportation system,” said Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Some of the projects selected for the 2020 Low-No grant projects include the City of Tucson, Arizona (SunTran) that will receive $3.8 million to purchase all-electric buses and charging equipment. Another beneficiary of the scheme is the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) that will receive $4.3 million for infrastructure upgrades to support its current battery-electric bus fleet at its Midvale Bus Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In Wisconsin, in the city of Racine, Racine Transit will receive $3.2 million to purchase battery-electric buses and charging stations.

“Since its establishment, FTA’s Low-No Emission grant program has funded over $409 million in new buses, infrastructure, and training, strengthening America’s economy in a fast-growing industry,” said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams.

transit.dot.gov, transit.dot.gov (overview of all funded projects)