According to the Baker-Polito Administration, the U.S. DOT’s (Department of Transportation) FTA (Federal Transit Administration) has granted awards worth USD 189 million to five transportation agencies in Massachusetts to invest in green bus fleets and the associated infrastructure.

The funding will be employed for developing and promoting electric buses as well as to improve the current bus maintenance infrastructure. The investment is also likely to be used for workforce development programs to ensure safety across all operations.

Governor of Massachusetts Charlie Baker was reported saying that the grant from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will enable various investments in zero-emissions mobility systems across the U.S. state. Meanwhile, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito mentioned that this funding will ensure Massachusetts’ public transportation is more resilient and reliable through a push to electrify the bus fleets.

According to Jamey Tesler, the Secretary and Chief Executive Officer at MassDOT, these federal awards will help the state make a significant step toward reducing pollution across the transportation system, thus utilizing zero-emissions technology.

MassDOT will work with the 15 Regional Transit Authorities in the state to take advantage of funding opportunities that help in modernizing the public transportation fleets.

Experts believe that a pair of new federal programs are likely to double the number of electric buses in the United States through a single grant. Although this is subject to if the domestic manufacturers can keep up with the demand.

For those unaware, the FTA announced a whopping USD 2.2 billion in competitive grants, which received around a 600% boost when the BIL (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) was signed. Some of these funds are expected to accelerate the construction of green transit infrastructure as well as to train employees on newer technologies.

However, some federal officials claimed that the majority of the grant will go towards purchasing electric vehicles. Around 1,800 buses are expected to be procured, 1,100 of which will be fully electric, thereby expanding the e-bus fleet by 85% across the nation.

Source Credits –

https://www.mass.gov/news/massachusetts-receives-almost-189-million-in-federal-grant-funding-toward-clean-energy-for-public-transportation