Press Release
☷Biden Harris Administration Announces Availability of $1 5 Billion in Federal Funding to Modernize Bus Fleets and Deploy Clean Transit Buses Across America
U.S. Department of Transportation ( By Press Release office)
Feb 09,2024
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Funding from the President ' s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law not only helps get cleaner buses on the road , but also supports American manufacturing . The U . S . Department of Transportation ' s Federal Transit Administration ( FTA ) has announced the availability of around $1 . 5 billion to support American transit vehicle manufacturing , including zero - emission buses , building bus facilities , and promoting workforce development . This historic investment in transit , made possible by President Biden ' s infrastructure law , will help replace old buses , reduce pollution , create jobs , and improve transit systems . U . S . Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated that more funding for buses means less traffic , less pollution , and more jobs for American workers . The FTA ' s programs aim to help transit agencies purchase or lease U . S . - made zero - emission and low - emission buses , along with charging equipment and facilities . They also support the buying and rehabilitating of buses and vans , as well as the construction of bus facilities . The FTA is focused on strengthening U . S . bus manufacturing to stabilize costs and speed up vehicle delivery . By encouraging standardized bus models and avoiding customization , they hope to shorten manufacturing timelines . Buying new buses with advanced technology will help create a cleaner and safer transportation future . The FTA is also working on reducing bus costs , speeding up production , and maintaining domestic manufacturing capacity . Recently , FTA leaders participated in a White House Roundtable on Clean Bus Manufacturing to discuss strategies for meeting the demand for zero - emission buses and addressing challenges in the industry . The focus is on ensuring the U . S . has the capacity to manufacture and deliver clean buses to meet market demands and achieve climate and equity goals . FTA ' s bus funding is the third package of grants since President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law . This law has invested over $3 . 3 billion in American transit buses and their supporting infrastructure . Under President Biden ' s leadership , there will be record funding for American transit investment , providing an additional $5 billion for bus programs over the next three years . The application period for the funding opportunity starts on February 8 . This funding opportunity also prioritizes projects that advance environmental justice through the Justice40 Initiative . It also supports projects that promote low - and zero - emission options in the transit sector . FTA is simplifying application requirements for Tribal governments . As part of FTA ' s commitment to building a diverse and skilled public transportation workforce , and to help workers adapt to new bus technologies , five percent of each grant for zero - emission projects will be allocated for workforce development and training . FTA encourages the development of workforce plans in collaboration with workforce representatives and the use of registered apprenticeships . Last year , FTA announced the second round of selections for these programs with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law . These selections included over 1 , 700 American - built buses , with nearly half of them being zero - emission models . This brings the total number of zero - emission transit buses funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to over 1 , 800 in just two years , effectively doubling the number of zero - emission transit buses on American roads . We ' re giving $3 million to help 10 transit agencies , both in rural and urban areas , buy a bunch of low - or no - emission buses to replace their old ones . This will allow the agencies to expand their fleets , train workers for good careers , and start transitioning to more eco - friendly transportation systems . The new buses , powered by batteries , natural gas , or propane , will be more reliable , improve air quality , and cost less to maintain . The White Earth Reservation Business Committee is getting $723 , 171 to buy low - emission buses with electronic farebox systems , which will save on fuel costs while still providing bus service in rural communities . This year , more transit agencies across the country will have the chance to improve their fleets and facilities with our funding . You can find instructions and eligibility info on GRANTS . GOV ( FTA - 2024 - 003 - TPM - LWNO; FTA - 2024 - 004 - TPM - BUS ) . Make sure to submit your proposals electronically through the GRANTS . GOV "APPLY" function by April 25 , 2024 .
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