2024 Grants to Support Buses, Facilities & New Technology

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“Today, another 117 communities across 47 states are receiving the good news that their transit buses are being modernized and their commutes improved through President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Biden-Harris Administration is helping agencies replace old buses running on dirtier, expensive fuels by delivering modern and zero-emission buses, manufactured by American workers, that will connect more people to where they need to go.”

“Thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we are creating new opportunities to improve the lives of millions of Americans who rely daily on buses. These grants will help deliver cleaner and greener transportation, designed to reach everyone, and to work for everyone, particularly in places that haven’t received enough resources in the past.”

The  project awards  announced today are supported by FTA’s  Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities  and  Low-and No-Emission (Low-No) Vehicle  programs.

$1.1 billion was awarded under the  Low-No  program, which makes funding available to help transit agencies buy or lease U.S.-made low- or no-emission buses and vans, and make facility, station, or equipment upgrades to support low- or no-emission vehicles.

More than $40 million of the 2024 awards will be dedicated to programs supporting workforce development activities to ensure transit workers are trained on clean energy technologies.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation has received a Low-No award every year since the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was enacted.

In 2022 and 2023, the department received funding to help River Cities Public Transit, Community Transit of Watertown/Sisseton, Prairie Hills Transit, People’s Transit, and Rural Office of Community Services to buy low-emission propane buses, propane conversion kits, and install a propane fueling station.

 Prairie Hills Transit  provides cost-effective, reliable public transit in the Black Hills area of South Dakota. They serve students, veterans, seniors, individuals with disabilities, visitors, and the general public across a service area of a dozen communities in six different counties.

With their new propane-powered buses, service is cleaner, and more cost effective.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) was awarded funding in 2022 on behalf of  Green Mountain Transit  (GMT) to buy battery electric buses.  

GMT serves the communities of Burlington, Essex, South Burlington, Shelburne, Williston, Winooski, Milton, Hinesburg, and Colchester. It provides a variety of public transportation services including local routes, commuter routes, demand response medical shuttles, and service for seniors and people with disabilities.

With their new zero-emission, American-made buses, people in the communities served by GMT will have cleaner air and enjoy quieter rides.

This year’s funding will build on these successes and continue the historic federal investments in the nation’s bus systems, facilities, and workforce.

The 117 awarded projects contribute to growing the American economy from the bottom up and middle out, improving transit service, and making communities more sustainable and resilient.

Approximately 80% of the buses being funded will run on zero or low-emission technology, reducing air pollution.

64% of projects will improve facilities, equipment, or infrastructure to support low or no emitting buses. Facilities projects support current and future low or no emission fleet transitions. They will provide near-term benefits while also laying the foundation for future investments.

These include upgrading electric utilities, installing charging stations, and constructing propane or hydrogen fueling facilities.

These projects will support people and communities across the country in cities and rural and suburban areas.

The Lawton Area Transit System (LATS) in Oklahoma will receive more than $6.1 million to buy new hybrid electric buses. These new, American-made buses will reduce maintenance costs, lower emissions and provide more reliable transportation in Lawton, especially for people who depend on public transit to meet their daily needs.

LATS will also create an ambitious workforce development program, partnering with  Oklahoma Workforce  to develop an apprenticeship program for maintenance staff. The program will help current and future workers develop the 21 ^st -century skills necessary in today’s tech-based economy and set the stage for future job opportunities.

The University of Iowa will receive $16.3 million to replace aging diesel buses with battery electric buses as part of its CAMBUS transit system. Federal funding also supports installing charging equipment and expanding and modernizing the university’s transit maintenance facility.

CAMBUS is committed to advancing the University of Iowa and Iowa City’s sustainability goals by delivering zero-emission transit powered by renewable energy sources.

The funding will allow the University of Iowa to expand bus service on campus.

In Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) will receive $77.5 million to buy dozens of new electric buses and charging stations. Nearby in southeast LA County, Commerce Transit will also receive $14.2 million to buy electric buses and chargers.

LA Metro’s new zero-emission buses will run on more than a dozen routes, enhancing access and mobility with direct access to all Metro rail lines.

The agency will install new chargers at its West Hollywood bus yard, a centralized location that will ensure the buses serving Los Angeles, West Hollywood, and Santa Monica are charged and well maintained. LA Metro is committed to improving air quality while providing high-quality transit service to Los Angeles residents and visitors.

Similarly, new zero emission electric buses for the city of Commerce are expected to improve fleet reliability and enhance access and mobility by providing more bus options with greater frequency.

Both projects will expand the LA area’s transportation options, which will also support the  LA 2028  Olympic Games.

Montgomery, Alabama’s The M Public Transit System, will receive $16.9 million to replace aging buses with new battery electric buses, buy charging equipment, and initiate a workforce training program.

The project will ensure continued good, reliable service, maintain a state of good repair, and improve air quality in the Montgomery community.

Montgomery has plans to deploy rooftop solar panels and battery energy storage in the future to enhance resilience of the system.

The Detroit Department of Transportation will receive $30.7 million to replace older diesel buses with new hybrid electric buses and hydrogen fuel cell electric buses.

The buses Detroit DOT will replace have exceeded their useful life. The new electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses will ensure more reliable rides, saving people time and lowering maintenance costs.

This project also supports hydrogen fueling and electric charging stations, showing a long-term commitment to improving the air Detroiters breathe.

Augusta Transit in Georgia will receive more than $12 million to replace older buses with new, more reliable and efficient electric buses. The agency also will buy a bus simulator to support workforce training.

The transit agency expects to improve safety by training bus operators with a simulator. The only simulator within 50 miles of Augusta will help prepare transit staff to operate the new vehicles safely, ensuring the safety of riders, pedestrians, and other road users.     

The new buses will provide quieter, safer, and more reliable transit service for Augusta-Richmond County.

More than 1,900 transit agencies serve rural communities across the US, employing over 30,000 transit workers collectively.

Rural transit agencies provide over 88 million passenger trips annually, providing critical access to jobs, healthcare, and economic opportunities for rural communities.

This year, FTA awarded more than $167 million for rural transit projects. Many of those awards were made to state departments of transportation, which split the funding amongst multiple rural transit agencies.

The Texas Department of Transportation will receive $26.9 million to help buy more than 150 new American-made buses for 30 rural transit agencies throughout the state.

The federal investment made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will also support the construction of four rural transit facilities projects:

• Concho Valley Transportation District New Maintenance Facility
• Panhandle Community Services New Operations and Maintenance Facility
• Rural Economic Assistance League Replacement Administration and Multimodal Facility
• Texoma Area Paratransit System New Operations and Administration Center

These new vehicles and facilities will bring Texas's rural transit fleets into a state of good repair and provide better transit access to communities across the state.

FTA simplified the 2024 application for tribes requesting less than $1 million in support for their bus programs. Six rural tribes received awards this year, including four that used the simplified application.

The Walker River Paiute Tribe in Nevada will receive $1 million to launch a new public transportation system benefitting over 100 tribal members. The tribe will use the funding to acquire buses and essential facilities, offering convenient transportation options for residents to reach jobs and vital services.

This project will provide the infrastructure to establish local and intercity routes, connecting the Walker River Paiute reservation to cities like Reno, Carson City, and San Francisco.