Honolulu Reporter

HONOLULU – The City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services was recently awarded $20 million by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to purchase new electric buses via a Low-No grant program, which is aimed to electrify public transit fleets across the nation.

"FTA is pleased to announce the award of $20 million from the Low-No grant program to TheBus, which will increase sustainable transportation options in Honolulu for residents and visitors alike – all while creating good American jobs and training the transit workforce on next-generation technologies," says Ray Tellis, FTA Region 9 Administrator. “This year alone, thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, FTA is providing $1.7 billion to 130 bus projects across the country, supporting cleaner air, social mobility, and economic prosperity from the bottom-up.”

With this FY23 Low or No Emission Grant Program fund, DTS will purchase up to seven (7) 40-foot Battery Electric Buses and up to eighteen (18) battery electric bus chargers for the Pearl City Bus Depot. The federal share finances 85% of bus purchases and 90% of electric infrastructure. The grant will also provide associated work-force training and technical support, as Honolulu’s transportation moves into an era of all-clean-energy use. With this funding, the City will stay on track on its promise for its Zero-Emissions Fleet Transition Plan, which envisions a full transition to an all-electric bus fleet by 2040.

“The grant will help Honolulu’s drive towards a greener future made possible through the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure law”, says DTS Director Roger Morton. “I look forward to expanding our EV bus fleet and infrastructure to support future generations of transit riders”.

The money will be spent in concert with previously secured federal funding and local match funding for this important transition, including over $46 Million received from the FY 2020 and 2022 Low-No Programs, the FY 2021 Bus and Bus Facility, and FY22 Congressional Designated Spending.

Original source can be found here.