North Carolina Construction News staff writer
The City of Fayetteville has been awarded a $6.7 million from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to buy four battery electric buses, two additional charging stations, and two charging dispensers. It also covers the design, construction, and installation of the chargers, as well as software management for analytics.
Previously, Fayetteville received a FY 2021 Low-No grant for four electric buses, which are expected to start service in the second quarter of 2025.
“We are now moving in a wonderful direction with this Low-No Grant,” said Tyffany Neal, transit director. “We are upgrading our fleet and transitioning to choice, giving our community a real option when it comes to commuting. Imagine relaxing on a bus, checking emails, or even reading a favorite book versus fighting traffic. Taking a bus not only saves an enormous amount of money but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions.”
This grant is part of approximately $1.5 billion supporting 117 projects to enhance public transportation in 47 states. Over the past three years, the FTA has invested nearly $5 billion to modernize transit buses, leading to the production of more than 3,650 new buses in the U.S.
About 80 percent of the new buses will use zero and low-emission technology, contributing to the President’s target of zero emissions by 2050.
The Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities program provides federal funding to purchase and rehabilitate buses and vans and to modernize bus facilities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocates nearly $2 billion through 2026 for this program, with $390 million available for FY 2024.
The Low-and No-Emission Vehicle program helps transit agencies acquire U.S.-built low- or no-emission vehicles and upgrade facilities to support these vehicles. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $5.6 billion through 2026 for the Low-No Program, a significant increase from previous years, with $1.1 billion available for FY 2024.
