Iowa is receiving $43.5 million in federal funding to buy zero- and low-emission buses, with over half of those dollars going to the city of Iowa City.
Iowa City will receive $23.2 million to add to its electric bus fleet and replace its current transit facility. The project will improve transit system conditions, service reliability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Federal Transit Administration who awarded the funds.
The Iowa Department of Transportation will get almost $17.9 million on behalf of five transit agencies, including the city of Coralville. The city of Dubuque will get just under $2.4 million.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced on Monday almost $1.7 billion for transit projects in 46 states and territories. The grants will enable transit agencies and state and local governments to buy 1,700 U.S.-built buses, nearly half of which will have zero carbon emissions.
Funding for the grants comes from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill signed into law by President Joe Biden. The Democratic president has made it a priority to put more electric vehicles on the road — especially for schools and public transit — in an effort to contain the damage from climate change.
One of the electric buses in the Iowa City Transit fleet pulls away from its stop outside Old Capitol Town Center along the free downtown shuttle route in Iowa City, Iowa, on Thursday, January 27, 2022. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Iowa City’s transportation director Darian Nagle-Gamm told The Gazette in May that the city is looking to expand its fleet of electric buses. The city currently has four electric buses that have already resulted in significant cost savings and emission reductions in the first year.
The city has heard positive feedback from both riders and bus drivers about the electric buses.
⧉ Related article: Government Notes: City bus rides will soon be free in Iowa City
Nagle-Gamm said in May the city had applied for grant funding to pay for four more buses, which would bring the electric fleet total to eight.
“We're looking forward to being able to expand the fleet and expand the benefits that we're seeing from introducing electric transit service to the community,” Nagle-Gamm said.
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Eight is the total number of electric buses the city can have at the current transit facility with the existing electrical infrastructure, Nagle-Gamm said.
“Past that point, we do have plans to continue our expansion in the future, but we are also actively pursuing federal grant funding for a new transit facility,” Nagle-Gamm said.
Monday’s award from the FTA will help the city with a new transit facility. Nagle-Gamm said the current facility is “at the end of its useful life” and the age and condition of the property won’t allow for further fleet expansion.
The Iowa Department of Transportation will receive almost $17.9 million on behalf of five transit agencies.
The agencies include:
This funding will allow the agencies to buy battery-electric buses and charging equipment to replace older diesel buses. The project will support the construction of transit facilities and workforce development activities.
It’s anticipated that operating costs and emissions will be reduced and transit services improved across Iowa.
The city of Dubuque will get just under $2.4 million for its transit system, The Jule. The city will use grant funding to buy battery electric buses and charging equipment. This project will help the city improve service reliability and achieve its goal of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030.
The federal government received 475 project proposals for the grants that totaled roughly $8.7 billion, a sign of the demand for the funding.
Monday's announcement covers the second round of grants for buses and supporting infrastructure. All told, the U.S. has invested a total of $3.3 billion in the projects so far. Government officials expect to award roughly $5 billion more over the next three years.
Iowa City will receive $23.2 million to add to its electric bus fleet and replace its current transit facility. The project will improve transit system conditions, service reliability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Federal Transit Administration who awarded the funds.
The Iowa Department of Transportation will get almost $17.9 million on behalf of five transit agencies, including the city of Coralville. The city of Dubuque will get just under $2.4 million.
Advertisement
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced on Monday almost $1.7 billion for transit projects in 46 states and territories. The grants will enable transit agencies and state and local governments to buy 1,700 U.S.-built buses, nearly half of which will have zero carbon emissions.
Funding for the grants comes from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill signed into law by President Joe Biden. The Democratic president has made it a priority to put more electric vehicles on the road — especially for schools and public transit — in an effort to contain the damage from climate change.
Iowa City
Iowa City’s transportation director Darian Nagle-Gamm told The Gazette in May that the city is looking to expand its fleet of electric buses. The city currently has four electric buses that have already resulted in significant cost savings and emission reductions in the first year.
The city has heard positive feedback from both riders and bus drivers about the electric buses.
⧉ Related article: Government Notes: City bus rides will soon be free in Iowa City
Nagle-Gamm said in May the city had applied for grant funding to pay for four more buses, which would bring the electric fleet total to eight.
“We're looking forward to being able to expand the fleet and expand the benefits that we're seeing from introducing electric transit service to the community,” Nagle-Gamm said.
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Eight is the total number of electric buses the city can have at the current transit facility with the existing electrical infrastructure, Nagle-Gamm said.
“Past that point, we do have plans to continue our expansion in the future, but we are also actively pursuing federal grant funding for a new transit facility,” Nagle-Gamm said.
Monday’s award from the FTA will help the city with a new transit facility. Nagle-Gamm said the current facility is “at the end of its useful life” and the age and condition of the property won’t allow for further fleet expansion.
Other Iowa agencies
The Iowa Department of Transportation will receive almost $17.9 million on behalf of five transit agencies.
The agencies include:
- Coralville Transit System
- Clinton Municipal Transit Administration (MTA)
- River Bend Transit (RBT) serving Cedar, Clinton, Muscatine and Scott counties, as well as the Illinois Quad City Area
- Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Authority (HIRTA) serving Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Story and Warren counties
- Southwest Iowa Transit Agency (SWITA) serving Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby counties
This funding will allow the agencies to buy battery-electric buses and charging equipment to replace older diesel buses. The project will support the construction of transit facilities and workforce development activities.
It’s anticipated that operating costs and emissions will be reduced and transit services improved across Iowa.
The city of Dubuque will get just under $2.4 million for its transit system, The Jule. The city will use grant funding to buy battery electric buses and charging equipment. This project will help the city improve service reliability and achieve its goal of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030.
The federal government received 475 project proposals for the grants that totaled roughly $8.7 billion, a sign of the demand for the funding.
Monday's announcement covers the second round of grants for buses and supporting infrastructure. All told, the U.S. has invested a total of $3.3 billion in the projects so far. Government officials expect to award roughly $5 billion more over the next three years.
