(Newington, Conn.) – The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) announced it received a $11.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to fund 22 new battery electric public transportation buses. The state-of-the-art buses will replace diesel-operated buses.
“Residents deserve clean air and clean transportation. Incorporating electric buses into the fleet moves operations away from a dependence on fossil fuels, reduces air pollution caused by diesel combustion, and results in significant maintenance and repair savings over the life of the vehicle,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti. “Battery electric buses will transform the state and improve environmental equity. Moving to electric buses reduces greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, improves the health of residents, and makes for a better quality of life for everyone. Thank you to the Federal Transit Administration and to our entire Congressional Delegation for supporting this grant.”
The $11.4 million grant for CTDOT is one of 70 projects in 39 states being funded by the FTA. According to the FTA, these grants “support modernizing and improving the most widespread form of transit in America and will help dozens of communities buy new-technology and electric buses, such as electric buses, that reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, promote cleaner air, and help address the climate crisis.”
Transportation remains the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Connecticut. Last December, Governor Ned Lamont signed an Executive Order directing CTDOT, and all other state agencies, to take steps to reduce carbon emissions. Under the Executive Order, CTDOT can no longer purchase or use state funds to purchase diesel buses after 2023 and must create a roadmap for electrifying the state’s bus fleet by 2035.
The first public transportation electric buses were deployed in Connecticut in September 2020. This project serves as the next phase in CTDOT’s and Greater Bridgeport Transit’s zero emission bus deployment programs, established to transition statewide transit fleets from diesel to zero-emission battery electric buses. There are currently 10 battery electric buses operating in the CTtransit system, with two in testing, and more to be delivered in the next several months. The FTA grant will fund an additional 22 new buses, which should be delivered within the next 18 months.
The Connecticut Electric Bus Initiative is a partnership between CTDOT, CTtransit, and bus transit providers, that showcases Connecticut’s commitment to providing a reliable, safe, sustainable, clean energy transportation system.
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