START Bus awarded grant for 4 more electric buses

JACKSON, Wyo. (KIFI) - Four additional electric buses will soon join the eight electric buses currently servicing Jackson.

START Bus has been awarded a Federal Low/No Emission discretionary grant for four additional electric buses. This is a new round of the same award that helped the community purchase the eight electric buses currently zipping through streets throughout the town and county.

With these additional four buses, the START Board will meet its goal to have 40% of its fleet be zero emissions by 2022.

START set this ambitious goal to introduce zero emission buses that reduce energy consumption and address Comp Plan goals around climate sustainability and energy conservation.

This grant comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation as a part of $182M to expand low or no emission transit vehicles and facilities across the nation.

“The Federal Transit Administration is proud to support our transit partners to upgrade their fleets with newer, cleaner vehicles and facilities,” FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez said.

These funds will support 49 projects in 46 states and help improve both service and air quality, contributing to the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by the end of the current decade. 

“Public transit connects people to jobs, services, and loved ones–and when our transit buses produce low or zero emissions, it’s an even bigger win for communities,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “There is overwhelming demand to support low and no emission transit all around the country–in both rural and urban areas–and meeting this need is a matter of climate responsibility and public health.”

The FTA’s Low/No Emissions Program supports transit agencies to purchase or lease low or no emissions buses and other transit vehicles that use technologies like battery electric and fuel-cell power to provide cleaner, more efficient transit service in communities across the country.