DETROIT (WXYZ) — The Detroit Department of Transportation is receiving $30.8 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to purchase new diesel-electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses.
According to a release from the federal department, the money will go toward supporting DDOT’s green bus fleet of the future. The money is part of $1.5 billion in funding to support 117 public transportation projects in 47 states. The federal government plans to produce more than 4,600 new buses in U.S. factories.
“A year ago I had more buses than drivers. Today I have more drivers than buses.” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan at a ceremony Tuesday. “Next year we will have more buses and drivers.”
In addition to the new buses that will replace the aging ones, the money will also go toward a hydrogen fueling station and charging equipment for the new fleet. The federal support will also include training to help bus operators and maintenance workers learn to drive and maintain the new, clean-energy, carbon-efficient buses.
Federal Transit Authority Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool presented the grant check to the city at the Jason Hargrove Transit Center.
“So when people have access to a modern, convenient bus with upgrades that enhance their experience, it’s an option for people who live in a certain community or access a certain job or attend a certain school or for some people who are deciding whether or not to own a car.” said Vanterpool.
The city says the money will be used to bring 25 new buses to the city, 21 of which will be hybrids and four of which will be the city’s first fuel cell buses.
“The buses they are replacing, I guess, they say they are from 2014,” said Schetrone Collier, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26. “There have been many innovations in bus technology over the past ten years that will now benefit both the public and the environment.”
MDOT contributed $5 million to the clean energy initiative, bringing the total to $36 million.
“This puts us on the path to full decarbonisation and we will get there when we are able to produce clean hydrogen at scale and with zero emissions,” said Michigan Infrastructure Director Zachary Kolodin.
“Today, 117 more communities in 47 states are getting the good news that their transit buses are being modernized and their commutes improved through President Biden’s bipartisan Infrastructure Act,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “The Biden-Harris Administration is helping agencies replace aging buses that run on dirtier, more expensive fuels by delivering modern, zero-emission buses, made by American workers, that will connect more people to the places they need to go.”
Learn more about the federal money earmarked for these bus projects across the countryIt can be found here.
appId : '390778121043807',
xfbml : true, version : 'v2.9' }); }; (function(d, s, id){ var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)(0); if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;} js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js"; js.async = true; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
JOBs Apply News
For the Latest JOBs Apply News, Follow ©JOBs Apply News on Twitter and Linkedin Page.
