SANTA BARBARA—Santa Barbara MTD announced today that it has been awarded a grant totaling $2,894,131 from the Federal Transit Administration’s Bus and Bus Facilities program to help purchase two new forty-foot battery-electric buses and chargers.
Once delivered, these buses will join MTD’s growing zero-emission fleet, which stands at 23 buses today. Additionally, MTD has already been awarded funding to add 14 more battery-electric buses to the fleet—this grant would bring the total electric fleet to 39 buses out of 100.
“We are excited to benefit from this FTA grant, which will help grow our zero-emission fleet that provides vital transit service to our community. This continues MTD’s decades-long commitment to clean and efficient public transportation on the South Coast,” said Jerry Estrada, Santa Barbara MTD General Manager.
Today’s announcement is part of approximately $1.5 billion in funding to support 117 projects that will improve public transportation in 47 states. Over the last three years, the Federal Transit Administration has sent nearly $5 billion in the past three years to replace and modernize transit buses on America’s roadways, building new technology with American workers. U.S. factories will produce more than 3,650 new buses.
This funding continues the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic federal investment in the nation’s bus systems as well as the transit workforce Approximately 80 percent of the buses being funded will run on zero and low-emission technology, reducing air pollution and helping meet the President’s goal of zero emissions by 2050.
“Putting zero-emission buses on the roads of Santa Barbara County will help keep our air clean, reduce our region’s carbon footprint, and improve public transit reliability by installing new buses to serve Central Coast residents,” said Representative Salud Carbajal. “This is just the latest in what has been almost three years worth of investments from our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which I was proud to help pass last term. With nearly $1 billion already delivered for the Central Coast, this law is truly delivering once-in-a-generation investments that are raising the quality of life on the Central Coast.”
The Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities program provides federal funding for transit agencies to buy and rehabilitate buses and vans and build and modernize bus facilities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides nearly $2 billion through 2026 for the program. For Fiscal Year 2024, approximately $390 million for grants was available under this program.