California to receive more than $236M to support transit agencies’ transition to zero-emission buses
12 August 2022
US Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif.) announced that 17 local governments and transit agencies will receive more than $236 million in grants from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to aid the transition to zero-emission buses.
This funding comes from DOT’s Buses and Bus Facilities Program and Low or No Emission Vehicle (Low-No) Program, helping transit agencies purchase and lease new, cleaner vehicles and renovate and construct the infrastructure needed for zero-emission transit vehicles.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed last year provides $5.6 billion in new Low-No Program emission funding and $5.1 billion in new funding for Buses and Bus Facilities formula and competitive grants over five years. The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act would also provide $1 billion for clean heavy-duty vehicles, including transit and school buses, and a new tax credit of up to $40,000 for commercial vehicles, for which transit agencies and school districts are eligible.
Buses and Bus Facilities Program
| Sponsor | Project title | Funding |
| Yurok Tribe | Yurok Tribal Bus Facility Development 2022 | $1,280,000 |
| California DOT on behalf of Redwood Coast Transit Authoriy | RCTA Bus Replacement Project | $296,000 |
| Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) | ZEB Transition: On-Route Charging Pilot | $15,588,800 |
| City of Fairfield | FAST Forward with Fairfield: The FAST Bus Fleet Electrification Project | $12,016,400 |
| Riverside Transit Agency | Purchase and installation of solar panels at the Riverside Transit Agencys Riverside and Hemet facilities and workforce development training for new zero-emission technology | $1,594,364 |
Low-No Program
| Sponsor | Project title | Funding |
| Napa Valley Transportation Authority | Napa Vine Zero Emission Bus Electrification | $6,341,892 |
| San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) | RTD Disadvantaged Communities Route Expansion Project | $3,994,277 |
| City of Union City - Union City Transit | Union City Transit Partnering with Gillig to Replace CNG Buses Meeting the End of their Useful Life to All-Electric and Install Related Charging Infrastructure for Entire Fleet | $9,342,346 |
| City of Santa Maria | Santa Maria, California: Electrifying Transit the SMRT Way | $6,664,318 |
| SunLine Transit Agency | Expanding Hydrogen Fuel Cell Usage in the Coachella Valley | $7,819,257 |
| SunLine Transit Agency | Cleaner Transportation in the Coachella Valley | $7,146,793 |
| City of Fresno | Fresno Zero-Emissions Transition Project | $17,367,042 |
| Gold Coast Transit District | Going Green: Hydrogen Fuel Transition Project | $12,117,144 |
| Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority | Los Angeles Zero Emission Bus and Infrastructure Deployment Project | $104,160,000 |
| Omnitrans | Omnitrans Zero Emission Buses, Fueling, and Workforce Development Project | $9,342,502 |
| Riverside Transit Agency | Purchase of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Buses (FCEBs) and Workforce Training for Coach Operators and Mechanics | $5,153,594 |
| City of Gardena | GTrans Zero-Emission Bus Replacement Project | $2,215,647 |
| City of Roseville | Roseville Zero-Emission Commuter Bus and Cutaway Fleet Transition Project | $11,617,236 |
| Orange County Transportation Authority | Zero-Emission Paratransit Bus Pilot | $2,507,895 |
Under the California Air Resources Board’s Innovative Clean Transit Regulation, all new bus purchases by California transit agencies and local governments must be zero-emission buses beginning in 2029, with a goal for full transition by 2040.
The federal Buses and Bus Facilities Program assists in the financing of buses and bus facilities capital projects, including replacing, rehabilitating, purchasing, or leasing buses, bus-related facilities, or related equipment. The federal Low-No Program supports the transition of the nation’s transit fleet to the lowest polluting and most energy efficient transit vehicles. The Low-No Program provides funding to state and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including the acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities.
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