Martha’s Vineyard to Get Low Emission Transit Buses

Photo: Martha’s Vineyard Regional Transit Authority

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has awarded the Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority a $1.2 million grant for low or no-emission (“LoNo”) transit buses.

The money comes from the Federal Transit Administration and will be used to purchase two “LoNo” electric buses and an energy storage system.

The MassDOT Regional Transit Authority Capital Asset Program provided a local match of $1.4 million.

“We would like to extend our thanks to the FTA for recognizing the worthiness of this project and are pleased that with the funding the VTA’s electric bus program will be able to proceed,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack.

The electric buses are more than four times as energy efficient as diesel buses, and will save an estimated 336,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

They will also save the VTA an estimated $650,000 in fuel costs and $384,000 in maintenance costs over those 12 years.

“Where possible, electrification of transit buses presents a great opportunity for the Commonwealth to reduce emissions and transportation costs,” said Pollack.

“The VTA is grateful to FTA for this grant award and thankful for our continued partnership with MassDOT, not only with this grant but for the first four electric buses that we ordered in July 2017,” said VTA Administrator, Angie Grant.

Since 2014, over $100 million has been disbursed nationwide to support the introduction of low and no-emission buses into transit systems

“Our hope is that the overall electric bus project we are pursuing with renewable energy and storage will be successful and replicable in other areas, and that we can help advance and deploy green technologies faster, by sharing our experiences,” said Grant. 

 

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