CALSTART and Partners Receive more than
$102M for Zero-Emission Transit Buses
Funding will allow purchase and deployment of 197 transit buses, as well as charging and fueling infrastructure and other support elements.
Pasadena, CA – On June 26, 2023, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced its awards for the Low-No Grant Program, with CALSTART and its partner agencies receiving over $102 million in funding to deploy 197 zero-emission buses. Combined with the 2022 Low-No Grant Program totals, CALSTART has collaborated with state departments of transportation and transit agencies across the nation to secure more than $256 million to deploy 442 zero-emission buses and infrastructure.
The funding will be used to purchase and deploy a mix of battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses, as well as to build the necessary charging and refueling infrastructure. In addition, other support elements funded include workforce development activities and providing long-term fleet transition planning for sustained deployment of ZEBs.
“This funding is a major milestone in our efforts to accelerate the transition to zero-emission transportation,” said Jared Schnader, Senior Director at CALSTART and host of the transit-focused Transition to Zero podcast. “We are beyond the ‘science fair’ project phase of zero-emission transit. CALSTART is focused on scaled deployments and this funding allows us and our partners to realize that goal.”
The number of deployed full-size transit zero-emission buses (ZEBs) has grown to 5,480 nationwide, an increase of 66% since 2021, according to the 2023 edition of Zeroing in on ZEBs. California remains the nation’s leader in ZEB adoption, but a number of other states have doubled their ZEB-deployment numbers since 2021. Adoption of full-size hydrogen fuel cell electric buses has increased 64% since 2021, while small ZEB deployment grew 42% during the same period. These adoption numbers are directly correlated with the increased federal funding available through the Low-No Program.
The deployment of zero-emission technologies also creates jobs in the clean transportation sector. As technology is adopted, the demand for supporting skills increases. This generates more opportunities for technical education, trade schools, community colleges, and state programs to retrain the existing workforce and educate the next generation of technicians.
About CALSTART
A nonprofit consortium with offices in New York, Michigan, Colorado, California and central Europe and partners world-wide, CALSTART works with 300+ member company and agency innovators to build a prosperous, efficient, and clean high-tech transportation industry. We overcome barriers to modernization and the adoption of clean vehicles. CALSTART is changing transportation for good.
About the FTA Low-No Grant Program
The FTA Low-No Grant Program provides funding for projects that reduce emissions and improve air quality. The program is a key part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to investing in clean transportation.