The Washington State Department of Transportation has awarded state-wide grants for vanpool vehicles

The Washington State Department of Transportation has awarded 16 public transit agencies $10 million for 420 vanpool fleet vehicles, including 10 vehicles largely powered by electricity.

These new vehicles will bring the total number of hybrid-electric powered vehicles to 28. The funding announcement coincides with Gov. Jay Inslee’s proclamation of declaring July as Vanpool Month.

“WSDOT is committed to working with our public transportation partners to improve our air quality while reducing congestion and fuel consumption,” said WSDOT Public Transportation Director Brian Lagerberg. “By increasing the number of hybrid-electric vanpool vehicles in our state, we’re also helping support the governor’s vision of cleaner air and water and more livable communities in Washington.”

WSDOT awarded the grants to 16 public transportation providers across the state:

• Six agencies received funding to purchase 123 vans in order to expand their vanpool fleets. Of those, 10 are hybrid-electric vehicles.

• Fifteen agencies received funding to replace 297 aging vehicles among their vanpool fleets.

The Vanpool Investment Program supports the largest statewide, public vanpool fleet in the nation. These grants will help Washingtonians by expanding or sustaining critical transportation services for commuters in both urban and rural areas, while also providing environmentally sustainable solutions for the state’s transportation system.