South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART), which provides transit service in Wilsonville, Ore., has been awarded a state grant that will help fund two initiatives that support its move toward a greener fleet.
The total award of $440,000 from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund’s competitive programs, includes:
- A $320,000 discretionary award to fund a mobile battery back-up unit to charge SMART’s fleet of electric vehicles in the event of loss of power for an extended period, and;
- A $120,000 intercommunity award to fund analysis to determine the feasibility of deploying electric buses on SMART’s longer-distance routes.
“These awards steer us toward our goal of relying entirely upon alternative fuels by 2028,” Transit Director Dwight Brashear said. “Acquiring the mobile charger is also regionally significant; it allows us to provide assistance to other agencies in the wake of a stranded vehicle.”
ODOT is allocating more than $28.5 million to transit authorities throughout Oregon to support bus service, maintain and purchase vehicles, build bus charging stations and fund additional improvements. STIF awards are funded from state payroll taxes, and support programs that help many of Oregon’s residents most in need.
During this competitive grant cycle, ODOT received 75 applications requesting $35.5 million in funding, or about $1.25 in proposals for every available dollar. These totals reflect the high demand for public transportation investment.
