The Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) received a $104 million Low or No Emission Vehicle grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), delivered at a celebration at the Cinder Bed Road Bus Garage, which will be converted to exclusively serve battery-electric buses with funds from the grant.
The Low or No Emission Vehicle grant will help WMATA achieve its accelerated timeline to transition nine bus garages and nearly 1,600 buses to zero-emission by 2042. FTA Deputy Administrator Veronica Vanterpool delivered the grant at a celebration that included U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay, WMATA Board Chair Paul C. Smedberg and WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke.
WMATA is partnering with Fairfax County on the conversion of the Cinder Bed Road facility, a portion of which is planned to be used by the county to house and charge their all-electric bus rapid transit service running from Fort Belvoir to Huntington Metrorail Station by 2030. The grant will also support the purchase of battery electric Metrobuses for the region and workforce development and training.
“FTA is proud to support WMATA’s renovation of the Cinder Bed Bus Garage as it moves toward achieving its ambitious goal to replace its entire fleet with electric buses that run on greener and cleaner fuel sources,” said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. “Riders and residents in the capital region can be proud that WMATA is leading the charge.”
“WMATA is advancing the environmental goals of Fairfax County and the region by transforming the Cinder Bed operations and maintenance facility to accommodate a zero-emissions fleet, including Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit electric buses,” McKay said. “This venture is mutually beneficial to WMATA and the county because it provides the critical infrastructure that will support the long-term success of public transit services in northern Virginia.”
This summer, WMATA received delivery of the first two of 12 battery-electric buses as part of the first phase of zero-emission bus deployment. The buses will operate out of the Shepherd Parkway Bus Division, located in an Opportunity Zone, encompassing low-income and economically distressed communities with a variety of routes across Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
The federal grant helps extend the reach of local and state dollars invested in the National Capital Region’s transit systems and is pivotal for WMATA to transition to a fully zero-emission fleet, including the purchase of new buses, supporting charging infrastructure and upgrades to bus facilities.
In addition to Cinder Bed Road, WMATA’s new Northern and Bladensburg bus garages, which are under construction, are being built to support zero-emission buses, as will the new Western Bus Garage being planned.
“Transitioning our bus fleet to zero-emissions vehicles will provide customers with a better experience and help WMATA achieve its mission to be a climate change solution for the National Capital Region,” Clarke said. “We’re thrilled to accelerate our transition to zero-emission buses thanks to the support of the FTA and we look forward to seeing electric buses serving our customers in the near future.”
To learn more about WMATA’s zero-emission bus initiatives, click here.
