NYC Gazette

New York, NY – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) this month joined his fellow members of the New York delegation in supporting the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) grant application for the FY 2023 Low or No Emission Vehicle Program. Running the largest public bus system in North America, the MTA has requested increased funding to transition 255 buses to zero-emission electric vehicles as a part of Phase 3 of its transition plan. Electrifying MTA’s bus fleet will help meet state and federal carbon reduction targets while also improving air quality, particularly in low-income and minority communities that have unfairly suffered fordecades from the negative health consequences of dirty fossil fuel infrastructure.

“New York City has long been a leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the MTA’s Low or No Emission Vehicle Program serves as a blueprint for the rest of the country,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “New York has one of the best public transportation systems in the country and our buses are critical to ensuring that New Yorkers from all walks of life have access to the rest of the city. Transitioning these critical resources to zero-emission vehicles is key to creating a greener cleaner future for all of us.”

In 2018, MTA set a goal of transitioning its entire 5,800 bus fleet to zero-emissions vehicles by 2040. The MTA runs the largest public bus system in North America, carrying 20 percent of all bus passengers in 2021 and operating nearly 10 percent of the public bus fleet nationwide.

Buses are especially critical to New Yorkers in traditionally under-served communities. Pre-pandemic survey data shows that 61 percent of riders who report using the bus as a primary means of transportation are non-white, and 36 percent have an annual income of less than $50,000. For many New Yorkers, buses are the only public transit option. Also, 96 percent of MTA depots operate routes in areas with above average levels of air pollution.

Notably, the MTA has limited its request to just 55 percent of the total cost of the buses, demonstrating its own strong commitment to emissions reduction and improved health outcomes for its customers. Under this funding structure, the MTA provides nearly half of the funds needed for these buses, well beyond the 20 percent commitment required in the application.

Federal support for a zero-emission bus procurement of this unprecedented size also represents a significant opportunity to demonstrate to the domestic bus manufacturing industry the need for new participants and create clear incentives for the bus manufacturing supply chain network to expand its domestic presence.

Original source can be found here.