Traffic & Transit
$30M Federal Grant Awarded To SF
SFMTA will use the money to transition to electric buses by 2040 and modernize old facilities.
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency was awarded $30 million to support the transition toward zero-emission vehicles and facilities, Mayor London Breed and the SFMTA announced this week.
The grant from the Federal Transit Administration in the U.S. Department of Transportation will help achieve the SFMTA's plans to transition to battery-electric or fuel cell electric buses by 2040 and modernize old facilities.
The award comes from the federal Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program, which provides resources to states and transit agencies to replace, repair and buy buses and related equipment and facilities.
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The funds will be used to prepare two Muni bus yards, lslais Creek and Woods, to support zero-emission battery electric buses, according to a press release from the mayor's office. The projects are part of the Building Progress Program, a $2.3 billion multi-year effort to repair, renovate, and update the facilities to transition Muni to a battery-electric bus fleet.
"These investments are keeping our city moving and helping us to provide clean, reliable transit service for our residents, visitors, and employees," Breed said in the press release. "The infrastructure at these facilities is the backbone of San Francisco's transit system, which itself is essential to our city's economy and our ability to serve our neighborhoods."
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The grant will fund the installation of 18 electric vehicle charging stations with the necessary infrastructure at the Woods and Islais Creek bus yards. According to the release, the new charging stations will help San Francisco meet a regulation by the California Air Resources Board that requires all public transit agencies in the state to transition from internal combustion engine buses to zero-emission buses by 2040.
The SFMTA purchased 12 40-feet zero-emission battery electric buses and is testing them in service throughout the city to evaluate how they perform on packed and hilly routes to meet that goal.
According to U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, the announcement is a significant step in California's transition to zero-emission bus fleets and he aims to lead investments that reduce air pollution and create healthier air for all communities.
"We have the greenest fleet in North America and are committed to ensuring our battery electric buses will deliver the same environmental benefits and service features," said Jeff Tumlin, director of transportation at SFMTA. "I want to thank our congressional delegation for their leadership and support. This award will go to modernizing our facilities and critically assist us in becoming an all-electric and carbon neutral fleet."
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