Huntsville awarded $6M federal grant to replace older buses with hybrid buses

WASHINGTON — The wheels on the bus go round and round …

And, thanks to a federal grant, the wheels on the buses in Huntsville will go round and round for less cost while being more environmentally friendly.

The city was awarded a more than $6 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) the Low or No Emission Grant Program, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced.

Huntsville officials announced in July they had applied for the grant to purchase six fixed route hybrid engine buses. The new buses would align with the city’s “Go Huntsville Transit” improvement plan that includes expanded service and serve as replacements for 10-year-old diesel buses along with two 2008 model buses in use to meet expansion demands.

The grant was one of three the city applied for in July. The others were to purchase eight electric paratransit vans and associated charging infrastructure, and update and expand the former bus facility on Church Street.

City officials haven’t yet received notification about those awards.

“These applications are for very competitive grants and demonstrate how the city is working to be diligent in maintaining our public transit fleet while being good stewards of the environment,” Parking & Public Transportation Director Quisha Bryant said in July. “The grants will also allow the city to seamlessly implement multiple aspects of its long-term transit plans.”

FTA’s Low or No Emission Program awards funds on a competitive basis for transit agencies to buy or lease low-emission or zero-emission transit buses, along with related equipment and facilities. For FY 2025, approximately $1.1 billion was made available. The two programs combined created a funding opportunity totaling $1.5 billion for FY 2025.

“Transit buses provide a vital service for millions of Americans every day,” said FTA Administrator Marc Molinaro. “These grants will strengthen connections between communities, boost bus safety and reliability, and enhance mobility and quality of life for passengers.”