HUNTSVILLE — Huntsville’s Parking & Public Transportation Department is applying for three federal grants to enhance fleet maintenance efficiency and expand its inventory with electric paratransit vans and fixed route hybrid engine buses that will be less expensive and environmentally cleaner to operate.
The requests total more than $15.5 million.
The grants, administered by the Federal Transit Administration, would update and expand the former bus facility on Church Street as well as reduce bus emissions by transitioning to more energy efficient vehicles.
“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. “The grants will also allow the city to seamlessly implement multiple aspects of its long-term transit plans.”
The grant for the former bus facility, valued at $5,242,355, would improve end-of-day fleet maintenance servicing and efficiency. The site currently includes operations, administration, maintenance inspection and vehicle servicing facilities. The city opened a Transit Center last year at 521 Pratt Ave.
The grant application to purchase six fixed route hybrid engine buses seeks $7,176,689. 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 application for $3,120,884 in grant funding would purchase eight electric paratransit vans and associated charging infrastructure. Acquiring the electric vehicles fits an array of the city’s long-term Transit objectives to replace gasoline-powered paratransit vans.
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