Norfolk, VA – Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced Hampton Roads Transit will receive $25 million in federal funding for the replacement of its 39-year-old Parks Avenue Maintenance Facility to accommodate future zero-emission buses. The new Southside Bus Operating Facility will also help the agency support and maintain its current fleet while preparing to support expanded regional transit service.
HRT’s facility is one of only four Virginia award recipients and the largest in the Commonwealth from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for transit projects.
“We are ecstatic that the need for the Southside Bus Operating facility is recognized by the federal government. This facility will be paramount to our regional service expansion as we transition our fleet to electric vehicles.” – William Harrell, President & CEO of Hampton Roads Transit. “
HRT was one of 130 award recipients totaling nearly $1.7 billion in federal funding investing in the future of transit. The FTA received 475 eligible project proposals totaling approximately $8.7 billion in requests.
Senators Tim Kaine (VA) and Mark Warner (VA) shared their support for the awards. “This funding will help deliver state-of-the-art buses and bus facilities that are better for our environment and make Virginia’s transit systems more reliable and comfortable for riders.” stated the Senators.
Today’s investment is the second bus grant package funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has now invested more than $3.3 billion in American transit buses and the infrastructure that supports them. Over the next three years, record funding for American transit investment will provide almost $5 billion more.
“Every day, over 60,000 buses in communities of all sizes take millions of Americans to work, school, and everywhere else they need to go,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Today’s announcement means more clean buses, less pollution, more jobs in manufacturing and maintenance, and better commutes for families across the country.”
The projects announced today are supported by FTA’s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities and Low- and No-Emission (Low-No) Vehicle programs. The Buses and Bus Facilities program provides federal funding for transit agencies to buy and rehabilitate buses and vans and build and modernize bus facilities.