Maryland Delegation Announces Nearly $42 Million for Eco-Friendly Upgrades to Regional Bus Systems in Prince George’s, Anne Arundel, and Montgomery Counties

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $41,765,975 in federal funds to improve and rehabilitate bus systems in Maryland to support the adoption of fuel-efficient technologies, such as low- and zero-emission vehicles.

These awards are administered through the Department of Transportation’s Buses and Facilities Program and the Low or No Emissions Program. This funding comes from the $1.47 billion made available to these programs through the fiscal year 2022 funding law, which the lawmakers worked to pass earlier this year, and is authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“Upgrading our public transportation to be more fuel-efficient will improve Marylanders’ daily commutes, save taxpayer dollars, and reduce air pollution in our communities. That’s why we’re pleased to announce this substantial federal funding to transition Maryland bus systems away from heavily polluting equipment. Our public transportation plays a vital role in keeping our communities connected and our economies strong and upgrading our stations and fleets to accommodate fuel-efficient technologies is the next step in improving our transit infrastructure as we work to combat climate change,” the lawmakers said. “Investing in projects like these that will keep our communities safe while combatting climate change is exactly why we fought to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. We will continue working to secure federal funding for initiatives like this one.”

Prior to receiving this funding, the Delegation wrote to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Buttigieg and Federal Transit Administrator Fernandez in support of these Maryland applications. The grant awardees include:

1. $25,000,000 to Prince George’s County Government to buy approximately 20 zero-emission, battery electric buses and upgrade the electrical system at their transit depot, add additional electric chargers at multiple transit hubs and install a microgrid, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 1,227 metric tons per year.
2. $14,875,975 to Montgomery County Department of Transportation to buy 13 zero-emission buses powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology. MCDOT, which operates close to 400 buses in Maryland's most populous county, has committed to transition to a zero-emission fleet by 2035.
3. $1,890,000 to Maryland Transit Administration, Anne Arundel County to purchase Anne Arundel County approximately four diesel-electric hybrid buses as part of their five-year plan to transition to a zero-emission fleet.

The Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program makes federal resources available to states and directs recipients to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities, including by making technological changes or innovations to modify low or no emission vehicles or facilities. Funding is provided through formula allocations and competitive grants. The goal of the Low and No Emission Vehicle Program is to assist transit agencies in their shift to cleaner technologies, supporting the administration’s goal of reducing emissions by 50% by the end of the decade. More information on both programs can be found here.