San Francisco Sun

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Today, Mayor London N. Breed and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) announced that the SFMTA has been awarded $30 million from the federal Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program.  

The funds will be used to prepare two Muni bus yards, lslais Creek and Woods, for transition to accommodate zero emission Battery Electric Buses. The projects are part of the Building Progress Program, a $2.3 billion multi-year effort to repair, renovate, and modernize the SFMTA’s aging facilities to keep the City moving and transition Muni to a battery-electric bus fleet.  

The federal Bus and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program provides funding to states and transit agencies to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities, including technological changes or innovations to modify low or no emission vehicles or facilities.  

“These investments are keeping our City moving and helping us to provide clean, reliable transit service for our residents, visitors, and employees,” said Mayor Breed. “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. We are thankful to the Biden Administration, Senator Feinstein, Senator Padilla, and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi for their leadership and support.”  

“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, SFMTA Director of Transportation. “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.”  

The grant will fund the installation of 18 electric vehicle charging stations with inverted pantographs and structural platforms at the Woods and Islais Creek bus yards. These new charging stations are a critical step in advancing San Francisco’s Zero Emission Bus Rollout Plan. Towards that goal, the SFMTA purchased 12 40-feet zero-emission battery electric buses (BEBs) and is testing them in service throughout the City to evaluate how they perform on congested and hilly routes. The project will provide the needed electric vehicle charging infrastructure for 12 additional 40-feet BEBs at Woods Yard and 6 new 60-feet BEBs at Islais Creek.  

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – passed by the Democratic Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden two years ago – seized an historic opportunity to strengthen our nation’s crumbling infrastructure and make lasting investments in our communities,” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said.  “The federal grants announced today for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will grow the Bay Area’s economy by modernizing our City’s transit system to be cleaner, safer and more reliable – while creating good-paying union jobs for San Franciscans.  Thanks to the visionary leadership of President Biden, America is back on track to have infrastructure that is the envy of the world.”  

“California has an established goal to transition the state’s entire transit bus fleet to zero-emission by 2040, and I’m thrilled the Department of Transportation has committed millions of dollars to help our state accomplish this. These grants will put more buses on our roads, help reduce pollution in our communities and address the ever-present threat of climate change,” Senator Dianne Feinstein said.  

“I am proud that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making it possible for transit agencies like the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to finally invest in the charging facilities needed to make this transition possible,” said Senator Padilla. “Today’s announcement is a significant step in California’s transition to zero- emission bus fleets, and I will continue leading the charge for investments that reduce air pollution and create healthier air for all our communities.”  

For more information, please visit SFMTA’s Building Progress Program  

Original source can be found here.