US govt awarding $1.7 billion to buy electric, low-emission buses

The US Department of Transportation is awarding almost USD 1.7 billion in grants for buying zero- and low-emission buses, with the money going to transit projects in 46 states and territories.

The grants will enable transit agencies and state and local governments to buy 1,700 U.S.-built buses, nearly half of which will have zero carbon emissions. Funding for the grants comes from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill signed into law by President Joe Biden.

The Democratic president has made it a priority to put more electric vehicles on the road especially for schools and public transit in an effort to contain the damage from climate change.

Every day, millions of Americans climb aboard over 60,000 buses to get to work, to school, doctor's appointments, everywhere they need to be, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a call with reporters. These are unprecedented levels of investment when it comes to putting modern cleaner buses on the road.

Monday's announcement cov