PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority has been awarded $1.5 million in federal funding to purchase electric buses and convert to a low-emissions fleet.
A Federal Transit Administration program pays for purchasing or leasing zero-emission and low-emission transit buses.
Rhode Island also plans to use $14.4 million it’s getting from the national Volkswagen emissions cheating scandal settlement to replace public diesel buses with electric vehicles, and to install high-speed electric vehicle charging stations.
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, says the federal grant is a smart investment that will help RIPTA curb pollution, accelerate the transition to a greener fleet, and reduce maintenance costs.
The electric buses are expected to be in service by 2021.
RIPTA is beginning a pilot program this fall with three electric buses.
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