ATLANTA (AP) - Atlanta’s public transit operator has been awarded a $2.6 million grant to replace diesel buses with zero-emission electric buses.
MARTA announced the grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation on Monday.
The new electric fleet will help cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce energy consumption in the traffic-plagued city. Six new battery electric buses are expected to be deployed by July 2021 and will replace six older diesel models.
The new buses, manufactured in Aniston, Alabama, are 40-feet (12.1-meters) in length and can carry 38 seated passengers and 38 standing.
A news release says the buses will be supported by on-route charging, allowing them to operate throughout the day without returning to a bus depot.
The buses will run on two routes between Midtown Atlanta and points to the east.
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