As part of a continuing effort to reduce emissions and be more environmentally friendly, the Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC) announced that it has received a fourth Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant of $3,539,640 to purchase additional electric buses that will grow DART First State’s alternative fuel fleet. The agency has now received more than $9.1 million through these grants to support the purchase of electric buses.
DART is currently running 16 electric buses statewide, with 4 additional buses going into service this fall. The 6 additional buses to be purchased with the latest grant will bring the fleet total to 26 electric buses, or about 10% of the current fixed route diesel buses.
Electric buses last longer, are cleaner, easier to maintain, produce zero emissions and offer the same capacity for riders compared to their diesel relatives. They produce 90 percent fewer particulates (hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions and 60 percent fewer oxides of nitrogen). One bus can travel up to 250 miles on a single charge. With fast charging stations throughout the state, drivers can quickly recharge so buses can continue to run all day.
The first FTA grant of $2,029,300 for the purchase of six electric buses are currently operating in and around Dover. The second grant of $1,000,000 for the purchase of an additional ten electric buses operating in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach. DTC received a third grant of $2,600,000 for four electric buses to supplement the busy resort season in late summer of 2021.
Source: Delaware Transit Corporation