The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority expects to obtain eight electric buses, charging stations, and other support for its $9 million share of a federal grant announced Friday.
Funding from the Federal Transit Administration’s $29,331,665 “Low-No” grant to the Ohio Department of Transportation will be distributed to nine other Ohio transit agencies, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio) said announcing the funding.
They include two others in northwest Ohio: $3,571,578.95 to Seneca Crawford Area Transportation in Seneca and Crawford counties, and $1,568,088.89 to the Ottawa County Transit Authority, according to Senator Brown’s announcement.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is getting resources to Ohio communities to improve transportation and support Ohio workers. We fought to secure this investment to create jobs and to connect people with jobs, saving them time and money,” Senator Brown said in a prepared statement.
“I’m working to make sure Ohio gets its fair share — or more — of infrastructure investment, so Ohio communities can improve transit options and create opportunity,” he said.
The Ohio Department of Transportation submitted the application to the federal government.
“Transportation isn’t just moving vehicles, it’s moving people. We are happy to partner with the federal government to help our local transit agencies upgrade their bus fleets,” ODOT director Jack Marchbanks said in the statement issued by Senator Brown’s office.
Andy Cole, a TARTA spokesman, said that TARTA’s new electric buses are scheduled for delivery in June, 2026 with employee training to be paid for during the subsequent 12 months.
Six bus chargers and materials and labor to install them also will be covered, while TARTA must provide a $2.2 million local match to the $9,090,504.42 in federal funds, Mr. Cole said.
How the buses will be obtained remains to be determined, he said. The vehicles will contribute toward a long-term TARTA goal of replacing traditional diesel buses with zero-emission vehicles.
The grant is the second federal funding announcement in two days with benefits for Toledo, Mr. Cole said.
A $20 million grant announced Thursday for a series of projects to rebuild streets in Toledo’s UpTown neighborhood and connect it with the Junction neighborhood via a multi-use path.
This would be along Dorr Street between Washington Street and the Mott branch library and includes $220,000 for a bus “mobility hub” at Madison Avenue and 13th Street, Mr. Cole noted.
First Published June 23, 2023, 10:02 p.m.
