by Michaela Johnson

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06), along with the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (TheRide) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced Ann Arbor will receive $25,000,000 to buy new hydrogen fuel cell and low-emission diesel-electric hybrid buses to replace older diesel buses and a mobile hydrogen station. This project, made possible with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will improve operations, reduce energy consumption, and enable TheRide to move toward a zero-emission fleet.

“Taking diesel buses off our streets will make our environment and communities cleaner and healthier, reduce our carbon emissions, and ensure the air we’re breathing is free from harmful pollutants,” said Dingell. “I’m proud to have helped secure funding to support TheRide’s transition to a zero-emissions fleet, and thank the Biden Administration and our state and local leaders for their continued partnership and commitment to our clean energy future.”    

“On behalf of TheRide’s Board of Directors, we thank TheRide’s staff for their hard work and dedication towards environmental sustainability,” Kathleen Mozak, TheRide’s Board of Directors Chair said. “The Board thanks the FTA for this grant and we’re looking forward to continuing to guide TheRide into the future of sustainability.”

“We are incredibly grateful to have been awarded this grant, enabling us to introduce hydrogen buses and cutting-edge technology to our community,” Matthew Carpenter, CEO of TheRide said. “The grant not only advances our climate action efforts, but also highlights our commitment to workforce development through the training and retention of our operators and mechanics. We thank the FTA for the grant to assist with this important initiative.”

FTA Acting Administrator Veronica Vanderpool will join TheRide in Ann Arbor to announce the funding.

“Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are creating new opportunities to improve the lives of millions of Americans who rely daily on buses,” said FTA Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. “These grants will help deliver cleaner and greener transportation, designed to reach everyone, and to work for everyone, particularly in places that haven’t received enough resources in the past.”

“Today, 117 communities, including Ann Arbor, are receiving the good news that their transit buses are being modernized and their commutes improved through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The Biden-Harris Administration is helping agencies across 47 states replace old buses running on dirty, expensive fuels by delivering modern and zero-emission buses, manufactured by American workers, that will connect more people to where they need to go.”

TheRide will use the awarded grant funds to fund a hydrogen fueling station, two hydrogen buses and over a dozen hybrid buses as replacements for existing diesel buses. In January, after extensive public and stakeholder engagement, TheRide Board approved a plan to introduce hydrogen bus technology into its fleet, highlighting a long-term dedication to environmental sustainability and clean energy infrastructure. 

Last month, Dingell announced Ann Arbor Public Schools would receive $800,000 for the purchase of clean school buses.