Ten new diesel buses are coming to Allegheny County's roads, thanks to a $3.6 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration. Port Authority CEO Katharine Kelleman said they will be cheaper, cleaner to operate, and offer a quieter, smoother ride. *This story has been updated.
“FTA dollars coming back from D.C. get us our buses, they get us our trains, and all of our infrastructure is supported by this.” Kelleman said.
The new vehicles will replace older ones reaching the end of their useful life. The agency will be receiving 59 additional buses beginning in September, but the grant announced this week only funds 10.
The Port Authority has also applied for federal dollars to fund the bus rapid transit project. Acting FTA administrator K. Jane Williams said that grant is still early in the evaluation process, but that they are working closely with the Port Authority.
“It would be a little premature for me to speculate on how that will go, but I can tell you that [federal support for] bus rapid transit is very strong,” Williams said. “We see a real win for transit and the community when that is used.”
*This story has been updated Thursday, June 14, 2018 at 3:56 p.m. to change the number of buses being purchased.
