Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL-18) and Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) and Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $2,320,000 in grant funding for the Greater Peoria Mass Transit District. The funding, awarded by the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Low or No Emission (Low-No) Bus Program, will be used to purchase two zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and a charging station. In April, Rep. LaHood wrote a letter in support of Greater Peoria Mass Transit District’s grant application.
“Greater Peoria Mass Transit plays an essential role in our community to get people where they need to go in a timely manner. As they work to transition their fleet to more energy efficient vehicles, the funding provided today will assist them in achieving that goal by supporting new electric zero-emission buses and a charging station,” LaHood said. “I applaud President Trump and Secretary Chao for recognizing the great work being done by Greater Peoria Mass Transit and look forward to continuing to work with them to improve our transportation system in central and west-central Illinois.”
“The addition of these new buses will promote cleaner and more efficient transportation options for Peoria residents,” Bustos said. “Public transportation provides a vital service that helps connect folks across the community and spurs economic growth. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I’m proud to fight for investments in our local infrastructure and I thank my Illinois colleagues for their support securing these federal dollars.”
“Bringing new buses with cleaner emissions to Peoria improves the quality of life for all residents – even those that don’t regularly rely on public transportation,” Durbin said. “The funding announced today is an important investment in environmentally-friendly infrastructure. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Washington to continue bringing these funds to Illinois communities.”
“Hardworking Illinoisans all across our state rely on our transit systems to commute to work, get to school and so much more,” Duckworth said. “I’m proud to work with Senator Durbin to secure federal resources that help communities like Peoria make transportation more cost effective, consumer oriented and environmentally friendly.”
“We are very excited to have been selected as a recipient of the Low or No Emission (Low-No) Grant Program. Electric buses will be a great addition to our aging fleet, and with technology changing rapidly in the bus industry, this will help us stay current with the trends in the industry,” said Doug Roelfs, General Manager of the Greater Peoria Mass Transit District. “Adding electric buses to our fleet will also help us continue our mission of being an environmentally conscious transportation agency.”
The purpose of the Low-No Program is to support the transition of the nation’s transit fleet to the lowest polluting and most energy efficient transit vehicles. The Low-No Program provides funding to State and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities.
