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ECAT Awarded $21 Million Grant For Electric Bus, Charging Station Project
August 10, 2024
Escambia County Area Transit was recently awarded a $21 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration for 21 electric bus, charging stations, and workforce training focused on boosting transportation reliability and improving air quality.
The grant will bring nine 35-foot electric buses and four electric cutaways to ECAT to replace existing diesel-fueled 2006 and 2007-model buses.
ECAT said expanding the fleet to include all-electric transit vehicles will help provide safer and more reliable operations, lower energy and maintenance costs, and reduced dependence on fossil fuels. Through the grant, ECAT employees will also receive workforce training to accurately and efficiently operate, charge, and repair electric buses. The new buses are expected to join ECAT’s fleet by 2026.
“I’m thrilled to introduce electric buses to ECAT’s fleet and enter a new phase of public transportation for Escambia County,” Mass Transit Director Rodriques Kimbrough said. “Receiving this grant reflects ECAT’s commitment to transportation excellence in our community. I’m very proud of our staff for their diligent efforts to secure the grant and keep ECAT moving forward.”
Comments
19 Responses to “ECAT Awarded $21 Million Grant For Electric Bus, Charging Station Project”
I get it. We all love our internal combustion engines. We also know.that Electric transportation is much more efficient than internal combustion engines, and has less moving parts and maintenance. Their price is declining rapidly as production increases. Batteries last 10 years or more. Residents aren’t exposed to exhaust fumes. I’ll bet horse and buggy owners complained the same when cars entered the roads. The government spent plenty then for paved roads and traffic control then and now. When all vehicles are self driving we will have less accidents, lower insurance, less need to own a private vehicle, less pollution and safer streets and less need for traffic cops.
Way to go Escambia County Area Transit!!! These buses will run clean with dramatically less air and water pollution than that from the current diesel buses. And the cost of operation and maintenance will be much less.
the ev busses will be equipped with gas powered generator attached to the roof
I see the “do nothing” pawns of fossil fuels are on the war path. As to coal fired power plants, those need to go too.
The officials in charge don’t care one iota what the public wants. it shows that our presidential election is already a done deal. We are going WOKE, WOKE, WOKE like the lady said we will do
@Raw Material
Put your far left idea that 97% of plants are coal. I googled and its below 16% in the USA. MANY PLANTS ARE NATURAL GAS,SOLAR OR NUCLEAR.
KEEP YOUR FAR OUT NUMBERS TO YOURSELF
Was this every voted on… Do we want to use tax dollars for this? What happens when we have power failures with hurricanes? I hear replacing a battery is very costly. 21M of tax dollars wasted..
If the Federal Transit Administration has that much money to spend, why don’t they use it for something sensible? Electric vehicles have become the thing to have, but people don’t realize all the other expenses. Like JJ said, what if a battery goes bad when the bus is in use? Will the price of riding the bus increase?
Using coal to create this electricity, will this electric bus make our gas prices go up?
How is the electricity calculated for charging? Regular vehicles have per gallon, do electric vehicles have per unit?
The whole thing is ridiculous. GOD save us from ourselves.
Get the extended warranty, Ashville, NC has had busses down for over two years. Parts are not available in their case.
What the heck, it’s “free” money, right? SMH! No, it is not free, and this is a huge waste of $$’s, which shouldn’t be wasted on this so called green energy boondoggle. Because it was made available doesn’t mean that it has to be spent, especially when taken into account the hidden down the road costs that will have to be absorbed and covered by the local taxpayers. Just say no to government crack.
The STUPIDITY of the Federal government never ceases to amaze and infuriate me, as do the dumies who keep believing they are our friend. Don’t be “woke.” Instead, WAKE UP ! ! !
Ok, boys and girls.
Let’s get those bets in.
On what date will the first one’s battery cells go critical and the whole bus goes up in flames?
You can’t fix stupid!!
@Lisa Fuller. I’m sure the plans are already in motion to change the fuel tax to an electrical tax. ECAT is obviously unable to support itself and the $21 million will be exhausted on busses and recharging stations with nothing remaining for operational costs.
After we get all the new and improved buses, can we get rid of the gas tax (which is paid by people who pay for their own cars) that helps fund a transit system that can’t support itself?
Waste of 21 mil IMO
China is thrilled every time “EV” is mentioned… so are the coal-fired power plants that make 97% of electricity
I still don’t understand why charging vehicles seems like the thing to do. I’ve been without power here in FL enough to know the kids might not be getting a ride to school every day.
Whats the cost of charging these and if one discharged on the road. Tow time to charging station. Mobile has an electric trash truck, talk to them about DOWN TIME . What is the battery guarantee and cost of new battery
What if hurricane shuts charging station down for just 3-5 days