SEPTA awarded $80M in federal funds for bus facilities upgrades

By Cory Sharber

On June 26, 2023

The money will cover upgrades at six bus maintenance facilities across the city — accounting for 67% of its fleet, with the goal of SEPTA having a zero-emission buses.

SEPTA has received $80 million in federal funds to support upgrades to its bus facilities, as the transit authority moves toward a zero-emission fleet.

Representatives from the Federal Transit Administration, SEPTA, federally elected officials, and city government made the announcement Monday at 30th Street Station.

The grant from the FTA will help fund upgrades at six of SEPTA’s bus maintenance facilities: Frankford, Germantown, Midvale, and Southern in Philadelphia, as well as Victory in Upper Darby and Frontier in Plymouth Township. Combined, the facilities account for roughly 67% of SEPTA’s bus fleet, officials say.

CEO and General Manager Leslie Richards said the grant is the “largest single infrastructure grant SEPTA has ever received.”

“SEPTA will eliminate tailpipe emissions and further reduce total greenhouse gas emissions throughout the communities we serve,” Richards said. “We are pleased to be making these and other sustainable investments for our customers and the region, and we are grateful for the support of the Federal Transit Administration and elected officials at all levels of government helping to achieve our goals.”

Redundant power feeds will be built at each facility, along with backup generators and new electrical substations. New fire suppression systems will be installed to “address the different fire safety challenges presented by zero-emission fleets,” Richards said.

Districts will also receive electrical utility upgrades to power the fleet in the event of an electrical failure.

The grant’s announcement comes just days after a section of I-95 reopened after a collapse made the road impassable for more than two weeks — a point several speakers noted, including FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez.

“Everyone just assumes and takes for granted that public transportation is always there — doing what they’re supposed to,” Fernandez said. “It’s not as evident until there is some kind of emergency, whether it’s manmade or natural … and that is where public transportation continues to shine. SEPTA was a beacon and continues to be that beacon to show that public transportation can move people and can do that safely.”

Mayor Jim Kenney said the grant will help advance Philadelphia’s local efforts to combat climate change.

“Climate change impacts are felt in different ways and to varying degrees across Philadelphia neighborhoods. Areas that experience hotter temperatures and other climate impacts are more likely to be home to low income communities and residents of color,” Kenney said. “The city prioritizes supporting communities most impacted by the climate stressors in building climate resilience and service to the goals of achieving both racial and environmental justice here in Philadelphia.”

SEPTA has been working towards a zero-emission fleet since 2019. In November 2021, SEPTA announced it had been working to replace “between 100 and 120” diesel buses each year. That same year, SEPTA entered into a two-year contract to replace the remaining diesel-only buses with diesel-electric hybrids. A spokesperson said the plan is to have a zero-emission fleet by 2040.

Monday’s grant announcement was part of a nationwide push by the FTA to help local and state governments purchase or lease low-emission bus fleets and facilities. It’s expected to result in the manufacturing of more than 1,700 buses, half of which will be zero-emission models.

“Every day, over 60,000 buses in communities of all sizes take millions of Americans to work, school, and everywhere else they need to go,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a release. “Today’s announcement means more clean buses, less pollution, more jobs in manufacturing and maintenance, and better commutes for families across the country.”

The funds are part of the second bus grant package from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which set aside $108 billion for public transportation.

The New Jersey Transit Corporation also received $47 million to modernize the Hilton Bus Garage for battery-electric buses. And the Delaware Transit Corporation was awarded roughly $8.7 million to buy battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric buses to replace older diesel buses.

This piece was republished from the WHYY.org.