In the News

NORTHAMPTON – The area’s public transit system will soon be home to eight new battery-electric buses, thanks to a $7.2 million federal grant. State and local officials announced this week that the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) received the grant to help it lower emissions by replacing some of its gas-powered buses.

Once the new energy-efficient vehicles arrive in 2022, the PVTA will have a total of 23 electric buses in its 180-bus fleet.

The authority has a goal of cutting emissions in half by 2050 and hopes to receive more financial assistance to help it reach that goal. The authority serves 24 cities and towns in Hampshire, Hampden and Franklin counties.

“The authority will continue to apply for grants to convert more of its buses to electric-powered vehicles,” said Brandy Pelletier, PVTA manager of marketing advertising & public relations.

In a joint announcement with U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, and Springfield Mayor Dominic Sarno, PVTA Administrator Sandra Sheehan said the PVTA is committed to expanding projects that reduce energy consumption and increase access to clean, efficient mass transit.

“This grant will prove to be hugely beneficial to the PVTA in their efforts to reach their clean energy goals,” Neal said in a statement.

The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Low and No Emission Vehicle Grant Program. The grant is meant to help transition away from fossil fuel-powered public transit. The money can be used to buy low or no emission vehicles, purchase necessary equipment, or construct new transportation facilities that can better accommodate efficient buses.

The program helps contribute to the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by the end of the decade, according to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

Eligible applicants for the program’s grants include “direct or designated recipients of FTA grants; states; local governmental authorities; and Indian Tribes,” according to the FTA. The total grant funding amounts to $182 million.