Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Federal funds to bring more electric buses to First State

Delaware Transit Corporation

More electric buses will soon join DART’s fleet thanks to a grant awarded by the Federal Transit Administration.

The Delaware Transit Corporation is set to buy six zero-emission battery electric buses with an eye towards significantly reducing the carbon dioxide pollution DART’s fleet puts into Delaware’s air.

A $2 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration will cover the cost of these buses, as well as charging infrastructure. The goal is to expand the operation of zero emissions vehicles in Delaware.

“These buses are great but they’re not going to be for every one of our bus routes. Some of our longer bus routes really can’t take advantage of the range that these buses have because they travel too far during the day to use them," said Delaware Transit Corporation CEO John Sisson said. "So we’ll be looking at other alternatives besides the traditional diesel buses.”

Sisson adds that he expects those alternatives to be available sooner rather later.

“We’re looking at down the road maybe hydrogen or compressed natural gas or different alternatives,” Sissan said. “The amazing thing about the world we live in today is that the technology keeps evolving quickly so we want to get to the point where our buses have zero to almost no emissions if that’s possible, and so while we’re transporting 30 people in a bus, there’s no emissions coming out of that vehicle versus 30 cars.”

The electric buses are expected to be used in Dover and elsewhere in Kent County and be operational before winter 2018. A demonstration will be held the week of Aug. 8 for people to test ride the zero-emissions buses.