The City of Raleigh's bus service, GoRaleigh, will add five electric buses to its passenger fleet, thanks to a new $1.65 million federal grant.
Electric buses are better for the environment -- they are zero-emission vehicles that run quieter than diesel-fueled vehicles. With new battery technology, a bus can run a full day's schedule on a single charge.
"This grant advances GoRaleigh's efforts to provide clean and efficient transportation alternatives for Raleigh residents," said Assistant Director of Transportation David Eatman, who oversees bus service.
GoRaleigh passengers could see electric buses as early as the winter of 2020.
Funding
Grant funding for the new buses is from the competitive 2019 Federal Transit Administration Low- or No-Emission (Low-No) Grant program. This new funding, in conjunction with $2.6 million from the Wake County transit tax, will be used to purchase five battery-electric buses and charging equipment. The City received notification of the award on July 26.