$103M federal grant set to modernize DART bus fleet
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) - A more modern bus fleet will soon roll out at DART, as a result of a $103 million Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant.
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred submitted a letter of support to the FTA for the grant, which was made possible due to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law is estimated to deliver at least $35 billion to the state over the next five years, with $15 billion allocated so far.
"Because of our rapid growth, we need investments to bolster our local infrastructure and create more options for Texans to get where they need to go," said Allred. "The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was the single largest investment in transit ever, and this grant will help DART and other transit agencies modernize and upgrade their bus fleet to keep our cities healthier and thriving for generations to come. This is a great example of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivering for Texas, and I will keep working to ensure it continues to deliver."
Low or no-emission buses will replace about 186 buses, according to a news release from Allred's office.
"This grant will provide us the opportunity to replace a large portion of the oldest buses in our fleet, which is critical to maintaining a reliable transit system for our riders and providing a seamless customer experience," shared Nadine Lee, DART president and CEO.
Additionally, transit agencies across Texas, from Beaumont to Harris County to San Antonio to Waco, are on track to receive more than $183.8 million in total as part of the series of grant announcements.
On June 23, Allred also announced that DART would receive a $25 million RAISE Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The project will fund the construction of 5.2 miles of shared-use trail in Dallas and Plano.
Read the full grant list here.
