Rep. Colin Allred announced Monday that DART has been awarded a $103-million Federal Transit Administration grant. The grant, courtesy of the federal bipartisan infrastructure law, will be used to replace approximately 186 of the oldest compressed natural gas buses in the fleet.
"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 in a press release.
"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."
Allred has 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 approximately 5.2 miles of shared-use trail in Dallas and Plano.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is estimated to deliver at least $35 billion to Texas over the next five years and $15 billion has been allocated so far.
“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," said Nadine Lee, DART president and CEO.
Transportation administration officials said the funding for modernizing bus fleets across the country will benefit both the environment and U.S. manufacturing.
“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 statement. “Today’s announcement means more clean buses, less pollution, more jobs in manufacturing and maintenance and better commutes for families across the country.”