Rochester Receives Federal Funding For Electric Buses
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The federal government has awarded an over $3.1 million grant to the City of Rochester for the purchase of new electric buses and related charging equipment.
The funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration will fund most of the cost of purchasing two 60-foot battery-powered electric buses and one electric charging station. Each bus will cost about $1.25 million, while the electric charging station carries a price tag of about $1.1 million. The city's share of the overall $3.65 million cost is just under $500,000.
According to Rochester Mayor Kim Norton, “Putting battery-electric transit vehicles in service furthers the City’s commitment to sustainability by preserving resources today in a way that they can be enjoyed by future generations.”
City spokesman Nick Lemmer says it is expected that the new electric buses will be put into service in 2022. He also noted the city was previously awarded a grant to fund the purchase of two additional electric buses, but it requires a much larger local contribution, and moving forward will depend on the availability of local funding.
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