Transit Grant

U.S. Invests More than $25M in Clean Transit for Prince George’s County

By Maria Bellos Fisher

The wheels of a $25M-plus investment to upgrade Prince George’s County’s transit system will roll with 15 new zero-emission buses, five battery electric vans and new Level 4 electric vehicle chargers – the fastest on the market.

A new energy management system to monitor and maximize energy efficiency will be part of the project as will increasing “demand response” transit services – on demand public transit that functions like a taxi service.

The funds will also support the construction of a new microgrid -- a self-contained electrical network that connects to the larger grid or works independently.

Funding for the transit project comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Low or No-Emission Grant Program -- a part of the Biden Administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The request for funding was initiated at the county level. Maryland congressional delegation members representing Prince George’s County – Congressmen Steny Hoyer and Glenn Ivey and Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin wrote to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in April to bolster the county’s funding application.

"Today, 117 communities, including Prince George’s County, are receiving the good news that their transit buses are being modernized and their commutes improved through President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The Biden-Harris Administration is helping agencies across 47 states replace old buses running on dirty, expensive fuels by delivering modern and zero-emission buses, manufactured by American workers, that will connect more people to where they need to go."

"I want to thank the Federal Transit Administration for this 25.5-million-dollar grant to advance the Prince George’s County ‘Proud to Charge’ program," said County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. "These funds will be used bring Prince Georgians closer to the promise of a clean energy future."

The investment is part of a larger effort to transition Prince George’s County’s bus fleet to zero-emissions by 2040.

“Improving air quality with low and no emissions transit vehicles is a great step in the right direction for cleaner air in densely populated areas. Disparities in air pollution disproportionately affect communities of color and lower income commuters because of hazardous carbon dioxide exhausts of heavy vehicles. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is critical to providing better, more efficient, and cleaner transit options for Marylanders and folks across the country. I applaud the leadership of Secretary Buttigieg and federal Team Maryland in getting these monies for the 4th Congressional District and beyond,” said Congressman Glenn Ivey, (MD-04).

"Unprecedented storms, heatwaves and other severe weather events are becoming more frequent and are directly caused by climate change.” Said Senator Cardin. “Collective action is one of the best ways to address our climate crisis. This federal investment in transitioning Prince George’s County’s buses to a zero-emission fleet will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, achieve our climate goals and create more environmental equity in a community that needs it most," said Senator Cardin.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is an investment in American infrastructure that will provide more than $7 billion in federal funding directly to Maryland over five years to strengthen infrastructure, spanning transportation systems, water infrastructure, broadband connectivity, and more. The lawmakers worked to secure passage of this law in Congress, which aims to spur job creation, enhance U.S. competitiveness, and make U.S. transportation systems more sustainable and equitable.