FTA awards NJ Transit $5.15 million to purchase electric buses

Colleen Wilson
NorthJersey.com

NJ Transit was awarded a $5.15 million federal grant Friday to purchase electric buses.

The grant, along with a $2.2 million match from the state Transportation Trust Fund, will go toward four new buses that will be deployed on the No. 25 line between Irvington and Newark, said a Federal Transit Administration press release announcing the award.

"The Federal Transit Administration is proud to partner with New Jersey Transit to upgrade their fleet with newer, cleaner vehicles and facilities,” Nuria Fernandez, the FTA administrator, said in the press release. “These projects are all designed to take dirty buses off the road and replace them with clean, electric models, improving the air we breathe and protecting our planet for future generations.”

In May, NJ Transit released its plan to begin buying all-electric buses by 2040. A pilot program testing electric buses on eight routes in Camden will begin later this year. Scalfo Electric is renovating the Newton Garage in Camden to have charging stations and equipment installed for the pilot.

NJ Transit said it plans to modernize its bus garages around the state to make the transition to electric, with the Hilton Garage up next to house the buses purchased as part of this grant for the Newark route. About $10 million in funding from the state Board of Public Utilities is going toward the Hilton updates. A new bus garage is being built off Route 46 in Ridgefield Park that will also be outfitted for zero-emission vehicles.

Rendering of Charging Infrastructure at Newton Avenue Bus Garage in Camden.

Grants and funds from federal and state agencies are helping NJ Transit kick-start its sustainability goals, but more long-term funding will be needed to achieve them.

While maintenance expenses over time for electric buses are lower than traditional buses, it costs at least $250,000 more to purchase an electric bus than a traditional diesel one. This makes it challenging for agencies like NJ Transit to quickly scale up their electric bus fleet and upgrade their facilities for charging stations.

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Meanwhile, New Jersey lawmakers opted not to dedicate state revenue to NJ Transit during budget negotiations last week despite having a historic $10 billion surplus.

Doug O'Malley, director of Environment New Jersey, said that without reliable funding, NJ Transit will have difficulty meeting its goal of all zero-emission buses by 2040.

"The state budget may be flush, but NJ Transit is facing a post-pandemic funding crisis, as riders aren't rushing back," O'Malley said. "We need to create a stable state funding source to ensure we are expanding transit service and funding electric buses, not potentially raising fares and cutting lines."

Colleen Wilson covers the Port Authority and NJ Transit for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to her work covering the region’s transportation systems and how they affect your commute, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. 

Email: cwilson2@gannettnj.com 

Twitter: @colleenallreds