The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority was awarded a $104 million federal grant to purchase 160 battery-electric buses and associated charging stations, the agency announced Tuesday.
The money will be used to transition Metro’s fleet to zero-emission buses on lines based out of El Monte and Carson, along with the J (Silver) Line rapid bus service between San Pedro and downtown Los Angeles.
“The J Line, aka the Silver Line, is a vital link for our regional economy, but residents of Wilmington and San Pedro should never have to pay a price for it with their health,” Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro Board member Janice Hahn said in a statement. “We need to fight air pollution in our communities with all the tools and technologies available, and with this switch to a fully electrified J Line, we’re accomplishing that.”
Metro board chair and Glendale City Councilman Ara Najarian said the money will “help bring our agency closer to having a fully electric bus fleet in the coming decade.”
The money will cover the purchase of the battery-electric buses, and the purchase and installation of charging stations along bus routes and at depots, according to Metro.
