New York Invests $16 Million To Improve Public Transportation
New York City will be able to purchase new clean-fueled buses and make infrastructure improvements to transit facilities with a $2.75 million Transit Capital grant from the State Transit Dedicated Fund.
A total of $16 million in Transit Capital grants are being made available to counties, cities and upstate regional transportation authorities statewide.
This year’s funding has been awarded to 11 municipalities and transportation authorities throughout the State. The funds are expected to help place approximately 30 additional clean-fueled buses on New York’s highways, and support necessary upgrades to transit facilities.
Use of clean-fueled bus technologies result in lower emissions of oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter which are sources of local pollution, as well as reduced carbon dioxide which is a greenhouse gas.
Hybrid-electric buses are about 30% more efficient, and each bus reduces fuel usage by approximately 2,400 gallons each year. Natural gas buses displace 100% of the petroleum used with an alternative fuel, and provide fuel cost savings to the operators.
The funds will also support a wide variety of transit needs including, ferry improvements, facility rehabilitation and modernization, and rail improvements in Western New York. Collectively, these systems help transport more than 200 million passenger trips annually.
Governor Pataki established the State Transit Dedicated Fund in 1996 to address the capital needs of public transportation systems that exceed available federal and local resources. Counties, cities and upstate regional transportation authorities are eligible for funding.
Since it began, the Fund has made $126 million in State Transit Capital Grants available to transit agencies, including the $16 million announced today for state fiscal year 2005-2006.
The program has helped fund 225 new clean-fueled buses across the state and has helped fund infrastructure improvements, such as upgrades to bus garages and terminals, heating and air conditioning improvements and replacement of fuel storage tanks.