Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez, a senior member of the Senate’s transit subcommittee, and Cory Booker (both D-N.J.) and Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. (N.J.-10), a member of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, today announced NJ TRANSIT (NJT) was awarded $5,150,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to roll out four new 60-foot electric buses serving Newark and Irvington. The funding from the Low and No Emission (Low-No) Vehicle Grant Program will allow NJT to replace their older, dirtier diesel buses with cleaner, more energy-efficient vehicles to help reduce pollution and improve air quality in Essex County.
“These green buses will help modernize our state’s public transportation system, increase service for commuters, and improve air quality in Irvington and Newark, two communities that have been disproportionally impacted by climate change and experience some of the highest asthma rates,” said Sen. Menendez. “Investing in this greener, cleaner technology benefits public health, strengthens our economy, reduces our dependence on fossil fuels, and improves the quality of life for families across the state.”
“Addressing the devastating effects of climate change requires us to pursue a comprehensive mitigation strategy that includes modernizing our public transit infrastructure,” said Sen. Booker. “These federal funds will help New Jersey Transit procure new, low-emission vehicles that will provide energy-efficient service to riders across our state and protect the long-term health of our communities.”
“This grant will help Irvington improve their transportation system to be more environmentally friendly,” said Rep. Payne. “The more zero-emission and low-emission buses we have on the roads, the less pollution we add to the atmosphere. This grant is another example of the Biden Administration’s commitment to cleaner air for all Americans.”
Last year, Sens. Menendez and Booker and Reps. Payne and Albio Sires (N.J.-08) announced a similar grant to fund clean buses in Newark and Irvington. In 2019, Sen. Menendez and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (N.J.-11) announced over $17 million to purchase new articulated buses to accommodate growing ridership in North Jersey. In 2018, Sens. Menendez and Booker and Congressman Donald Norcross (N.J.-01) announced $1.5 million to purchase green buses in Camden.
Sens. Menendez and Booker introduced the Clean Economy Act last year, which would put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050. Public transportation has been a valuable service to New Jersey cities, reducing pollutants from individual travel, however, advancing the technology of public transportation to create these electric buses will allow for greater improvement of New Jersey’s carbon footprint. This is vital towards advancing the goals of the Clean Economy Act.