Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndyGo will use a $10 million federal grant to convert 22 city buses to all-electric power.
The Federal Transit Administration announced the award Thursday. The money comes from the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, fund.
“IndyGo is thrilled to have the opportunity to be on the leading edge of the transit industry with the project,” CEO Michael Terry said in a prepared statement. "We’re always investigating innovative ways to refresh our fleet and use technology to build capacity with the limited funds that are available to operate vital transit services.”
Each bus will cost about $550,000 to rebuild, and that's comparable to the price of a brand-new diesel bus, according to IndyGo. The electric buses will have a range of about 100 miles.
IndyGo plans to deploy the buses on routes that fit the range limitations.
The grant will also cover the cost of charging stations at IndyGo's hub and at the downtown Transit Center, scheduled to open in late 2015.
“By introducing zero-emission, post-oil technology public transit buses, we’re making another successful leap in the right direction," Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard said in a prepared statement.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.