Sewell announces $16.9 Million to upgrade Montgomery Bus System

On Tuesday, Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-Selma) announced $16,941,377 from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to upgrade the City of Montgomery's bus system.

The funding comes from U.S. Department of Transportation's Bus and Bus Facilities Grant Program and was made possible by President Biden's trillion dollar bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The grant will help the City of Montgomery buy new battery electric buses, charging equipment, and initiate a workforce training program.

"This is great news for the City of Montgomery!" celebrated Rep. Sewell. "I was so proud to help secure this $16.9 million investment in the M Public Transit System Electric Bus Program, and I know that it will go a long way toward improving travel for commuters. As the only member of Alabama's Congressional Delegation to vote in favor of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I am overjoyed to see investments like these coming to our state. I applaud Secretary Buttigieg and the entire Biden-Harris Administration for utilizing transportation as another tool to help us build a more sustainable future."

"Today, 117 communities, including Montgomery, are receiving the good news that their transit buses are being modernized and their commutes improved through President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "The Biden-Harris Administration is helping agencies across 47 states replace old buses running on dirty, expensive fuels by delivering modern and zero-emission buses, manufactured by American workers, that will connect more people to where they need to go."

"This grant is a significant milestone for our community and will propel us towards a more sustainable and efficient public transit system," said Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed. "This will allow our M Transit System to purchase electric buses, charging equipment, and initiate a workforce training program that will create new jobs. I extend my deepest gratitude to Congresswoman Terri Sewell, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Department of Transportation for supporting Montgomery with this grant."

The Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program makes federal resources available to states and direct recipients to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities, including technological changes or innovations to modify low or no emission vehicles or facilities. Funding is provided through formula allocations and competitive grants.

The Federal Transit Administration's bus funding represents the third bus grant package since President Joseph R. Biden (D) signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has invested more than $3.3 billion in American transit buses and the infrastructure that supports them. Over the next three years, record funding for American transit investment secured under President Biden's leadership will provide almost $5 billion more for bus programs. 

Critics of the infrastructure bill argue that the nation was already at full employment thus the trillions of dollars in additional federal funds plowed into the economy led to inflation levels not seen in this country in over forty years.

Terri Sewell represents Alabama's Seventh Congressional District. Sewell was the only member of the Alabama Congressional Delegation to vote in favor of the President's controversial infrastructure bill.