Federal grant to support Metro’s conversion to electric buses

Metro’s conversion to an all-electric bus fleet is underway, with the agency receiving its first two electric buses in recent weeks and a nine-figure federal grant, presented Wednesday, to convert a garage to support the battery-powered vehicles.

Metro leaders, lawmakers and Fairfax County transportation officials celebrated the award of a $104 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration that will go toward converting a Metro bus garage into a facility to be jointly used by Metro and Fairfax to house electric buses.

Today, we celebrate a $104 million grant from @FTA_DOT to support the transition of Cinder Bed Bus Garage to a fully battery-electric facility. This grant will help us meet our goal of 100% zero-emission operations by 2042. Zero tailpipe emissions = improved air quality! #wmata pic.twitter.com/9XQn2QeDR0

Leaders of Metro and the Fairfax County bus system were joined by FTA officials outside the Cinder Bed Road bus garage in Lorton, where federal officials presented transit leaders with a ceremonial check and Metro showed off one of its new electric buses.

The articulated bus featured the same gray, blue and red color scheme as all Metrobuses, but it included a diagonal green stripe instead of a typical white stripe to signify its environmental mission. The words “clean,” “quiet” and “zero emissions” adorned the side.

“I’m excited to see electric buses leaving this garage to provide our customers with safe, clean, and efficient transit, and look forward to partnering with Fairfax County on their all-electric Bus Rapid Transit service out of this facility,” Metro Board Chair Paul C. Smedberg said in a statement.

Metro has a goal of converting to a zero-emission fleet by 2042. The agency currently relies on diesel-powered, compressed-gas and electric-hybrid buses.

U.S. Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) said the conversion will create jobs for mechanics and operators who will gain new skills while working on electric vehicles that will keep them in demand in the future.

“Investing in better, cleaner transit options for commuters will improve our air quality, cut congestion and contribute to the fight against climate change,” he said.

Metro has ordered 12 all-electric buses this fiscal year. The two that have been delivered are based out of the Shepherd Parkway Bus Division in Southwest Washington while the Cinder Bed Road garage is transformed. Metro is also building a new bus garage in Northwest Washington and reconstructing a Bladensburg bus depot in Northeast to include battery-charging stations and repair facilities.

Metro to build garage in Northwest D.C. to house all-electric buses

Metro leaders said some of the grant money will go toward purchasing more buses. Metro is slowly phasing out its fleet under a plan that adds more electric buses each year to replace others that are worn out. By 2042, the agency expects its bus fleet to include nearly 1,600 electric buses housed in nine garages that are being built, renovated or modified with infrastructure to support them.

“We’re thrilled to accelerate our transition to zero-emission buses thanks to the support of the FTA, and we look forward to seeing electric buses serving our customers in the near future,” Metro General Manager Randy Clarke said in a statement.

Fairfax County is planning to use a portion of the Cinder Bed Road garage to house and charge an all-electric bus rapid transit service, which is planned to run from Fort Belvoir to the Huntington Metro station by 2030.

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