Press Release

July 23, 2012
CARDIN JOINS SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, OTHER MD OFFICIALS TO ANNOUNCE $45 MILLION TO REPAIR, UPGRADE TRANSIT VEHICLES, FACILTIIES

BALTIMORE – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, U.S. Congressman Elijah Cummings and other Maryland officials to announce $45 million in federal funding for Maryland to replace aging buses and transit facilities that will improve service for thousands of people who take public transit every day. The five projects are among 255 projects in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico selected to receive a share of $787 million in funding.

“Funding to renovate and upgrade our public transportation sector has one of my top priorities for many years,” said Senator Cardin, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee.  “This $45 million Department of Transportation funding is an investment in our state’s bus system and equipment and will ensure more reliable bus service for millions of Marylanders while creating good-paying jobs.  This funding is a winner for our entire state and for the safe, efficient operation of our state’s bus systems.”

 “President Obama’s support for an America built to last is putting people back to work across the country, including here in Maryland, modernizing our nation’s roads, rails, bridges, and public transit systems,” said Secretary LaHood. “By investing in the transit infrastructure people depend on to get where they need to go each day, we will keep our economy moving forward well into the future.”

A $40 million grant to replace Baltimore’s 65-year-old Kirk Bus Facility was one of the projects announced today.  The new, environmentally sustainable facilities will be better equipped to repair and maintain a growing fleet of clean-fuel buses which will help

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) also announced funding for four additional projects in Maryland:

  • Maryland Transit Administration: $1.65 million for safety and accessibility improvements, including an expanded waiting area at Baltimore’s Cherry Hill transit hub which connects city bus and light rail service.
  • Allegheny County Transit: $528,222 to Allegheny County in western Maryland to replace aging buses with new vehicles equipped with wheelchair lifts to serve seniors, people with disabilities, and other transit-dependent riders.
  • Town of Ocean City: $2 million to help replace aging buses with new fuel-efficient vehicles that will reduce emissions, save on fuel, and meet the needs of eight million summer tourists.
  • Maryland Department of Transportation: An $800,000 transit asset management grant to help the state develop and implement new and improved ways to manage and maintain the condition of transit facilities and equipment statewide.

Generally, a transit authority with a fleet of about 20 buses that upgrades from standard diesel to hybrid-electric power can expect to save roughly $200,000 in fuel costs over a year. The funds are provided through FTA’s FY2012 State of Good Repair and Bus Livability programs. The selection process was highly competitive, with FTA receiving 836 project applications representing $4 billion in funding requests from transit providers.

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