WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) announced the Thunder Bay Transportation Authority in Alpena has received $2,590,000 in federal funding to purchase hybrid buses.  The funding has been awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

“This funding will allow the Thunder Bay Transportation Authority to upgrade its fleet with the addition of four new hybrid buses, helping to create jobs as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Stupak said.  “I applaud Secretary LaHood for his commitment to investing in green transportation as well as his decision to support public transportation needs in non-urban communities like Alpena.”

The stimulus funding will be used to replace four diesel buses in the Thunder Bay Transportation Authority fleet with four plug-in hybrid buses.  Data on operating hybrid buses in a non-urban/rural area will also be collected over a two-year span.

The grant was awarded by DOT as part of the Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) program which provides funding for transit agencies that are pursuing cutting-edge environmental technologies to help reduce global warming, lessen America’s dependence on oil and create green jobs.  Proposals were chosen based on their anticipated reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, return on investment, readiness to implement and degree of innovation.

Since President Obama signed ARRA into law on February 17, 2009, grants totaling more that $7.2 billion have been made available for transit improvements throughout the nation.

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