Metro awarded $104M federal grant to support transition to zero-emission buses at Cinder Bed Road Bus Division

Metro’s Cinder Bed Road Bus Division is transitioning to support an electric fleet, with the $104 million grant award from the Federal Transit Administration announced today. The funding will help Metro achieve its accelerated timeline to transition all nine bus garages and nearly 1600 buses to zero-emission by 2042.

“We appreciate the Federal Transit Administration’s leadership in the transition to zero-emission bus technology that will help reduce air pollution and improve quality of life across the region,” said Metro Board Chair Paul C. Smedberg. “We also appreciate the support of Senators Kaine and Warner, Congressman Connolly and Congresswoman Holmes Norton, Mayor Bowser, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and other state and local leaders in securing this critical funding.”

The Low or No Emission Vehicle grant will support the conversion of Cinder Bed to a fully battery-electric bus facility and the procurement of approximately 100 battery-electric buses that will provide cleaner, more sustainable transit for the National Capital Region.

“This low-no grant from the FTA is a testament to the importance of the federal government and regional partners joining together to support the transition to zero-emission buses that will help create a healthier, better environment,” said Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke. “It is this type of cooperation that will help us transition to a fully zero-emission fleet three years earlier than our initial goal.”

Metro is partnering with Fairfax County on the electrification of the Cinder Bed Road facility, a portion of which is planned to be used by the county to house and charge their all-electric Bus Rapid Transit service running from Fort Belvoir to Huntington Metrorail Station by 2030.

“Thanks to our partnership with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and federal support, we will soon deliver a fully converted battery-electric bus facility in Fairfax County,” said Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay. “This project aligns with the county’s important goal of carbon neutral government operations by 2040 and is an investment in the region’s transit system and clean energy that will bring significant environmental and community benefits.”

Earlier this month, Metro received delivery of the first of 12 battery-electric buses as part of our first phase of zero-emission bus deployment. The buses will operate out of the Shepherd Parkway Bus Division, located in an Opportunity Zone, encompassing low-income and economically distressed communities with a variety of routes across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

The federal grant funding helps extend the reach of local and state dollars invested in the National Capital Region's transit systems and is pivotal for Metro to meet its aggressive timeline to transition to a fully zero-emission fleet. This includes the purchase of new buses, supporting charging infrastructure and upgrades to bus facilities.

In addition to Cinder Bed Road, Metro’s new Northern and Bladensburg bus garages, which are under construction, are being built to support zero-emission buses, as will the new Western Bus Garage being planned.

To learn more about Metro's zero-emission bus initiatives go to our Zero-Emission Bus Page on wmata.com.