(LINCOLN, Neb.) The city of Lincoln is set to receive a nearly $2.7 million federal transit grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, all of which will go towards making the city's bussing system more climate-friendly.
Lincoln's StarTran bus system will use the grant to purchase three new electric buses and two charging stations, 10/11Now reported.
The electric buses will replace three diesel buses in an effort to make the StarTran bus system more sustainable that is in line with Lincoln's climate action plan.
“Electric buses do cost more initially, so having this grant offset the initial cost will bring a lower cost overall when looking at the total bus life cycle,” said Mike Davis, StarTran Transit Manager.
The new electric buses that will require less maintenance should last between 12 and 16 years and will be on the roads of Lincoln in the next 9 months to a year.
“Having new buses does reduce breakdowns, and that improves reliability overall," Davis added. "That’s an improvement for passengers and the system as a whole."