The North County Transit District was granted more than $29 million from the Federal Transit Administration to purchase 23 zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell electric buses as part of the Low or No Emission Vehicle grant program, it was announced Monday.
The $29.3 million in federal funds also include a stipulation to train NCTD's workforce and "develop an innovative apprenticeship program in collaboration with Palomar College," the grant statement reads.
San Diego News
"This funding is critical to ensuring NCTD meets federal, state, and local goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also create good-paying jobs in the community," NCTD Board Chair Jewel Edson said in a statement. "The purchase of 23 additional hydrogen buses will transform NCTD's fleet and further our transition to 100% zero-emission operations."
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NCTD has already received funding for six battery electric buses and 12 additional hydrogen FCEBs. The award announced Monday will bring the agency's fleet up to 41 zero-emission buses in operation by 2025 -- a quarter of the entire fleet.
"The historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering results across the country, including in our district with this grant of over $29 million going to the North County Transit District for the purchase of 23 hydrogen fuel cell electric buses," said Rep. Mike Levin, D-Dana Point. "These clean energy buses will reduce harmful air pollution and modernize our transit infrastructure to improve service reliability."
The FTA grant is also intended to fund an apprenticeship program at Palomar College to train current and future workers to be "competitive in the rapidly expanding hydrogen FCEB and battery electric bus industry," according to a statement from NCTD.
"This funding will help us broaden our relationship with NCTD beyond our current efforts to develop internships and apprenticeships," said Star Rivera-Lacey, superintendent/president of Palomar College. "This program is responsive to the region's workforce needs and prepares students to earn a livable wage as technicians for electric and hydrogen-fueled buses and commercial vehicles."
Additionally, the district will begin construction this year on a hydrogen fueling station at its West Division facility in Oceanside to support the future deployment of 50 hydrogen buses. NCTD will use the hydrogen buses on its BREEZE bus routes that originate out of the West Division facility -- primarily serving the cities of Oceanside, Vista, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach and Del Mar, as well as the Camp Pendleton and Fallbrook communities.
