Pueblo Transit Authority recently received a grant worth more than $15 million to help the agency replace diesel buses with new hybrid electric buses. The plan is to use the funds to purchase 15 new hybrid buses.
The new buses paired with six diesel buses that are still in good working condition will bring Pueblo's public transit fleet to 21 buses.
The grant is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Buses and Bus Facilities Program and the Low-or No-Emission Program. Funds will also go toward specific equipment and signage needs.
Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham said in a statement that this money, combined with the nearly $4 million that the Colorado Department of Transportation kicked in for a match, the city won't have to dip into its own pocket to pay for the upgrades.
“This grant award is a huge opportunity for Pueblo Transit to transform their fleet and makes me incredibly proud to see the city receive one of the (its) largest grants in recent history,” said Graham.
Pueblo's City Council still has to approve the grant and the purchase of the electric buses.
