The next DART bus that rounds a corner near you may increasingly be likely to be good for the environment, and not just for a ride to the next stop. 

Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32), a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, recently announced that Dallas Area Rapid Transit would receive a $103 million Federal Transit Administration grant to help modernize its bus fleet with low or no-emission buses.

The new buses will replace about 186 currently in operation.

Allred submitted a letter of support to the FTA to help drive the grant through. The funding was made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

It’s not just Dallas that’s getting an eco-boost for its buses. Transit agencies across Texas—from Beaumont to Harris County to San Antonio to Waco—will be receiving more than $183.8 million in total as part of this recent series of grant announcements. 

Part of the ‘single largest investment in transit ever’

“Because of our rapid growth, we need investments to bolster our local infrastructure and create more options for Texans to get where they need to go,” Allred said in a statement.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was the single largest investment in transit ever, and this grant will help DART and other transit agencies modernize and upgrade their bus fleet to keep our cities healthier and thriving for generations to come,” Allred added. “This is a great example of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivering for Texas, and I will keep working to ensure it continues to deliver.”

DART president and CEO Nadine Lee said the grant “will provide us the opportunity to replace a large portion of the oldest buses in our fleet, which is critical to maintaining a reliable transit system for our riders and providing a seamless customer experience.”

DART began rolling its first long-range electric buses in March

In March, DART’s first long-range electric bus began regular service, with an almost 300-mile range—longer than many private electric vehicles now buzzing around Dallas streets.

The 40-foot-long Proterra ZX5 Max (seen above) achieves that by having six lithium-ion battery packs. Four are mounted under the bus, and two are mounted on the roof. Each battery pack stores 112.5 kWh of charge, for a total of 675 kWh.

$25M for shared-use trail in Dallas and Plano

Allred also recently announced that DART would receive a $25 million RAISE Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The project will fund the construction of around 5.2 miles of shared-use trail in Dallas and Plano.

According to Allred, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which the congressman supported, is estimated to deliver at least $35 billion to Texas over the next five years, with $15 billion allocated to date. 

You can read the full grant list here. 

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