The City of Fayetteville will be receiving a grant for $6,667,462 from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the FY 2024 Low and No Emission Vehicle and Grants for Bus and Bus Facilities programs. 

The Low-No grant is for the purchase of four battery electric buses, two additional charging stations and two charging dispensers. It will also include the design, build and installation of the chargers along with software management for analytics.  

The City is already in the process of receiving four new electric buses from the previous FY 2021 Low-No grant award. All four buses are expected to enter revenue service some time within the second quarter of calendar year 2025. 

“We are now moving in a wonderful direction with this Low-No Grant,” said Tyffany Neal, Transit Director, in a press release. “We are upgrading our fleet and transitioning to choice, giving our community a real option when it comes to commuting. Imagine relaxing on a bus, checking emails, or even reading a favorite book versus fighting traffic. Taking a bus not only saves an enormous amount of money but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions.”    

Federal support for bus projects over the last several years has been instrumental in moving people and helping communities advance their climate goals.   

This is part of approximately $1.5 billion in funding to support 117 projects that will improve public transportation in 47 states. Over the last three years, FTA has sent nearly $5 billion to replace and modernize transit buses on America’s roadways, building new technology with American workers. U.S. factories will produce more than 3,650 new buses.   

This funding continues the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic federal investment in the nation’s bus systems as well as the transit workforce. Approximately 80 percent of the buses being funded will run on zero and low-emission technology, reducing air pollution and helping meet the President’s goal of zero emissions by 2050.  

The Fayetteville Area System of Transit (FAST) will host a consultation meeting to discuss the Federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal on July 29, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on the second floor of the FAST Transit Center at 505 Franklin Street, Fayetteville.   

FAST is requesting input from area stakeholders about upcoming Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funded projects for Federal Fiscal Years 2025-2027. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) DBE program ensures nondiscrimination in the award and administration of DOT-assisted contracts in the Department’s highway, transit and airport financial assistance programs and seeks to create a level playing field on which DBEs can compete fairly for DOT-assisted contracts. 

“We all have a voice on how these funds are spent,” added Neal in a press release. “I strongly encourage anyone interested in learning more about all the tools and methods we use to improve transit in Fayetteville to attend, either in person or virtually. It is an opportunity for potential Prime, Sub, DBE/MBE or non-DBE/MBE, or affiliated association representatives, to provide meaningful input into the overall goal-setting process.” 

Anyone unable to attend the discussion in person can participate from the comfort of their home or office through Microsoft Teams:  

Microsoft Teams Meeting Link: https://tinyurl.com/FASTDBE 

Meeting ID: 237 675 121 

Passcode: zHargv 

In compliance with Federal Regulations, 49 CFR §26.45, FAST is seeking public participation on its triannual goal-setting process from minority, women, general contractor groups, community organizations and other officials with information concerning the availability of disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged businesses, the effects of discrimination on opportunities for DBEs and efforts to establish a level playing field for the participation of DBEs. 

Individuals who require a reasonable accommodation to attend the meeting, view the material or provide comments are asked to contact Shaqwana Portalis via e-mail at shaqwanaportalis@fayettevillenc.gov or by phone at (910) 433-1692, no later than July 24.