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Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) officials announced Friday that the organization secured a $1.2 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to purchase two new hybrid buses as part of a continuing effort to rebuild the transit authority’s fleet since the Coronavirus lockdowns exacerbated existing staffing and rider woes in Tompkins County’s transit system.

The FTA on July 9 announced that Tompkins County, on behalf of TCAT, won the grant from its competitive Low-No Emissions Grant Program. The program is rolled into the Biden Administration’s $1.5 billion federal spending package spearheading modernization of aging transportation infrastructure nationwide.

The hybrid buses manufactured by California-based company Gillig, will replace two of TCAT’s diesel buses when they roll off the production line in, which the transit authority estimates will take about a year, due to what is a typically lengthy procurement and manufacturing process.

When will TCAT make the switch to electric buses?

The wait will be much longer, at least until 2026, before TCAT receives the six full-sized electric buses.

The agency said electric buses are on backorder due to a limited number of companies that manufacture them.

At the same time, demand for them has surged with the government now offering more financial incentives for transit agencies to purchase emission-free vehicles.

 “The advanced diesel-electric hybrid buses purchased with the grant will result in a major improvement over the older generation of diesel buses they are replacing, benefitting Tompkins County with reduced air and noise pollution from our bus operations,” TCAT General Manager Matthew Rosenbloom-Jones said.

Past safety concerns, procurement pushback

TCAT announced plans to acquire five new diesel buses in April, to replace several Proterra buses that it acquired in 2021, a purchase that saw some community pushback, as it contradicted the transit operator’s goal of having an “emissions-free” bus fleet by 2035.

Out of a concern for safety, then acting General Manager, Rosenbloom-Jones removed eight Proterra buses – accounting for about 13% of the agency’s fleet – from service after mechanics discovered that the frame on one of them separated from its axle while it was positioned on a lift, and numerous other mechanical issues.

Since then, TCAT board members and drivers have taken a Gillig electric bus for a test drive, received a few new drivers and other hires to their staff, and searched for grant opportunities like the one they were awarded Thursday in hopes of brightening the future of Tompkins County transportation.

They’ve been working with government regulators and peer transit agencies that have also shelved their Proterras to determine if and how to recuperate the losses. TCAT purchased the Proterra buses, each at a cost of $1 million, with a combination of funding to including Volkswagen Settlement, the Low-No program, and with state and local funds.

The agency stated Thursday that its eight Proterra buses will remain parked in its garage, with a “good chance they will never go back into service.”

“The FTA requires buses to remain in service for at least 12 years before public dollars can be used to replace them, so the new diesels and hybrids won’t be eligible for public funding to replace them 12 years from the time they go into service,” agency officials said.