EL PASO, TX – The City of El Paso, Sun Metro and Congresswoman Veronica Escobar announced the award of a US$30.6 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emission Bus and Bus Facilities Grant Program (FY24).
This funding will allow for the purchase of 32 new compressed natural gas (CNG) buses and the construction of four new bus shelters, significantly advancing El Paso’s public transportation infrastructure.
“We are delighted and grateful for this generous grant from the Federal Transit Administration and are proud of our Sun Metro and Grants team who helped secure the competitive funding,” said Mayor Oscar Leeser. “The addition of 32 new CNG buses and the construction of four bus shelters will greatly enhance our public transit system, providing cleaner, more efficient and reliable service for our community. This is an important step toward a greener, more sustainable El Paso.”
Sun Metro’s entire fleet, which includes more than 300 units from fixed-route buses to handicapped paratransit and all support vehicles, runs on compressed natural gas, which is cleaner than gasoline and diesel because it contains no lead or sulfur.
While Sun Metro has been using CNG since the 1990s, the system is also looking to the future and expects 45 electric vehicles for its paratransit fleet to arrive by the end of 2025.
Congresswoman Veronica Escobar also expressed enthusiasm for the grant’s impact on El Paso’s transportation system.
“The transportation sector plays a disproportionate role in climate change, but, through the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the federal government is investing US$30 million to support cleaner buses in our community, a critical addition to the millions already allocated to El Paso since it was passed in 2021,” Escobar said.
The Low or No Emissions Grant Program aims to help communities transition to zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including the necessary support facilities.
This grant is part of a broader initiative under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which continues to provide essential resources to improve public transportation across the country.
