Northern Nevada secures $9 million for cleaner buses from infrastructure law

Nevada senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen announced on Monday that northern Nevada will receive nearly $9 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law they helped pass to fund new clean public transportation.

The Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) will receive $7,901,826 to purchase new electric hybrid buses and improve transit safety and reliability. The Walker River Paiute Tribe will also receive $1,040,902 to support cleaner and upgraded buses for Walker River residents.

“Thousands of Nevada families rely on public transportation every day—that’s why I secured this funding to bring in more clean buses that will help us lower emissions and improve our air quality,” said Senator Cortez Masto in a statement. “These funds will modernize our transit options and make public transportation more reliable, safer, and more sustainable in the Lake Tahoe Basin and northern Nevada.”

The Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Low and No Emission and Buses and Bus Facilities Grant Programs provides funding to state and local governments for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and facilities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $5.6 billion through 2026 for the Low-No Program – more than six times greater than the previous five years of funding.

“We are honored to receive the low emission grant, which will enable us to complete the replacement of our aging fleet with cleaner, more efficient vehicles,” said Carl Hasty, District Manager of the Tahoe Transportation District. “We are appreciative of the delegation’s support and the leadership of Senator Cortez Masto, whose dedicated advocacy for this clean transportation transit program has been instrumental in making this advancement possible.”

Representatives from Senator Cortez Masto’s office say she and Senator Rosen both helped secure multiple transportation provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help Nevada communities plan for and build infrastructure for electric vehicles, including clean school buses and make transit to school safer for students.