TX-2024-079

Application purpose: This application requests $4,169,920 in FY2023 Transit Infrastructure Grants-Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending funds allocated to Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CAPMETRO).

CAPMETRO has pledged to transition its fleet to zero emissions by 2035.

As a step forward to meet this commitment, CAPMETRO has begun to purchase battery electric buses and has initiated charging infrastructure modifications to support this new fleet.

Community Project Funding would allow CAPMETRO to provide the charging infrastructure needed to accommodate 42 battery electric buses or almost 20% of the total buses stored at its South Operations Bus Yard.

Activities performed: CAPMETRO will design, build, and install necessary electrification infrastructure at its South Operations Bus Yard located at 2910 East 5th Street, Austin, TX 78702.

It will purchase two chargers with multiple dispensers to charge buses at the South Operations Bus Yard.

Additional required electrification infrastructure includes equipment such as transformers, concrete pads, conduits, electrical service wiring, charging wiring, and switchboards.

Much of the equipment requires design, ongoing coordination with Austin Energy (the local utility provider), and installation.

Updating our South Operations Bus Yard will require repair to the existing 40-year-old pavement, design and installation of bollards, and new barriers and striping to protect people and equipment.

The South Operations Bus Yard currently has a canopy to help keep buses cool, increase the potential life of the assets, and protect the buses and equipment from the elements.

The chargers will be installed and integrated into the existing structure.

Extra structural foundations and supporting hardware may be needed to support overhead cables and wires from the chargers to the dispensers.

This structural analysis is part of the design process; any supporting hardware required would be covered by included contingencies.

Expected outcomes: This federal assistance would allow CAPMETRO to provide the infrastructure needed to accommodate 42 battery electric buses at the South Operations Bus Yard.

It will help further the voter-approved plan to supply sustainable and clean high-capacity bus and rail lines integrated with frequent reliable local bus service.

The project builds on support from CAPMETRO's Board of Directors.

On September 27, 2021, CAPMETRO's Board of Directors approved the nation's largest electric vehicle procurement to expand the fleet to more than 200 electric buses.

On March 28, 2022, the Board of Directors approved the CAPMETRO Sustainability Vision Policy Statement, which formalizes sustainability as a core value of the agency.

This funding request furthers the commitment to support sustainable transit.

Intended beneficiaries: The charging infrastructure will build resiliency of the routes and ensure clean, frequent, and accessible transportation in underserved areas of East Austin.

CAPMETRO's North Operations Bus Yard recently completed a renovation of its parking bays that included underground conduit to accommodate the future charging of nearly 200 buses.

Therefore, most of the battery electric buses will be staged and charged at its North Operations Bus Yard.

By providing electric chargers and charging infrastructure at the South Operations Bus Yard too, CAPMETRO can ensure that the benefits of electric vehicles are not limited to one area of town.

This Community Project Funding will promote redundancy and resiliency of CAPMETRO's battery electric bus fleet while reducing emissions, improving air quality, helping to meet the region's climate goals, and offsetting thousands of metric tons of carbon dioxide.

Subrecipient activities: There are no subrecipients.

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING IS APPROPRIATED AND ALLOCATED AT THE DISCRETION OF CONGRESS TO SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES - I.E. CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING.

20.534 - Community Project Funding Congressionally Directed Spending

FTA Region 6 [DOT - FTA]

FTA Office of Budget and Policy [DOT - FTA]

Texas United States

State-Wide

NOT APPLICABLE