VT-2025-002
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Application purpose: This is a Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans 1393) request for $9,151,125 federal / $914,602 state / $642,326 local.
The discretionary funds for this grant request were awarded to Vermont through the FFY2022 5339 Competitive Low and No Emission Program.
The Marble Valley Regional Transit District and Green Mountain Transit urban facilities will both need electrical infrastructure upgrades to accommodate the battery electric buses requested in this grant application.
The zero-emission vehicles are included in VTrans Zero-Emissions Transition Plan.
Activities performed: Project 1 will fund: * GMT MVRTD battery electric bus training workforce development for maintenance and drivers.
Training curriculum will be offered statewide when needed.
Project 2 will fund: * Three (3) 30-ft transit bus New Flyer for MVRTD * One (1) 30-ft transit bus New Flyer for MVRTD expansion bus.
* Five (5) 40-ft transit bus (New Flyer) all replacement vehicles requested have reached their useful life benchmark in either miles, years, or both.
Project 3 will fund: * Three (3) GMT chargers (360 kW) * Three (3) MVRTD chargers (125 kW) * One (1) backup mobile charging unit (50 kW) * GMT installation electrical upgrades 101 Queen City Park Road Burlington Vermont 05401 * GMT AE for EV installation electrical upgrades 101 Queen City Park Road Burlington Vermont 05401 * MVRTD installation electrical upgrades 102 West Street Rutland VT 05701;
Expected outcomes: See attached program of projects for detailed breakdown of all scopes/ALIs.
This project will continue the process of transitioning Vermont's transit fleet from diesel to electric, reducing energy consumption and vehicle emissions.
Electric vehicles have a particularly strong impact in Vermont because the state has one of the cleanest electrical grids in the country.
After accounting for the sale and purchase of renewable energy credits, the energy mix for BED is 100% renewable and the energy mix for GMP is 100% carbon free.
Vermont utilities also purchase a significant portion of their energy from local sources, including renewables generated through solar, wind, hydropower, and biomass generation facilities.
This project has already started with FTA state and local funding commitments to date, and funds through this grant program would likely be awarded in time to allow for a relatively smooth continuity in project activity.
Intended beneficiaries: VTrans is submitting this application to make transit facility improvements at the Marble Valley Regional Transit District (MVRTD) and Green Mountain Transit urban (GMT).
These improvements consist of both GMT and MVRTD will replace transit buses that are scheduled for replacement and have met or exceeded their useful life for one or both useful life benchmarks.
GMT will use this Low No funding to replace five (5) of the oldest, highest mileage diesel buses with all electric buses.
MVRTD is looking for funding to replace the three (3) oldest vehicles in its fleet and one (1) expansion bus.
Each of the vehicles to be replaced are low fuel economy, high emission diesel vehicles that are expensive to maintain and operate.
This application will further implement VTrans commitment to the deployment of electric transit buses in Vermont as detailed in its Zero Emission Transition Plan (Attachment 1).
This application includes a partnership with Vermont's largest utilities, Green Mountain Power and Burlington Electric Department - which have both committed to providing financial incentives to support the purchase of the battery electric transit buses and charging infrastructure (Attachments 4, 5).
Green Mountain Power offers a special utility rate available to MVRTD for electric vehicle charging that eliminates demand charges, and Burlington Electric Department is exploring similar rate offerings to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles.
These special rates will provide additional project benefits to GMT and MVRTD through fuel cost savings.
Since 2017, Vermont utilities have been valued partners for all electric bus projects, and VTrans has learned how important utility partnerships are to the success of electric vehicle deployments.
Their contributions include financial incentives, guidance on managing charging strategies that reduce fueling costs, development of electric bus charging rates, and location and selection of charging equipment and support for upgrades to facilities.
Subrecipient activities: VTrans is the direct recipient of this grant and will assume all responsibility associated with the award for the funds.
The AE and construction will be carried out by MVRTD and GMT urban under both individual and statewide joint procurements.
VTrans will oversee the procurements and include the cost of the projects in their yearly grant agreements.
The discretionary funds for this grant request were awarded to Vermont through the FFY2022 5339 Competitive Low and No Emission Program.
The Marble Valley Regional Transit District and Green Mountain Transit urban facilities will both need electrical infrastructure upgrades to accommodate the battery electric buses requested in this grant application.
The zero-emission vehicles are included in VTrans Zero-Emissions Transition Plan.
Activities performed: Project 1 will fund: * GMT MVRTD battery electric bus training workforce development for maintenance and drivers.
Training curriculum will be offered statewide when needed.
Project 2 will fund: * Three (3) 30-ft transit bus New Flyer for MVRTD * One (1) 30-ft transit bus New Flyer for MVRTD expansion bus.
* Five (5) 40-ft transit bus (New Flyer) all replacement vehicles requested have reached their useful life benchmark in either miles, years, or both.
Project 3 will fund: * Three (3) GMT chargers (360 kW) * Three (3) MVRTD chargers (125 kW) * One (1) backup mobile charging unit (50 kW) * GMT installation electrical upgrades 101 Queen City Park Road Burlington Vermont 05401 * GMT AE for EV installation electrical upgrades 101 Queen City Park Road Burlington Vermont 05401 * MVRTD installation electrical upgrades 102 West Street Rutland VT 05701;
Expected outcomes: See attached program of projects for detailed breakdown of all scopes/ALIs.
This project will continue the process of transitioning Vermont's transit fleet from diesel to electric, reducing energy consumption and vehicle emissions.
Electric vehicles have a particularly strong impact in Vermont because the state has one of the cleanest electrical grids in the country.
After accounting for the sale and purchase of renewable energy credits, the energy mix for BED is 100% renewable and the energy mix for GMP is 100% carbon free.
Vermont utilities also purchase a significant portion of their energy from local sources, including renewables generated through solar, wind, hydropower, and biomass generation facilities.
This project has already started with FTA state and local funding commitments to date, and funds through this grant program would likely be awarded in time to allow for a relatively smooth continuity in project activity.
Intended beneficiaries: VTrans is submitting this application to make transit facility improvements at the Marble Valley Regional Transit District (MVRTD) and Green Mountain Transit urban (GMT).
These improvements consist of both GMT and MVRTD will replace transit buses that are scheduled for replacement and have met or exceeded their useful life for one or both useful life benchmarks.
GMT will use this Low No funding to replace five (5) of the oldest, highest mileage diesel buses with all electric buses.
MVRTD is looking for funding to replace the three (3) oldest vehicles in its fleet and one (1) expansion bus.
Each of the vehicles to be replaced are low fuel economy, high emission diesel vehicles that are expensive to maintain and operate.
This application will further implement VTrans commitment to the deployment of electric transit buses in Vermont as detailed in its Zero Emission Transition Plan (Attachment 1).
This application includes a partnership with Vermont's largest utilities, Green Mountain Power and Burlington Electric Department - which have both committed to providing financial incentives to support the purchase of the battery electric transit buses and charging infrastructure (Attachments 4, 5).
Green Mountain Power offers a special utility rate available to MVRTD for electric vehicle charging that eliminates demand charges, and Burlington Electric Department is exploring similar rate offerings to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles.
These special rates will provide additional project benefits to GMT and MVRTD through fuel cost savings.
Since 2017, Vermont utilities have been valued partners for all electric bus projects, and VTrans has learned how important utility partnerships are to the success of electric vehicle deployments.
Their contributions include financial incentives, guidance on managing charging strategies that reduce fueling costs, development of electric bus charging rates, and location and selection of charging equipment and support for upgrades to facilities.
Subrecipient activities: VTrans is the direct recipient of this grant and will assume all responsibility associated with the award for the funds.
The AE and construction will be carried out by MVRTD and GMT urban under both individual and statewide joint procurements.
VTrans will oversee the procurements and include the cost of the projects in their yearly grant agreements.
Awardee
Funding Goals
NOT APPLICABLE
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding Agency
Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Vermont
United States
Geographic Scope
State-Wide
Related Opportunity
NOT APPLICABLE
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have decreased from $10,708,053 to $10,693,093.
Vermont Agency Of Transportation was awarded
Vermont Electric Bus Fleet Upgrade Grant
Project Grant VT-2025-002
worth $9,151,125
from the FTA Office of Budget and Policy in September 2025 with work to be completed primarily in Vermont United States.
The grant
has a duration of 2 years and
was awarded through assistance program 20.526 Buses and Bus Facilities Formula, Competitive, and Low or No Emissions Programs.
$1,541,968 (14.0%) of this Project Grant was funded by non-federal sources.
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 1/5/26
Period of Performance
9/30/25
Start Date
9/30/27
End Date
Funding Split
$9.2M
Federal Obligation
$1.5M
Non-Federal Obligation
$10.7M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to VT-2025-002
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
VT-2025-002
SAI Number
VT-2025-002-01-20.526
Award ID URI
SAI EXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
State Government
Awarding Office
691384 REGION 1 VOLPE NATIONAL TSC
Funding Office
693JJ8 OFFICE OF BUDGET AND POLICY(TBP)
Awardee UEI
K5ZLF422BS36
Awardee CAGE
36QM8
Performance District
VT-00
Senators
Bernard Sanders
Peter Welch
Peter Welch
Modified: 1/5/26