The Augusta Transit Department could get a financial boost for converting the system to electric buses, thanks to President Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.
The bill, signed into law on Nov. 15, will send about $11 billion to Georgia with $1.36 billion going to improve public transportation options over the next five years.
Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), visiting Augusta on Nov. 23, said the city is in line to get more than $25 million to use for public transportation.
“It will be the most significant investment in public transit for this community ever made,” said Ossoff. “I have been championing transit in this bill, as well as electrifying our bus fleet, providing more charging capacity for electric vehicles. I’m a champion for public transit, we need to expand access to public transit.”
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Oliver Page, deputy director of Augusta Transit, said electric buses are more expensive, with prices ranging from $800,000 to $1 million compared to the $450,000 to $500,000 for a diesel bus. However, with fewer moving parts than traditional diesel buses an electric bus has lower maintenance costs. The break-even point, where lower maintenance costs offset the higher purchase price, is reached in about five years. Buses are generally in service for 12 to 15 years.
Mayor Hardie Davis said infrastructure funds can help the city purchase the electric buses.
“We’ve long said in Augusta that we want to make greater investments in our public transit,” Davis said. “So now that we’ve gotten the bill passed and signed into law, we’re looking for tens of millions of dollars. to flow through our community that will help us accelerate our efforts around purchasing those buses and getting more people moving around the city of Augusta. This is really an issue of economic mobility.”
Four electric bus manufacturers recently visited Augusta, bringing buses to show the transit department and riders. Three of the companies, Gillig, Proterra and Build Your Dreams, are based in California. The fourth, New Flyer, is a Canadian manufacturer.
Danielle Harris, spokeswoman for Administrator Odie Donald said a final decision on which company to use has not been made.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
