LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Fifteen new TARC buses will hit the streets of Louisville after they officially began service Thursday morning. The new 15 are part of 47 total buses purchased with the help of funds from the Volkswagen settlement announced in 2020.

"Thanks to the work of local and state officials, the $4.7M allocated from the settlement allowed TARC to meet the local match required to secure a 2019 federal investment of $17.3M from the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA); funds used to upgrade TARC's aging fleet with new, more fuel-efficient buses," said a release from TARC.

Gov. Andy Beshear, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Secretary Jim Gray, State Rep. Ken Upchurch, R-Monticello, Mayor Greg Fischer and TARC Executive Director Carrie Butler attended a ribbon-cutting Thursday morning to celebrate the new buses.

“This is an important and needed relief for our bus fleet,” said Butler. “These new buses will help the overall air quality of our region, while reducing emissions and improving the reliability of service we provide.”

Beshear echoed her comments.

"While I was attorney general, we held Volkswagen accountable for deceiving Kentucky consumers, and today we’re seeing funds from that settlement improving public transit and air quality in Louisville,” said Beshear. “I look forward to the time when we have all 47 new cleaner emissions buses in Louisville and 170 across the state, because with investments like these, we are making public transportation healthier and more accessible for our people.”

Fischer said the new buses will "allow TARC to continue to do the important work for the Louisville region each day in a cleaner and fuel-efficient way."