KENTUCKY — The Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration is announcing that $1.6 billion in grant money will be used to improve America’s bus system. In Kentucky, four metropolitan areas will see a collective $20 million to electrify their public transit systems.

The money is coming from the new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will almost double the number of zero-emission buses on United States roads.

The grant money will be used for 150 projects across 48 states adding a total of more than 1,800 buses nationwide. 

“About 1,100 will be no emission buses,” explained Paul Kincaid, associate administrator at the Federal Transit Administration. 

Kentucky is receiving more than 20 million dollars for four different projects. 

“It’s not just towns like Lexington and Louisville,” said Kincaid. “It’s places all over the state and all over the country. We have projects that are in Colorado up in the mountains. We have projects in Los Angeles and New York.” 

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was one of 19 Republicans in the Senate to vote in favor of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. McConnell is praising the new projects in his state. 

“Bus transit plays a key role in connecting both urban and rural Kentuckians to jobs and commerce,” said McConnell in a statement. 

The Biden Administration said the grant program will help it to meet President Joe Biden’s goal of creating a net zero emissions economy by 2050. 

“It’s incredibly important that every part of the transportation industry does its part to reduce greenhouse gases,” Kincaid said. 

This is likely not the end of funding for zero emission buses in Kentucky. The infrastructure law authorized the Department of Transportation to provide grants for another 4 years.