Link Transit secures $4.5 Million federal grant for electric bus fleet

WENATCHEE — Link Transit has been awarded a $4.5 million federal grant to support the electrification of its entire fixed-route urban fleet.

The funding, part of the Federal Transit Administration's Low and No Emission Bus and Bus Facility program will enable Link Transit to phase out older gas-powered cutaway buses that have exceeded their useful life.

"This award allows Link to achieve 100 percent electrification on our urban fixed-route fleet," said Link Transit CEO Nick Covey. "The purchase of five new battery-electric vehicles brings Link's fixed-route electric fleet to 37 buses, moving us closer to our goal of electrifying the rural routes in our 3,500-square-mile service area."

The grant is part of a larger $1.5 billion federal investment supporting 117 public transportation improvement projects across 47 states. Over the past three years, the Federal Transit Administration has allocated nearly $5 billion to replace and modernize transit buses nationwide.

Given the 16-month delivery timeline, Link Transit expects the new electric buses to be on Wenatchee Valley roads by February 2026.

The funding aligns with the Biden administration's push for zero-emission public transportation by 2050. Approximately 80% of the buses funded through this initiative will operate on zero and low-emission technology.

This federal support is provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides $5.6 billion through 2026 for the Low-No-Emission program and nearly $2 billion for the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities program.