Electric Buses Receive Funding In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Alexandria's DASH will get around $5.1 million for six battery-electric buses with fast chargers. The buses have zero emissions.

DASH and city officials are currently in the procurement process to purchase the buses. Coordinating delivery of the buses is expected to take 12 to 18 months. The electric buses will require upgrades at the DASH facility by 2020.

"It is our goal to be the first system in the Commonwealth to put these buses on the road in revenue service," said DASH General Manager & CEO Josh Baker in a statement.

The Alexandria Gazette Packet previously reported DASH's long-term goal to move from diesel buses to electric buses. The transit company started to buy clean diesel buses in previous years.

The funding for the electric buses came from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust (VW Trust) and state transit capital funds. The VW Trust resulted from the state's emissions violation settlement with Volkswagen. Funding recipients have to put the electric buses in service within two years.

Other funding recipients are Blacksburg Transit, receiving $3.3 million for five electric buses, and Hampton Roads Transit, receiving $3.9 million for six electric buses.