Letter to Nuria Fernandez, Administrator of Federal Transit Administration - Gallego and Stanton Announce $16 Million for Valley Metro to Improve Electric Bus Infrastructure

Dear Administrator Fernandez:

We write to ask for your full and fair consideration for the City of Phoenix and Valley Metro's
request for a Bus and Bus Facilities Program grant. This grant will be utilized to purchase
battery-electric buses and construct charging infrastructure to meet the demands associated with
this innovative technology. In line with the Administration's work to promote equity and
environmental sustainability across the nation, this grant would ensure the City of Phoenix meets
its regional climate action plans for carbon emission and air quality improvement.
As the most populous city in Arizona, Phoenix has the majority of the region's busiest bus routes.
These transit routes serve as a vital public resource to our constituents, providing transportation
to low-income passengers, supporting the regional economy, and connecting residents to
employment opportunities. Although these routes increase access to equitable services for
constituents, aging buses within the system have limited their ability to serve regional transit
riders in a capacity that will improve quality of life and meet climate goals.
The City of Phoenix would use this grant to enhance transit services by replacing up to 16 buses
that have reached the end of their useful life and providing more reliable public transit service to
region riders. In addition to a demonstrated commitment to modernizing commuter transit
experiences, the City of Phoenix has also joined the C40 Climate Agreement to advance climate
action goals. Along with the City of Phoenix, the adjoining cities of Mesa and Tempe, are also
developing climate action plans that support transportation electrification.
If received, a Bus and Bus Facilities grant for fleet electrification will catalyze existing efforts
undertaken by the cities of Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe and benefit the State of Arizona. We
again ask for your full and fair consideration of this application from the City of Phoenix and
Valley Metro to further the region's efforts toward an improved quality of life for our
constituents. Thank you.

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