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ROCKFORD — Rockford Mass Transit District will receive $16 million in state capital funding to expand its vehicle storage and maintenance facility, a move it says will help facilitate the conversion of its aging fleet to zero emission vehicles.

The public bus service said Wednesday in a news release that the Rebuild Illinois Downstate Transit Capital Grant Program dollars will be used to add space to its facility at 520 Mulberry St. and integrate battery electric charging stations.

The 35-year-old facility was designed to store 50 diesel and gasoline powered vehicles, but RMTD’s fleet now has 77 vehicles. It has also ordered its first six battery electric buses, which are expected to be delivered by fall, as it works to convert to zero emissions vehicles by 2036.

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The new battery electric buses will require charging infrastructure integrated into the vehicle storage areas, and RMTD said it couldn’t continue to add to its zero emissions fleet without the storage upgrades.

RMTD will also increase its fleet of hybrid electric vehicles to 15 with the addition of five buses scheduled for delivery this month.

Plans include renovating the vehicle maintenance area, upgrading the vehicle storage area to integrate battery electric charging infrastructure, installing a solar array on the facility and improvements to the operations and administrative areas.

“We certainly appreciate our state legislators, County (Board) Chairman (Joe) Chiarelli, Mayor (Tom) McNamara and (Region 1 Planning Council), who have all been supportive in this effort, which is critical to maintaining reliable transit service in our community to access employment opportunities, health care, education, training and other essential services,”, RMTD Executive Director Michael Stubbe said in a news release.  “The award of this state grant funding could not have come at a more critical time in RMTD’s capital planning efforts.”

“This state infrastructure investment, paired with the availability of federal funds in the recent Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will allow RMTD to plan on transitioning to zero emission vehicles with more certainty and immediacy, which is vital to the long-term health and quality of life in our region.”

RMTD has provided regional transportation since 1971, and prior to the coronavirus pandemic it served more than 1.65 million riders annually.

Rockford Mass Transit District will receive $16 million to upgrade its maintenance and storage facility. (Photo via Canva)
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