FLINT, MI -- Flint is replacing its final two diesel buses with a pair of new hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, completing its switch to clean energy public transportation.

The authority is purchasing the two new buses with help from a $4.3 million federal grant. The dollars were funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which authorized up to $108 billion to support federal public transportation programs.

Fuel Cells Works, Flint to Trade Last Diesel Buses in for Hydrogen

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was in town Wednesday afternoon, April 26, to celebrate the Flint Mass Transportation Authority’s hydrogen bus initiative.

“We know that transportation is a critical need for a lot of people in our state,” Whitmer said. “We also know it’s our duty to make sure its accessible and affordable and clean.

Hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, flammable gas that already powers some cars, trucks, buses, and trains. A shortage of fueling stations, however, limits its appeal.

Flint’s transit authority developed its hydrogen fueling facility in 2010, with the goal of working toward zero emissions. It’s been slowly updating its fleet, replacing the diesel vehicles, over the last decade.

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Whitmer said Flint’s success is an example of what’s possible for other communities. The city added its first hydrogen fuel cell bus in May 2012. As of 2016, MTA had about 34% of its fleet fueled with propane, compressed natural gas or hydrogen fuel cells, according to the organization’s strategic plan.

“I think that what’s happened here over the last 12 years, long before most were thinking about it, has really improved the quality of life for people in the region, has shown others what we can do,” Whitmer said. “We can solve problems, make people’s lives better, and also do the right thing when it comes to addressing our carbon footprint and making everything from our air, to our water, to our commutes cleaner.”

There are 14 primary bus routes in Flint, with service running 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on weekdays, 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. More than 4 million passengers board the bus annually, according to MTA.

Whitmer wants Michigan to be carbon neutral by 2050. Her latest budget proposal included $45 million for the Michigan Clean Fleet Initiative to support local governments and businesses transitioning their vehicle fleet to electric vehicles and clean fuels.

Michigan is one of seven Midwest states that have teamed up to accelerate development of hydrogen as a clean-energy alternative throughout the region.

Last fall, Michigan got more than $50 million in federal funding to add 138 new electric school buses to the state’s fleet in an effort to reduce harmful diesel emissions. The funds for new buses were to be distributed among 25 school districts.

SOURCE: m LIVE