WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy and member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, introduced the Electrifying Rural Transportation Act (ERTA), legislation to create a new grant program to help rural transit agencies and local governments transition to electric fleet vehicles. Senator Welch’s bill would create the Rural Public Transportation Electrification Program, which would award grants through the Department of Transportation, for the purchase of new electric buses or other fleet vehicles, existing or new electric charging infrastructure, and to help with operational assistance for electrified routes. 

“Decarbonizing our nation’s public transportation fleets will help us reduce fossil fuel emissions and tackle climate change. But for many rural communities in Vermont and across the country with limited transit budgets, making the switch to electric vehicles is easier said than done,” said Senator Welch. “I’m working to power decarbonization efforts in rural communities, so we can all play a part in combatting climate change.” 

The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States, accounting for 28% of the nation’s total GHG emissions in 2022.  However, electrifying public transit fleets can be especially challenging for smaller transit agencies and local governments due to their low population density and smaller tax pools, which often result in smaller transit budgets for the community. For rural residents who rely on public transit for critical services, a lack of reliable public transportation is consequential. Medical services make up nearly 9% of final destinations for all public transit riders in small urban and rural areas, while nearly 34% of all riders’ primary destination is their workplace.  

Learn more about the Electrifying Rural Transportation Act. 

Read the full text of the bill. 

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