The Biden administration announced Thursday that it will allocate $1.5 billion to build electric buses.

According to one report, White House officials met with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on Wednesday to “develop the agency at the scale and pace necessary to meet market demand and meet the nation's climate and equity goals.” discussed how the government could finance the production of 'electric buses'. announcement From the White House.

Biden administration invests $1.5 billion in clean buses – The Hill https://t.co/Rk9plloAgk

— Charlie Davis (@CharlesPDavis) February 9, 2024

Approximately 60 representatives from U.S. transit agencies, bus manufacturers, parts manufacturers and carriers, federal agencies, and labor unions met, according to a statement. The statement said they held a roundtable discussion on transportation vehicles and President Biden's “investment policy in the United States.”

“President Biden's U.S. investment policy provides historic funding to advance clean transportation, which is critical to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transportation, our largest emitter,” the statement said. . “This historic funding will also help ensure all communities have access to good-paying jobs, schools, and health care.”

The Biden administration's bipartisan infrastructure law already provides more than $11 billion in funding over five years for electric buses, according to the announcement. Since the bill was signed into law in November 2021, more than 2,900 “low- and zero-emission” buses have been funded. (Related: Department of Energy denies Biden said he would put fossil fuels “out of business”)

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg statement According to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“More funding for buses means less congestion on our roads, less air pollution, and more jobs for American workers,” Buttigieg said. “Thanks to the President’s Infrastructure Act, we are delivering thousands of new, clean buses to communities large and small across the country.”

The Biden administration has previously spent millions of dollars on electric school buses, which are prone to catching fire, according to multiple local reports. Bluebird's electric school buses cost about $400,000 per unit, while the company's diesel school buses cost about $200,000 to $220,000 per unit. according to To Electrek.