Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced today that the Maine Department of Transportation would receive $2.29 million in federal funding to help purchase electric buses to service the Greater Portland area. 

“In Southern Maine, more and more people are using public transportation to get around, which already has a positive impact of taking vehicles off the road and reducing emissions. This grant will reduce those emissions even further by helping local transit providers begin transitioning their fleets to electric buses,” said Pingree. “These buses run smoothly, silently, and without exhaust. It will be exciting to see them on the road and I think they will get even more Mainers interested in riding the bus. My congratulations to the Maine Department of Transportation and local partners on the success of this collaborative proposal.” 

The Maine Department of Transportation worked with the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System (PACTS), Greater Portland Metro, and Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Beach Shuttlebus Zoom to submit the proposal to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Low Or No Emission Discretionary Grant Program. Pingree wrote a letter of support for the application.