More than a dozen counties to get money for electric buses

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection said this week that $68 million will be divided among 13 counties moving from diesel to electric buses.

The money, coming from Florida’s share of a 2016 settlement between Volkswagen and the U.S. Department of Justice over emissions violations, is expected to cover the costs of 227 electric buses in Alachua, Broward, Duval, Escambia, Hillsborough, Leon, Marion, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

The state previously announced that money from its $166 million share of the $14.7 billion Volkswagen settlement would go to school districts in Broward, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota counties to buy 218 electric school buses.

Also, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced this month that $42 million was headed to the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Lee County and the state for low- and no-emission buses, equipment and worker training.

Tags: News Service of Florida