Pasadena Transit Awarded $14.4 Million Grant to Transform Transit System

Pasadena Transit was awarded a $14.4 million grant from the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) as part of the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP). The grant will be used to purchase zero-emission replacement and expansion vehicles, construct infrastructure for a new hydrogen fueling station, install a solar canopy at the future Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility, and enhance the transit customer experience.

The funding is a significant investment in Pasadena’s transit system and is expected to help the city achieve its goal of becoming a zero-emission city by 2035. 

In making the announcement, Laura Rubio-Cornejo, Pasadena’s Director of Transportation, said the multifaceted, multiyear project will significantly help transform Pasadena’s transit system to one that is powered by clean energy technology. 

Cornejo’s statement said the project is anticipated to eliminate one ton of greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions for every $100 of grant funding.

The grant award goes toward funding several projects, including the following:

• Purchase of 40 zero-emission replacement and expansion vehicles, including 25 hydrogen fuel-cell transit buses for Pasadena Transit.
• Purchase of 15 battery electric paratransit vehicles for Pasadena Dial-A-Ride.
• Construction of infrastructure that will help support a new hydrogen fueling station that will fuel the future Pasadena Transit hydrogen fuel-cell buses.

• Installation of a solar canopy to partially offset vehicle energy needs at the future Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility that will house electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

• Enhancing the transit customer experience with the installation of Wi-Fi and rear-door fare payment validators on all Pasadena Transit buses, as well as other improvements at bus stops citywide.

The TIRCP is a competitive grant program that provides funding for projects that improve and expand public transportation in California. The 2023 TIRCP awards will fund 28 projects throughout the state, totaling more than $690 million.

“These awards will help to make California’s public transportation system cleaner, more reliable, and more accessible,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “By investing in public transportation, we are investing in our economy, our environment, and our future.”