Iowa: CyRide, the public bus system serving Ames, Iowa, has received $14.6 million from the Federal Transit Administration’s Bus and Bus Facilities Competitive Program. The funding will support the expansion of CyRide’s administrative, maintenance, and bus storage facility, and allow the system to convert 20 buses to run on 100% biodiesel (B100), reports Biodiesel Magazine.
Transit Director Barbara Neal said the investment will strengthen the transit system and benefit the community. “This project will give our employees the space and resources needed to support our transit system, and it allows us to expand our use of B100, a clean, Iowa-grown fuel that benefits the environment and strengthens our state’s agricultural economy,” she said.
The facility expansion will:
Provide indoor storage for the entire fleet
Increase maintenance capacity for articulated and clean-fuel buses
Add training and office space to support a workforce that has grown more than 40% since 2008
Improve operational capacity to accommodate long-term growth
Part of the funding will go toward converting 20 buses to B100, including installation of an underground fuel tank and on-site blending equipment for year-round use. CyRide currently operates five B100 buses under a pilot program launched last year. Early performance results have been positive, with reduced emissions and reliable operation.
“B100 continues to perform well in our pilot, and this funding allows us to build on that success across more of our fleet,” Neal said. “It is a practical, cost-effective approach to lowering emissions using a fuel produced here in Iowa.”
The project received broad support from community, state, university, and industry partners, reflecting strong regional backing for the expansion and clean-fuel efforts.
CyRide provides nearly 5 million rides each year and ranks fourth nationally in per-capita ridership. The expanded facility will help maintain dependable service as the system and the city continue to grow.
CyRide will now work with the Federal Transit Administration as the project moves into design and development.
