The Antelope Valley Transit Authority has reached a milestone, announcing that the agency has been awarded $13 million in state transportation funding. The grant, known officially as Transit Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), includes an additional $250,000 in funds to enhance connection opportunities between AVTA, Metrolink, Amtrak, and LA Metro services.

Receiving this grant award means AVTA has been allocated the remaining funding necessary to support the agency’s aggressive goal of being the first in the nation to transition to a 100 percent zero- emission battery electric fleet. This grant is the third such grant to be awarded to AVTA over the past several years by the State of California, representing the culmination of a vision set forth nearly four years ago by the AVTA Board of Directors. This specific grant will be used to purchase seven zero-emission coaches and 12 inductive secondary charging pads. These units are installed on the buses and deliver a quick charge upon layovers at the transit centers, allowing the bus to recharge while en-route and eliminating the need to switch out buses midday. The final component of the program being funded by the grant is the construction of three new transit centers, which will expand zero emissions bus service in the rural east side of the Antelope Valley. These additional stations will complete the valley-wide loop for en-route charging, and will provide better connectivity to regional mobility options, health care access, social service access, educational opportunities and employment.

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