MOLINE, Ill. — Editor's Note: The video above is from June 30, 2021.
The state has awarded Rock Island County's bus system $5 million in grant funds to keep up with its fast-growing fleet of electric buses.
The Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District (MetroLINK) made the announcement on Wednesday. According to a release, the funds from the Rebuild Illinois grant program will help MetroLINK to provide overhead chargers at downtown terminals including East Pointe in East Moline, Centre Station in Moline and District Station in Rock Island.
The press release also says the overhead charges will help with utilizing more vehicles throughout the entire day by providing an automated "top off" charge in five to seven minutes.
Other than that, the funds will be used to allow MetroLINK to expand its current charging system at the Operations and Maintenance Center to charge up to 20 buses at a time.
“With 30% of our fleet soon running on battery electric, these funds come at an especially critical time as we look to increase our battery electric bus footprint in an effort to promote environmental responsibility”, said Berlinda Tyler-Jamison, chair of MetroLINK Board of Trustees, in the release. “Sustainability has been a strategic priority for our Board of Trustees for over two decades, and I am thankful to Governor Pritzker, Transportation Secretary Osman, and our local elected officials for recognizing the importance of supporting electric vehicle fleets in public transit.”
According to the release, MetroLink began transition their fleet to compressed natural gas in 2002. Now, 70% of buses run on it.
MetroLink first introduced battery electric buses in 2018. Its current fleet of eight electric buses will more than double to 17 in April.
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