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Costa Announces $3.2 Million to Improve Valley Transit & Air Quality

July 23, 2012

Washington, DC- U.S.Rep. Jim Costa announced today that the city of Fresno will receive $2.3 million and Kings County will receive more than $900,000 to make necessary improvements to their public transit systems. The funds were awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's State of Good Repair Program, which aims to maintain and improve the nation's bus and rail systems. Fresno Area Express (FAX) plans to use the funds for the purchase of 6 new buses that will accommodate additional passengers and reduce emissions. Kings County will use the grant to replace vans in their vanpool fleet.

"Here in our Valley we face both transportation and air quality challenges, and we are meeting those challenges with innovative approaches to public transit," said Costa. "The new buses and vans will build on the efforts of the city of Fresno and Kings County to reduce emissions and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their services. These grants are a win for making our commutes easier and our air cleaner."

The FAX funding will be used for the purchase of new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses that will replace older buses in order to reduce emissions and fuel costs. FAX is the largest mass public transit system in the San Joaquin Valley.

Kings County Area Public Transit Agency's vanpool is an innovative approach in the absence of time-efficient public transportation service to provide Kings County and Valley residents with a way to reduce the cost of their commute and improve Valley air quality. Kings County is the oldest and largest public commuter van program.