WASHINGTON –The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today recognized the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)'s plans to electrify its bus fleet to combat climate change. CTA's work, part of FTA's Sustainable Transit for a Healthy Planet initiative, garnered the transit agency an award during FTA’s second annual Earth Day event.

CTA received a Champion of the Challenge Award for its Charging Forward: 2022 CTA Bus Electrification Planning Report. One of the first transit agencies to introduce electric buses in place of diesel-powered vehicles, CTA drafted a comprehensive report backed by data to inform the next steps to fully convert its 1,800-vehicle fleet to cleaner and greener electric buses. Among the plan’s goals is to deploy buses and upgrade bus facilities in ways that promote equity and environmental justice throughout the city.

"Transit agencies across the country are greening their fleets, upgrading infrastructure, and transitioning their workforces to reduce their footprints and minimize the disproportionate impacts of a warming climate on their communities," said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. "CTA's focus on equity and environmental justice, present throughout a decade-long commitment to electrify its fleet and facilities, is commendable. I applaud CTA for their vision and dedication to doing their part to fight the greatest challenge of our times."

Created in June 2021 to help advance President Biden’s ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals, FTA's Climate Challenge calls on transit agencies to develop strategies to reduce emissions, such as converting fleets to electric buses, making facilities more energy efficient, and generating power through renewable energy sources. Although the transportation sector is the leading emitter of GHGs in the United States each year, the transit industry has long been at the forefront of reducing emissions.

A total of 222 transit agencies from Maine to Hawaii participated in the FTA Climate Challenge. Throughout the year, FTA helped participants advance their goals with technical resources, targeted listening sessions, and peer exchanges.

FTA encourages transit agencies interested in advancing their sustainability and climate goals to sign up for phase 3 of the Sustainable Transit for a Healthy Planet initiative.

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