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

MTA received a Champion of the Challenge award for its 2022 Zero-Emission Bus Transition Plan. This plan details a framework for the nation's largest bus fleet that prioritizes earlier and larger deployments of zero-emission buses in at-risk communities. MTA aims to transition to 100% zero-emission bus service by 2039 while also training workers in the new technology, maintaining service and prioritizing communities most impacted by poor air quality and climate change.

"Transit agencies across the country are greening their fleets, hardening critical infrastructure, and transitioning their workforces to reduce the disproportionate impacts of a warming climate on their communities," said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. "MTA's plan prioritizes environmental justice, demonstrating their commitment to at-risk communities in New York City. I congratulate them on their award-winning plan."

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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