A new fleet of buses will be coming to Grand Canyon National Park to replace its well-aged fleet, including this one/NPS file
A new shuttle bus fleet is coming to Grand Canyon National Park thanks to a grant of $27.5 million from the U.S. Transportation Department's Federal Highway Administration.
The funding will help pay for 30 new buses, including 10 battery electric buses and 20 compressed natural gas buses, to replace the current aging fleet. It also will cover installation of charging infrastructure to support the new electric buses. An estimated 6 million people visit the park each year and use the free shuttle buses to access destinations throughout the Grand Canyon.
The project is one of seven to receive federal grants totaling $130.5 million under FHWA’s Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Transportation Projects Program.
Officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of the Interior, Grand Canyon National Park and surrounding communities participated in an event Thursday at the Grand Canyon South Rim to announce the grant award.
“The necessary replacement of the outdated shuttle bus fleet is an opportunity to upgrade to cleaner, quieter electric buses,” said Grand Canyon Superintendent Ed Keable. “This project will address transportation challenges related to maintaining an aging fleet, and the NPS goal to achieve sustainable transportation alternatives.”
