Johnson City Transit will be replacing some of its 78-passenger school buses after receiving $234,375 in funding through the State of Tennessee Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust School Bus Replacement Grant Program.

The buses scheduled for replacement are 2006 models with engines from 2004-2006. They will be replaced by 2020 model buses that possess Cummins ISB 6.7 220 HP engines, which conform to the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2019 certified engine specifications.

“Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation partially funded our grant application after reviewing the data collected and presented by multiple departments within the City of Johnson City,” said Johnson City Transit Planner Bradley Osborne, who submitted the grant application. “The collaboration between departments allowed us to submit a strong application.”

Of the 59 agencies throughout the state that applied for the $8.8 million in available funding, the City of Johnson City was one of 39 to receive funding. The local match is expected to be 50 percent. Johnson City Transit should receive the new buses by early winter, and they will be placed in service shortly thereafter following completion of inspections.

CONTACT:    Bradley Osborne, transit planner
                             Johnson City Transit
                             423.434.6269

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