The Florida Department of Environmental Protection said this week that $68 million will be divided among 13 counties moving from diesel to electric buses.
The money, coming from Florida’s share of a 2016 settlement between Volkswagen and the U.S. Department of Justice over emissions violations, is expected to cover the costs of 227 electric buses in Alachua, Broward, Duval, Escambia, Hillsborough, Leon, Marion, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco and Pinellas counties.
The state previously announced that money from its $166 million share of the $14.7 billion Volkswagen settlement would go to school districts in Broward, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota counties to buy 218 electric school buses.
Also, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced this month that $42 million was headed to the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Lee County and the state for low- and no-emission buses, equipment and worker training.
Electric buses, just another big waste of money.
This is analogous to the Medicaid scam. It presents as enticing because the initial fiscal output is not on the backs of local taxpayers... but the maintenance, upkeep, and replacement (battery) costs fall on the backs of the local taxpayers in perpetuity.
Socialists are like drug dealers. The give you a "free" taste or sample... then we all pay for the addiction going forward until we're all broke and impoverished - save for the elites of course.
Like Maggie said, "Socialism is great until you run out of other people’s money."
Before we pour more money down the public transportation rat hole I hope someone is doing a a user study to see how many folks ride busses. We have busses that will hold 40 or more riders yet I have never seen a bus with more than 3 or 4 people. Wouldn't it be cheaper and more pleasant for the rider for those needing public transportation to call Uber and have Uber send the city a bill for the rides they provided.? You can provide a lot of income for the privately employed Uber driver for the cost of a bus, its drivers salary / benefits and the maintenance of the bus.
It would be interesting to follow up on this money to see how the 90% leftist ran counties actually spend the money. Sure they will buy some EV's but I wonder if there are any mandates on how all the money will be spent or any State followup to document how it is spent.
Its kind of close to the elections but I dont think any votes will be swayed by throwing this money by a Republican government to some "new green deal" smelling BS related to innefficent EV's.
A general waste of the money in my opinion. And it has bad optics this close to an election. Wrong decision at the wrong time.
@ Hope. I get censored all the time. The easiest way is to either mistyped your email or post a link.
@Edward
How true.
I lost faith in the credibility of the awards back in 2009 when Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples".
Judging from how things are going around the world these days, and even here at home, I think he should give the award back.
I was censored...
Truth and light will prevail.
@ Pat A... true that. Sadly... Nobel, like Pulitzer, are no longer credible institutions. Progressive Participation Trophies is their game now.
I always thought the engineer behind VW's cheating was a genius and deserved a Nobel Prize for Science award.
... and China sends its thanks to the malleable American Taxpayers
I worked at C.K. Steele plaza recently, for about a year. FSU has electric buses and they came in to be recharged. They are only good for about one route trip.
$299,560 per Bus.........WOW.