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Other Innovative Initiatives

Windtricity Partnership

VIA announced an agreement with CPS Energy to become the first public agency in San Antonio to get 100 percent of its power from Windtricity. Removing approximately 7,180 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

New Environmentally-Friendly Vehicles

In August 2009, VIA announced that the federal government awarded $5,000,000 to VIA Metropolitan Transit to purchase and operate three electric powered buses in the downtown area. The funding comes from the Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction grant program as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. When operating, the 35-foot electric buses will provide public transportation for the downtown area that is sustainable and free of pollution. (Read the related press release.)

In addition, as part of a $31.2 million federal stimulus grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), VIA will purchase 26 hybrid electric buses, 4 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses and one electric powered bus to test propulsion alternatives promoting sustainable transit.

Embracing Technology

VIA has embraced technology to bring real time “Next Bus” information to our customers at some stops and has partnered with Google to provide improved online bus trip planning.