Cedar Rapids to use federal funds to purchase 2 hybrid buses

CEDAR RAPIDS — The city of Cedar Rapids is set to funnel nearly $2 million in federal funds toward the purchase of two hybrid buses as part of a broader effort toward lowering city fleet emissions.

The city will fund the purchase through a roughly $1.9 million allocation from the Federal Transit Authority’s Low or No Emission Grant Program, which offers competitive grants for purchasing low- or no-emission buses to communities nationwide willing to make a 15 percent funding match.

This year marked the city’s second try for the funding after an unsuccessful bid in 2024. Cedar Rapids Transit Manager Sergio Hill said the final agreement will require City Council approval in early 2026, after which the buses can be ordered.

“As far as we envision, any future replacements will be with those hybrids, but we will continue to evaluate that as technology continues to improve,” Hill said. “By having our first two, we’ll be able to see what that’s like and how it works with our current structure.”

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Hill said the city’s transportation department typically replaces two of its roughly 30 buses each year and that the hybrid vehicles will slot into that schedule upon arrival. Preliminary timelines call for delivery roughly 12 to 18 months following the initial order.

Hybrid diesel-electric buses have a more modern, sleek appearance than diesel buses and store energy captured during coasting and braking. They also are equipped with geofencing technology that can kick the vehicle into electric mode when it reaches certain zones or locations.

The hybrid vehicles are quieter than a typical diesel model, Hill added, and consume less fuel thanks, in part, to a start/stop mode allowing the diesel generator to power off when the vehicle comes to a full stop.

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“They have a little bit different format, … but the important thing is we want people to know that difference is moving us toward hybrid” vehicles, Hill said. “There will be some (community-facing) messaging there.”

A single hybrid bus costs roughly $1 million, compared to between $600,000 and $700,000 for a traditional diesel model. While the upstart cost is higher for the hybrids, Hill said the city expects to see a return on its investment over time given the vehicles’ increased fuel efficiency.

The plan is to assign the hybrid buses to the city’s busiest routes to maximize their environmental and economic benefits and to best align with the city’s climate action plan, explained Cedar Rapids Sustainability Program Manager Sara Maples.

That plan, adopted by city leadership in 2021, focuses on two main goals of reducing greenhouse gases and improving climate resiliency. To help meet those goals, the plan calls for the rollout of lower-emissions vehicles within the city’s fleet.

“Transportation nationwide accounts for about a third of our greenhouse gas portfolio. It’s less of a percentage in our community, but it’s still a very important piece,” Maples said. “We want to make it so people have options to get from point A to point B that” minimize those emissions.

Other initiatives to lower the city’s emissions include the installation of electric vehicle chargers at the City Services Center and the purchase of two sedans and two light-duty vehicles with low-emissions models.

Moving forward, Maples said city staff across departments will continue to explore grant opportunities to fund those kinds of purchases — including the purchase of additional hybrid buses — and to evaluate when and where it is feasible to direct additional city funds toward the purchase of lower emission vehicles.

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