SACRAMENTO, CA – The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) has been selected to receive approximately $57.7 million in state funding through the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) Cycle 8 awards to advance its Northern Sacramento and Yolo I-80 Intercity Zero-Emission and Transformative Project.

The $87.6 million project represents a major investment in cleaner transportation, improved transit service and infrastructure modernization. The funding will support the purchase of 21 zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell buses, upgrades to SacRT’s McClellan Bus Maintenance Facility, construction of a hydrogen fueling station and additional transit improvements designed to enhance the rider experience. The remaining $29.8 million will come from other state and regional funding sources, including Senate Bill 125 Zero-Emission Transit Capital Program, California Clean Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project, SACOG State Transportation Improvement Program, California Energy Commission EnergIIZE Transit Set-Aside and Sacramento Metropolitan Air District Low Emission Vehicle and Infrastructure Program.

Better Regional Connections
The 21 hydrogen fuel cell buses will support expanded zero-emission service on three key corridors: Bus routes 30, 81 and 138.

• The Causeway Connection (Route 138), which connects UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento with UC Davis in Davis.
• Bus routes 30 (J Street) and 81 (Florin Road) provide access to employment, educational and medical destinations throughout the region.

These improvements will strengthen regional connections to Sacramento Valley Station, California’s third-busiest train station and the region’s busiest station, providing important connections to Capitol Corridor, Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) and Caltrain services.

Investments to Improve the Rider Experience
The project includes several additional improvements designed to make bus service more reliable, accessible and comfortable. Cloud-based transit signal priority will be deployed at 30 intersections along bus routes 30 and 81 to help buses move more efficiently through traffic and reduce delays.

To improve connections between transportation modes, 10 BikeLink smart bike parking stations will be installed at UC Davis and four at SacRT’s University/65th Street Station. Two heat-resilient bus shelters will also be installed at UC Davis Medical Center along bus routes 137 and 138, providing passengers with greater comfort and protection during extreme heat.

Modernizing McClellan for a Zero-Emission Future
A major component of the project is transforming SacRT’s 14-acre McClellan Bus Maintenance Facility (BMF-2) into a state-of-the-art zero-emission bus operations and maintenance hub. The project includes a hydrogen fueling station with potential public access.

The hydrogen fueling station will include a 25,000-gallon liquid hydrogen storage system with the capacity to fuel up to 100 hydrogen fuel cell buses. These investments will provide the infrastructure needed to support the long-term expansion of SacRT’s zero-emission fleet and strengthen operational reliability throughout the northern service area.

The project also includes a workforce development partnership with American River College to train, place and retain individuals from underrepresented communities in careers supporting zero-emission vehicle operations and maintenance. The Center for Transportation and the Environment will provide technical assistance and project implementation support.

“This significant investment is an important step forward in modernizing public transportation and creating a cleaner, more efficient transit system for our region,” said SacRT General Manager/CEO Henry Li. “With the support of the State of California, we can continue investing in zero-emission technology, improving service frequency and reliability, and building the infrastructure and workforce needed to support the future of public transportation.”

“California’s investment in public transportation is an investment in the future of our communities,” said Senate Majority Leader Angelique Ashby. “This nearly $58 million award recognizes the importance of strengthening regional transit connections while advancing our state’s climate goals. I’m proud to see this level of state support coming to the Sacramento region, helping deliver cleaner transportation, better service and infrastructure that will serve our growing communities for generations to come.”

“This investment is a significant win for the Sacramento region and the communities that depend on reliable public transportation,” said Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen. “By expanding zero-emission bus service, improving frequency along key corridors and investing in modern infrastructure, SacRT is helping connect people to jobs, education and essential services while supporting a cleaner, healthier environment.”

“This award represents an exciting opportunity to make meaningful improvements for SacRT riders and the communities we serve,” said SacRT Board Chair and Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen. “From more frequent bus service and improved regional connections to investments in zero-emission technology and modernized facilities, this project reflects our commitment to building a more accessible, reliable and sustainable transit system.”

Significant Environmental and Community Benefits
Over the project’s useful life, the improvements are projected to increase ridership by approximately 1.8 million passenger trips and deliver substantial environmental benefits, including:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 116,037 metric tons.
• Displace more than 91.4 million passenger vehicle miles traveled.
• Reduce fossil fuel consumption by approximately 10.1 million gallons.
• Prevent an estimated 43,677 pounds of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and 7,477 pounds of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions.

These investments create an integrated transportation strategy that improves transit performance, expands access to sustainable transportation options and advances California’s climate and clean air goals. Project completion is expected by 2030.

Building on Continued State Investment
The latest award builds on the state’s continued investment in SacRT through previous TIRCP funding cycles. In October 2024, SacRT received a $29 million TIRCP award, supported by an additional $84 million in leveraged state and federal funding, for projects that included the purchase of six new Siemens S700 low-floor light rail vehicles, accessibility improvements at 17 Blue Line stations, construction of Dos Rios Station and the new Horn Road Station on the Gold Line in Rancho Cordova.

The Cycle 8 awards were highly competitive, with 54 projects statewide requesting a combined $4.08 billion in funding. Although the funding cycle was initially estimated to have at least $950 million available, approximately $549.4 million was ultimately awarded to just 19 projects. SacRT’s $57.7 million award represents approximately 10.5% of the total funding awarded statewide, underscoring the significance of this investment in the Sacramento region.

The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program is administered by the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) and provides funding for transformative capital investments that modernize California’s transportation system, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve transit and intercity rail service. For more information on the TIRCP awards, visit the CalSTA TIRCP webpage.

For more information on the Northern Sacramento and Yolo I-80 Intercity Zero-Emission and Transformative Project visit sacrt.com/ZeroEmissionTransitProject.