Challenge
As the transit provider to 450,000 people in and around Oregon’s capital city, Salem Area Mass Transit, also known as Cherriots, needed to acquire new buses to replace 20 aging diesel buses. Cherriots wanted to use the opportunity to begin its transition from legacy fuel technology to zero-emission, battery-electric buses. However, with the cost of battery-electric buses approximately twice the amount of old buses, Cherriots needed outside support.
Approach
As one of the nation’s leading lobbying firms for bus transit, CFM knew meeting Cherriots’ funding need would take a multi-pronged strategy leveraging FTA grant programs and congressional appropriations. With funding streams identified, CFM and Cherriots developed a project narrative that clearly articulated the benefits of establishing an “Electric Corridor” along a key route serving disadvantaged populations. With a compelling and competitive request grant application submitted, we coordinated with the agency’s congressional delegation to pursue earmark funding in the annual spending bill.
Success
Over the course of four years, CFM helped Cherriots secure four separate funding awards totaling almost $23 million, enabling Cherriots to procure 20 battery-electric buses to replace its aging vehicles. These awards included a $6.3 million congressional appropriation secured with the help of Senator Jeff Merkley – the largest earmark of its kind in Oregon history. Cherriots also received two back-to-back grant awards – the only agency to do so in those rounds of the federal Low or No Emission grant program. Another grant award in 2023 for $6.6 million capped of the agency’s success. Combined with other earmark and grant awards secured in recent years, CFM has helped Cherriots attain nearly $30 million in competitive federal funding since 2018.
