ANNAPOLIS, MD —- Governor Wes Moore today delivered remarks at the launch of The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration’s Zero-Emission Bus Pilot Program at the Kirk Bus division in Baltimore. The governor was joined by the Federal Transit Administration Regional Administrator Terry Garcia Crews, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, Maryland Department of Environment Secretary Serena Mcllwain, Maryland Department of Labor Deputy Secretary Jason Perkins-Cohen, Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold and local transportation officials to celebrate the pilot program that will add seven new zero-emissions buses to the agency’s local bus fleet while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality throughout the region.
“Today, we continue our work to make Maryland the cleanest, greenest, and most sustainable state in the nation – and we are going to do it in a way that creates new pathways to prosperity for all, and not just some,”
said Gov. Moore. “I am proud that today’s launch is a step forward in our state’s environmental goals, and allows us to work alongside the Maryland Department of Labor to create new apprenticeship programs in bus maintenance. This is what partnership looks like as we work to make Marylander safer and more competitive. We don’t have to choose between tackling climate change and growing our economy – we can, and we will, do both.”
The pilot program is part of the Maryland Transit Administration’s planned conversion to a zero-emission bus fleet and reinforces the Moore-Miller Administrations’ commitment to its goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2031 and achieving 100% clean energy by 2035.
In December 2021, the Maryland Transit Administration announced its plans to transition to zero-emissions buses, achieving 50% of the fleet by 2030 as outlined by the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act Plan. The first seven zero-emission battery electric buses underwent commissioning and road testing before being deployed to regular service as a pilot to inform the transformation of the 750-bus fleet.
“MTA’s zero-emission electric buses are the next step in electrifying our transportation network to reach Maryland’s climate goals and invest in new training opportunities,”
said Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “Thanks to Governor Moore’s leadership, MDOT is launching a new apprenticeship program with our union partners specifically designed to train zero-emission bus maintenance mechanics and ensure our workforce has the tools and training needed to maintain the new fleet of zero-emission buses.”
“Transit is an essential part of reducing our carbon footprint and improving our environment,”
said Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold. “Our Zero-Emission Pilot program is just one of the many ways we’re focused on creating a more sustainable future.”
The zero-emission buses are powered by state-of-the-art electric motors and batteries and produce no tailpipe emissions, making them quieter than traditional gas and diesel engines. The pilot program is operated out of MTA’s Kirk Bus Division, which is being retrofitted with charging stations to accommodate the new battery electric buses. The program will provide qualitative data which will inform bus operations, scheduling, maintenance and procurement for future bus division transitions. To learn more about the Maryland Transit Administration transition to zero-emission buses visit
zeb.mta.maryland.gov.