APTA Strongly Supports Phased Buy America Requirements for Minibuses

In a letter to FTA, APTA strongly supports FTA’s proposed phased three-year Buy America non-availability waiver for minibuses used in public transportation, including FTA’s revision to remove the requirement that minibuses be battery electric.

The letter is in response to a supplemental notice issued by FTA on August 18 regarding whether the agency should remove the proposed requirement that the minibuses be battery-electric propulsion. APTA supports the revision, stating that public transit agencies are best positioned to decide the propulsion type that is most suited for their operations and communities.

The letter explains that, in 2024, FTA deemed that there were no electric minibuses available in the U.S. that met FTA’s domestic content or final assembly requirements under Buy America. The proposed waiver will provide a phased three-year transition for building U.S. capacity to manufacture minibuses.

APTA strongly supports Buy America and applauds the Administration’s continued efforts to ensure the use of American-made materials in FTA-funded projects. It also commits to continue working with FTA and the public transportation industry to build a more competitive, financially stable, and Buy America-compliant public transit vehicle manufacturing capacity.