CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — Charles County will receive $10 million in federal funding to support the construction of a new, modernized maintenance and operations facility for its VanGO bus system, the Maryland congressional delegation announced Friday, Nov. 21.
The funding is part of a broader $60.3 million investment in Maryland’s public transportation infrastructure. The funds were secured through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Low or No Emission Grant Program and the Buses and Bus Facilities Program, both supported under the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, along with U.S. Representatives Steny Hoyer, Glenn Ivey, Jamie Raskin, Sarah Elfreth, and April McClain Delaney (all D-Md.), announced the funding package, which also includes over $50 million for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to purchase 50 diesel-electric hybrid replacement buses.
The new VanGO facility in Charles County is designed to enhance service reliability, improve working conditions for operators and mechanics, and accommodate future growth of the local transit system. Officials say the project aligns with Maryland’s broader goals to modernize transportation and reduce emissions.
“Upgrading our public transit with cleaner, more efficient buses and improved bus infrastructure will help provide greater reliability for the thousands of Marylanders who ride WMATA and VanGO every day,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement. “Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we are continuing to invest in public transportation that supports our growing communities while producing fewer emissions and keeping the region’s economy moving forward.”
WMATA’s portion of the funding—$50,322,380—will help reduce the system’s annual fuel consumption by an estimated 51,000 gallons.
This investment comes as part of an ongoing effort to support cleaner, more efficient, and more accessible public transportation across the state.
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