U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, right, talks about the federal funding the Western Reserve Transit Authority is receiving during his visit Tuesday to the bus system’s downtown Youngstown station. With the Democratic senator from Cleveland are Matt Kotanchek, WRTA maintenance director, center, and Dean Harris, WRTA executive director, left.

YOUNGSTOWN — The Western Reserve Transit Authority will receive $32.6 million over the next five years from the federal infrastructure bill that its executive director said will be key to transforming the public transportation system’s future.

WRTA will start replacing its existing buses with low-emission or no-emission buses starting in 2026, Dean Harris, its executive director, said Tuesday during a news conference at the authority’s office in downtown Youngstown.

“WRTA has been researching and preparing for the testing and use of electric and autonomous vehicles,” he said. “At WRTA, we are preparing to serve Valley residents effectively and efficiently for the next 50 years and beyond.”

WRTA will use much of the money to replace its gas-powered fleet of 47 large buses and about 25 smaller ones with low-emission and no-emission buses with the goal of going all electric by 2040, Harris said.

Other expenses will be electric charging stations, new bus shelters, improvements to the Mahoning Avenue office and its Federal Street station as well as training its workers — on how to maintain the new vehicles and equipment, he said.

“We are transitioning slowly with the overall plan to have it done in 18 years,” Harris said.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, who supported the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, said it “includes record investment to help Ohio communities upgrade their transit system.”

Overall, the state is getting $1.3 billion to expand and improve public transit, he said.

“My job is to make sure as these transit dollars and other public infrastructure dollars come into the Mahoning Valley that we get our fair share,” Brown said. “My goal is to get more than our fair share. Too often, we’ve been shortchanged.”

The bill includes “the strongest Buy America rules ever,” Brown said, which will “make sure these tax dollars are spent supporting American products and American workers.”

Tenessa Wills, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 272, which represents WRTA bus drivers, said: “We see the strong need for public transportation in the Valley. The bipartisan infrastructure law will help us to continue to provide for our passengers so they can get to their jobs, school and medical appointments.”

dskolnick@vindy.com