Natural gas vehicle (NGV) use would be encouraged under a competitive grant program included in the $2.3 trillion omnibus spending and Covid-19 relief package signed by President Trump on Sunday (Dec. 27).

The legislative package includes a directive to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to divert its recent emphasis on electric vehicles (EV) to refocus on low- and no-emission funding to support qualifying technologies such as NGVs.

In a low- or no-emissions bus program covered in the latest transportation/housing appropriations, FTA is directed to implement a competitive grant program that encourages a variety of different fuel types, including EVs, NGVs, hydrogen and other alternatives, said Daniel Gage, president of the NGVAmerica trade association.

“FTA should...