Former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has joined Proterra Inc.’s board of directors.

LaHood’s government experience and leadership in transportation policy innovation make him an excellent fit for the electric vehicle manufacturer, company officials said.

Prior to serving as secretary of transportation, LaHood served on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for six years and on the House Appropriations Committee for nearly eight years, giving him strong knowledge of the transportation sector and of the funding issues at play in the industry, according to Proterra.

During his time as secretary, LaHood was an avid supporter of EV transit, leading the Federal Transit Administration’s Clean Fuels Program, which was used to help fund the purchase of electric vehicle buses by several cities across the U.S. He also visited Proterra in early 2011, calling the bus company “a model for the rest of the country.”

“I believe in the need for dependable, lower cost, more sustainable transit options,” said LaHood. “EV is the future of transit, and I am pleased to lend my knowledge and support to building this future with Proterra — the clear industry leader and the only American EV bus manufacturer.”

 “We are incredibly fortunate to work with an expert like Secretary LaHood, who can offer insight into so many of the key issues facing our industry,” said Garrett Mikita, president/CEO, Proterra Inc. “He is a true and long-standing supporter of cost effective and sustainable transportation and an advocate of both transit agencies and manufacturers. We look forward to having the benefit of his wisdom and counsel as we work to advance the American transportation system and enable better solutions for taxpayers in transit.”