FTA Awards $264 Million in Bus Infrastructure Grants

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is awarding $264 million to 139 projects in 52 states and territories through the Buses and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Investment Program, which includes funding from fiscal year 2017 and 2018 funds.

“Every day, working families across America rely on buses, and these grants will ensure that these vital services continue to be both safe and efficient,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao in the prepared announcement.

The funding will be used to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment bus-related facilities projects, including bus storage and maintenance facilities.

Among the projects selected to receive funding:

• The Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works in Florida will receive funding to purchase Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to replace older buses that have exceeded their useful life. The new buses will improve the efficiency and reliability of the bus service in the Miami area.
• The Port Authority of Allegheny County (PAAC) in Pennsylvania will receive funding to purchase low-floor clean diesel buses. The new vehicles will improve transit service and reliability for residents of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. In 2017, PAAC also received a $500,00 Low-No Bus Program grant for electric buses, rapid electric charging stations and related workforce training and development.
• The Tennessee Department of Transportation will receive funding to help transit agencies throughout the state improve bus service by replacing older transit vehicles that have exceeded their useful life. The new vehicles will help improve transit service and reliability for residents throughout Tennessee.

According to the American Public Transportation Association 2017 Public Transportation Fact Book, while bus ridership declined by 1.4 percent from 2014-2015, buses accounted for 49 percent of passenger trips. It is the second most used form of public transit. FTA received applications for 453 eligible projects totaling approximately $2 billion in funding requests from a total of 53 States and territories.

The Buses and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Investment Program funding is currently authorized through 2020 under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act).

Previously in September 2017, FTA announced $55 million for Low-No buses.

APTA is concerned about reduced awards for public transportation through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program.