AASHTO Journal - FTA Makes $610M Available for Bus Improvements

The Federal Transit Administration is making $610 million available via a notice of funding opportunity or NOFO for a wide range of bus system improvements. Applications are due by September 21.

[Above image by FTA]

In a statement, FTA said this NOFO provides funding from two initiatives – the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Infrastructure programs – for two purposes:

Approximately $21 million to support transit agencies in buying, leasing, and rehabilitating buses and vans, and building bus facilities.
Approximately $589 million to support transit agencies in buying or leasing low-emission or no-emission buses, purchasing equipment, and constructing supporting facilities. For these funds, FTA said it intends to prioritize low-emission projects over zero-emission projects, to the maximum extent permitted by law.

In a concurrent announcement, the FTA launched a new online tool – entitled “Transit Moves America” – to make it easier for Americans to access safety, security, and performance data for public transit systems nationwide.

The Transit Moves America dashboard uses data collected by FTA through the National Transit Database and displays it clearly for families, commuters, and visitors to view and use to inform their travel plans.

The FTA said in a separate statement that the new dashboard’s safety- and security-related data will be refreshed monthly; accessibility and efficiency data will be updated annually; national averages related to safety and security data will be available as well as metrics for individual transit agencies; data will be customized to reflect conditions on bus systems and train systems; and operating costs per passenger trip will be available for the 25 largest urban areas in the nation.

Finally, FTA issued a NOFO offering $22 million in funding through its Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility or ICAM program and its Bus Safety and Accessibility and Innovation or BSAI research program to support “innovative public transit projects that will improve the travel experience for American families.”

The agency noted in a separate statement that applications for that funding are due by September 9 and will go towards projects that enhance operator and passenger safety; acquire transit vehicles with family-friendly features; build new maintenance facilities; implement contactless payment technology systems; and invest in improved scheduling systems for individuals with accessibility impairments.