FTA to Award $775 million for Bus Transit Upgrades

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the availability of $775 million of funding for transit providers to upgrade their bus systems.  The funding is being made available in support of the FTA's State of Good Repair initiative. The FTA news release states the following:

FTA will review applications for the discretionary bus and bus facility funds, and will prioritize proposals based on how they address the issue of the transit system’s state of good repair and recapitalization needs.

Eligible expenses for the funds include purchase and rehabilitation of buses and vans, modernization of buses, bus facilities and revenue service facilities, bus-related equipment and components of transit asset management plans.  Deadline for applications is June 18, 2010. Grantees are expected to be announced in late summer 2010.

Direct Recipients under the Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula program, States, and Indian Tribes are eligible. Proposals for funding eligible projects in rural (nonurbanized) areas must be submitted as part of a consolidated State proposal, with the exception of nonurbanized projects to Indian Tribes.

For more details, including instructions for application, see the notice in the May 4 edition of the Federal Register.