San Antonio’s VIA Metropolitan Transit has reached the second highest utilization rate for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) in the U.S. public transportation industry, according to the latest data from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

VIA’s Office of Diversity and Federal Compliance, which has oversight of the agency’s DBE program, shared the news with the VIA Board of Trustees at their regular meeting earlier this week. Federal statistics show VIA has the highest DBE goal in the nation at 30%. Last year, VIA’s DBE program achieved 47% participation, the second highest ranking among the top 50 public transportation providers in the nation.

VIA has surpassed its DBE goals each year since 2012.

“VIA continues to be lauded for its strong commitment to promoting diversity in hiring and contracting,” said VIA President/CEO Jeff Arndt.

The DBE program is federally mandated for direct recipients of federal grant dollars from the U.S. Department of Transportation and is regulated by the FTA’s Office of Civil Rights.

VIA Metropolitan Transit provides public transportation services to 13 cities in the San Antonio area and the unincorporated areas of Bexar County. VIA buses operate seven days a week on 90 bus routes, and last year, VIA provided 44 million rides across the region.