Calif.'s NCTD receives "Good Repair" grant
The grant, which requires a 20% match, or $1,155,465 million in local TRANSNET funding, totals $5,777,325 million, enabling NCTD to purchase up to 12 CNG buses, replacing 12 older diesel coaches.
Oceanside, Calif.-based North County Transit District's BREEZE bus system received a $4,621,860 grant from the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) "State of Good Repair" (SOGR) competitive grant program.
The SOGR grant requires a 20% match, or $1,155,465 million in local TRANSNET funding. The SOGR grant funding totals $5,777,325 million, which will enable NCTD to purchase up to 12 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, replacing 12 older diesel coaches.
Historically, NCTD would replace about 15 buses, or 10% of its fleet annually. The last time NCTD replaced buses was 2010 when 24 diesel buses were replaced with smaller cutaway van conversion buses. Prior to that, the last full-sized bus purchase was in 2007 when 12 full-sized diesel buses were replaced with full-sized CNG buses.
NCTD reports that each of the soon to be replaced older buses have had at least one engine and one transmission overhaul, and would otherwise require another engine and transmission overhaul in the next 12 months if kept in the active BREEZE fleet.
BREEZE passengers will likely see the new buses rolling down North County streets by late 2012.
More Management
Joshua Schank on Transportation Innovation, Risk, and the Future of Mobility
In this edition of METROspectives, Joshua Schank discusses lessons from launching LA Metro’s Office of Extraordinary Innovation, the challenges of advancing new mobility technologies, and much more.
Read More →
Reinventing Fleet Maintenance with Real-time Visibility and AI
Transit leaders need to know what needs fixing, where to look, who is responsible, when work is completed, and what it costs without having to chase information across disconnected systems.
Read More →
Alstom Acquires Delaware Site to Support Amtrak NextGen Acela Fleet
The company is investing more than $55 million to acquire and improve the property and will employ approximately 100 people at this site once it is operational.
Read More →
SamTrans Sets Priorities for Potential Connect Bay Area Revenue
The board-approved framework allocates future funding to maintaining service, rider improvements, equity initiatives, and infrastructure repairs.
Read More →
Federal Transit Officials Launch MARTA Safety Probe
FTA has given MARTA 15 days to provide records on crime prevention, fare evasion enforcement, and security funding as part of a broader safety investigation.
Read More →
ABA's Ferguson Testifies in Support of BUS Act, National Standards for Bus Operators
The BUSES Act would create a nationwide framework preventing state and local governments from enforcing bus idling restrictions of less than 15 minutes, a threshold consistent with existing Environmental Protection Agency guidance.
Read More →
When Routine Fails: How Public Transit Must Adapt for the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will test transit agencies’ ability to manage unpredictable travel patterns, making real-time data and operational flexibility critical to moving millions of visitors efficiently.
Read More →
Florida’s JTA Puts Innovation in Motion Ahead of America250
The agency unveiled a commemorative America250 bus during a visit from U.S. DOT's Seval Oz and showcased its autonomous mobility programs.
Read More →
California Selects Team for Nation’s First True High-Speed Rail Track and Systems Contract
The board action follows completion of track installation at the 150-acre southern railhead in Kern County, which will serve as the staging and distribution hub for high-speed track and systems installation.
Read More →
IndyGo, Cleveland RTA Expand Digital Fare Payment Options with Masabi
The new systems combine mobile apps, smart cards, and automatic fare capping to simplify payments, expand flexibility, and help riders access the lowest available fares.
Read More →