METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

FTA awards $264M in grants for bus and bus facilities

Will fund projects to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment, as well as projects to purchase, rehabilitate, and construct bus-related facilities.

April 6, 2018
FTA awards $264M in grants for bus and bus facilities

 

2 min to read


The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced approximately $264 million in project selections to improve the safety and reliability of America’s bus systems and enhance mobility for transit riders across the country. A total of 139 projects in 52 states and territories will receive funding from FTA’s Buses and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Investment Program. A list of the selected projects is available here.

“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.

Ad Loading...

The grants will fund projects to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment, as well as projects to purchase, rehabilitate, and construct bus-related facilities, such as buildings for bus storage and maintenance.

“FTA is proud to help bring new and rehabilitated buses, facilities, and equipment to communities across the country,” said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams. “This marks a step forward in improving mobility for the millions of Americans who travel by bus to work, school, healthcare, and other services.”

Among the projects selected to receive funding:

  • The Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works in Florida will receive funding to purchase 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 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.

  • 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.

Demand for FTA’s Buses and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Investment Program far exceeded available funds, as FTA received applications for 453 eligible projects totaling approximately $2 billion in funding requests from a total of 53 States and territories. Project proposals were evaluated based on criteria outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. The selected projects will receive a combination of fiscal year 2017 and 2018 funds.

More Management

Managementby StaffMarch 19, 2026

People Movement: The Latest from TARTA, STV, and More

METRO’s People Movement highlights the latest leadership changes, promotions, and personnel news across the public transit, motorcoach, and people mobility sectors.

Read More →
A BART railcar
Managementby StaffMarch 19, 2026

BART Monetizes Empty Parking With New Online Leasing Tool

BART began offering select parking lots to non-BART riders to generate new revenue to help address its FY27 $376M operating budget deficit brought on by remote work.

Read More →
MTA Chair & CEO Janno Lieber sits with a customer service employee and takes calls.
Managementby Elora HaynesMarch 19, 2026

Transit Agencies Nationwide Celebrate 2026 National Transit Employee Appreciation Day

Agencies across the U.S. honored transit workers on March 18, recognizing the essential roles they play in keeping communities moving daily.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Cover for METROspectives with Inez Evans Benson
ManagementMarch 18, 2026

Inez Evans-Benson on Leadership and the Future of Transportation

Drawing on decades of industry experience, Evans-Benson offered insights into the differences between the two, along with tips for better customer engagement and more.

Read More →
An RTC of Washoe County bus driving down Virginia Street.
Managementby StaffMarch 18, 2026

Keolis Lands 3 Contract Renewals

The renewals include continued operations at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida; the PRTC in Virginia; and RTC Washoe in Nevada.  

Read More →
A MARTA employee using the new Better Breeze fare ticket machines.
Managementby StaffMarch 17, 2026

MARTA’s New 'Better Breeze' Fare System Nears Launch

The new system introduces tap-to-pay, touchscreen kiosks, and updated Breeze cards, with both old and new systems running through May.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A wide angle view of two MTA buses with three people walking between them.
Managementby StaffMarch 16, 2026

Proposed Auto Insurance Reform Would Save New York’s MTA Millions Annually

The governor’s proposed auto insurance reforms could save the agency $48 million annually by limiting payouts in crashes where buses are not primarily at fault.

Read More →
paratransit bus
SponsoredMarch 16, 2026

Measuring the True Cost of Paratransit Fleets

What truly drives the cost of a paratransit fleet? Beyond the purchase price, seven operational factors quietly determine maintenance frequency, downtime, and long-term service reliability. This whitepaper explores how these factors shape lifecycle cost and what agencies should evaluate when selecting paratransit vehicles.

Read More →
Cover photo for METROspectives with The Bus Coalition
Busby Alex RomanMarch 13, 2026

Inside The Bus Coalition’s Push for Stronger Federal Transit Investment

In this conversation, TBC’s Executive Director Ed Redfern, President Corey Aldridge, and Washington Representative Joel Rubin outline the coalition’s key policy priorities, the challenges facing transit agencies, and how industry stakeholders can work together to strengthen the voice of bus transit at the federal level.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Amanda Wanke
Managementby StaffMarch 13, 2026

Des Moines DART CEO Joins Minneapolis Metro Transit

Amanda Wanke, who has worked at DART for 10 years, including the past 2½ years as CEO, will join Metro Transit as deputy chief operating officer, operations administration.

Read More →