The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) opened a new transit bus maintenance and administration facility in Macon County, Mo. The facility will significantly improve the efficient operation of transit buses that serve a growing ridership in 87 counties across Missouri.

The FTA provided 100% of funding for design, and construction of the $2.65 million facility through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funding for the facility was part of a $14.6 million grant awarded to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

The facility’s owner, OATS Inc., is a private, nonprofit corporation providing demand-response and fixed-route transportation for senior citizens, people with disabilities and the rural general public in Missouri.

The 10,000-square-foot facility will provide bus storage and maintenance areas for up to 12 transit vehicles and house the OATS Northeast regional offices.

The new facility replaces an outmoded building that lacked office space and had no maintenance, bus wash or storage capacity. Buses that had been stored in various outdoor locations without any protection from inclement weather will now be protected. These improvements mean less wear and tear on vehicles and more efficient transit service for years to come.