On Wednesday, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced the certification of nearly $20 million in funding for small cities and rural counties to purchase buses and upgrade transit facilities through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

The assistance is being provided only to public transportation capital projects in areas with a population of less than 50,000 people. Funding will be used to purchase 149 buses and upgrade maintenance facilities, which will improve bus reliability. It will also be used to build bus shelters and install signage to make it easier for riders unfamiliar with bus routes to locate stops.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has issued final approval of the projects, which NYSDOT had selected and submitted for funding.

NYSDOT Acting Commissioner Stanley Gee said, "It is essential, especially in rural areas where few transportation options may exist, to make transit services available. We are pleased to join with Governor Paterson to use this federal economic-recovery funding to expand transit opportunities and provide travel choices for residents of rural communities across New York State."