Sec. LaHood to announce TIGER awards early
As part of the ongoing effort to accelerate spending, Secretary LaHood created a review team to expedite the application process for the $1.5 billion TIGER Discretionary Grant program, which will enable the U.S. Department of Transportation to announce the grants in January 2010 - one full month ahead of the statutory deadline.
On Thursday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said he will accelerate stimulus spending and announce $1.5 billion in TIGER Discretionary Grants as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) one month early. The TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Discretionary Grant program will award Recovery funds on a competitive basis to projects that have a significant impact on the nation, a region or metropolitan area and can create jobs and benefit economically distressed areas.
"Our top priority with the Recovery Act is to get money out the door quickly in order to put people to work and get the economy back on track," said Secretary LaHood.
As part of the ongoing effort to accelerate spending, Secretary LaHood created a review team to expedite the application process for the $1.5 billion TIGER Discretionary Grant program, which will enable the U.S. Department of Transportation to announce the grants in January 2010 - one full month ahead of the statutory deadline.
"By awarding these Recovery dollars ahead of schedule, we'll be able to jump start major-impact projects and boost local economies across America even more quickly," Secretary LaHood said.
Further information on the $1.5 billion TIGER Discretionary Grant program can be found here.
More Bus

New York MTA Plans Largest Bus Fleet Upgrade in More Than a Decade
The agency is seeking manufacturers for 650 new CNG buses to replace aging vehicles, improve reliability, and advance its broader fleet modernization strategy.
Read More →Building a Flexible Path to Transit Electrification
John Hroncich discusses BAE Systems’ modular and scalable approach, lessons learned from decades of real-world operations, and how agencies can identify electrification strategies that fit their fleets.
Read More →
Bus Tech Talk: Keeping Transit Technicians Ahead of the Technology Curve
LA Metro’s Obed Mejia discusses technician training, evolving maintenance technology, fleet replacement, and strategies for getting the most out of today’s transit fleets.
Read More →
Biz Briefs: RIPTA Unveils New Frontrunners, Clevland RTA Adds New Siemens, and More
In METRO's latest installment, we take a look at recent news from Siemens, Prevost, Dodge, and more partnerships making headlines across the transportation sector.
Read More →
People Movement: Holly Arnold Joins Transdev and More
In this edition, we also cover recent appointments and announcements at Pace, CamTran, MCI, and more, showcasing the individuals helping to shape the future of transportation.
Read More →
The High Cost of Transit Buses: Industry Leaders Look to Procurement Reform
Transit leaders and policymakers examine how standardized bus designs, streamlined procurement, and predictable funding could help agencies stretch budgets and deliver better service.
Read More →
The Business Voice Behind Public Transportation
As chair of APTA’s Business Members Board of Governors, Ray Melleady explains how more than 850 business members are partnering with transit agencies to advance funding, innovation, and industry-wide collaboration.
Read More →From Surviving to Thriving: Building Stronger Transportation Organizations
Bus Business Consultants founder Brian Dickson shares lessons on leadership, organizational health, and creating options for long-term success in a changing transportation industry.
Read More →
Finding the ‘Happy Medium’: Optimizing Maintenance Without Sacrificing Reliability
The key to maintenance optimization isn’t doing less work—it’s doing the right work at the right time on the right assets.
Read More →
LA Metro, City of West Hollywood, and Partners Advance Smarter Bus Lane Enforcement
The award-winning partnership combines AI-powered detection with human oversight to improve bus reliability, accessibility, and enforcement efficiency.
Read More →