WestStart-CALSTART (WSCS), in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration, will launch a $1 million dollar national bus rapid transit (BRT) assistance program to support expansion of BRT and facilitate growth of its industry in the U.S. According to WSCS, BRT continues to show strong evidence of being one of the new tools that can help increase transit ridership in a cost effective way, in combination with and as a complement to light rail and other options. BRT can range from specially marked buses on high-speed routes, to customized “rail-like” vehicles operating on separate roadways. Goals of the 2004 BRT program are to help communities to better utilize BRT and to assist U.S. bus manufacturers in their efforts to provide advanced BRT vehicles for U.S. transit properties. Among other activities, the new WSCS initiative will help communities and transit agencies assess the cost-effectiveness of their BRT vehicles; will publish an analysis of fuels and propulsion system options for BRT vehicles; will provide a compendium of BRT vehicle offerings worldwide; and will complete a market demand forecast for BRT vehicles in the U.S.