10-04-10
Contact: Paul Griffo
Telephone: (202) 366-4064
Original article can be accessed by clicking here.
Targeted Funding Strengthens Transit Safety, Reliability by Addressing Industry’s Equipment Repair and Maintenance Backlogs
WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced a combined $776 million for urban and rural transit providers in 45 states and the District of Columbia to help bring buses, bus facilities and related equipment into a state of good repair. Money from the Federal Transit Administration’s new State of Good Repair discretionary grant program will go to 152 projects.
“Safety is our highest priority, and it goes hand-in-hand with making sure our transit systems are in the best working condition possible,” said Secretary LaHood. “The millions of people who depend on transit each day to get to work, to school or to the doctor expect a safe and comfortable ride.”
The FTA estimates that more than 40 percent of the nation’s buses are currently in poor to marginal condition. The Department released a report in June 2010, The National State of Good Repair Assessment Study, which estimated that the cost of bringing the nation’s rail and bus transit systems into a state of good repair is close to $78 billion. The report drew on data from 43 of the nation’s rail and bus operators in both rural and urban areas.
The State of Good Repair money was made available in response to the needs cited in this study and reflects the Department’s commitment to strengthening and modernizing transportation across the nation. The program is designed to help transit providers deliver safer, more reliable rides, operate more efficiently and lower fuel costs. Projects include replacing aging buses with fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles, constructing new bus shelters and maintenance facilities, installing updated fare boxes and installing fleet tracking systems.
“America's transit users want bus service that is safe, reliable, comfortable, and clean," said FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff. “These funds will go a long way in helping more than 100 urban and rural transit agencies deliver the high quality bus service that Americans deserve.”
FTA reviewed nearly 400 project applications representing $4.2 billion in funding requests from transit providers across the country. The list of selected projects can be found at http://www.fta.dot.gov/news/news_events_12067.html.