WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will award $423 million in transit infrastructure grants nationwide to improve the safety and reliability of America’s bus systems and enhance mobility for transit riders. Two projects in New Mexico will receive $11.2 million from FTA’s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program. A list of the selected projects is available online.

“Public bus systems throughout the country provide millions of Americans access to jobs, healthcare, grocery stores, and other vital services,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

The funding supports efforts to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment, as well as projects to purchase, rehabilitate, and construct bus-related facilities.

“More people travel by bus than any other form of public transportation,” said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams. “This Administration is committed to rebuilding our nation’s transportation infrastructure and helping to improve bus service nationwide.”

New Mexico projects selected to receive funding are as follows:

• The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) will receive $5.3 million to enable the North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) to design and construct a new operations and maintenance facility in Taos. The new facility will feature more space and house more functions than the current facility, allowing NCRTD to more efficiently maintain its buses and improve service reliability.
• The Rio Metro Regional Transit District (RMRTD), which provides bus service in central New Mexico, will receive $5.9 million to construct a new bus administration and operations facility in Los Lunas, New Mexico. The new facility will enable RMRTD to consolidate its administrative and operations functions, increasing safety and security for staff and improving operational efficiency.

Demand for FTA’s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program far exceeded available funds, as FTA received applications for 318 eligible projects totaling approximately $1.9 billion in funding requests, from a total of 270 applicants in 43 states and territories. Project proposals were evaluated based on criteria outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Federal public transportation law (49 USC § 5339(b)), as amended by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, authorizes FTA’s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program through FY2020.

In Fiscal Year 2019, FTA has made available more than $12 billion in funding through both formula and competitive grant programs to support public transportation.