Buses and Bus Facilities Formula, Competitive, and Low or No Emissions Programs

 

Provides capital funding to replace, rehabilitate, purchase, or lease buses and bus related equipment and to rehabilitate, purchase, construct, or lease bus-related facilities. Provides capital funding for low or no emissions bus projects.

Active 20.526 Federal Transit Administration, Department of Transportation A - Formula Grants; B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2016 FTA will award funds for battery-electric buses, hydrogen fuel cell buses, and buses powered by more common technologies, as well as supporting equipment and facilities. FTA awarded funds for battery-electric buses, hydrogen fuel cell buses, and buses powered by more common technologies, as well as supporting equipment and facilities.
Fiscal Year 2017 FTA will award funds for battery-electric buses, hydrogen fuel cell buses, and buses powered by more common technologies, as well as supporting equipment and facilities.
Fiscal Year 2018 Connect Transit received a grant of $6 million to buy battery electric buses to replace aging diesel buses in its fleet. Connect Transit operates 15 fixed bus routes and a paratransit service in the cities of Bloomington and Normal, Illinois, providing 2.3 million rides annually
Fiscal Year 2019 FTA awarded 38 projects totaling nearly $85 million in FY19 Low-No funding in FY19. FTA awarded 94 projects totaling over $423 million in FY19 Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities competitive funding.
Fiscal Year 2021 FTA selected 70 projects through the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program in 39 states totaling approximately $409.3 million to improve the safety and reliability of America’s bus systems. FTA selected 49 projects through the Low- or No-Emission (Low-No) Grant program in 46 states and territories totaling $182 million to fund the deployment of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and supporting equipment and facilities.
Fiscal Year 2023 FTA selected 47 projects through the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program in 26 states totaling approximately $472.9 million to improve the safety and reliability of America’s bus systems. FTA selected 83 projects through the Low- or No-Emission (Low-No) Grant program in 42 states and territories totaling approximately$1.22 billion to fund the deployment of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and supporting equipment and facilities. Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, 49 U.S.C. 5339
Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, 49 U.S.C. 5339
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), 49 U.S.C. 5339 Beneficiaries of funding include states and direct recipients. After allocation of funds, fixed-route bus operators, the general public, both users and non-users of public transportation, public agencies, and private transportation companies may benefit. Applicants should see the specific NOFO for a final listing for each competition. Beneficiaries of funding include states and designated recipients. After allocation of funds, fixed-route bus operators, the general public, both users and non-users of public transportation, public agencies, and private transportation companies may benefit. Resolution by an authorized public body approving the filing for an application; projects must be included in an urbanized area's transportation improvement program (TIP), in the State transportation improvement program (STIP) and approved by FTA and FHWA; information must be provided on labor and relocation; environmental impact statement; legal opinion; coordinated regional planning documentation; maintenance certification; and compliance with certifications and assurances as compiled in FTA's Annual List of Certifications and Assurances. Costs will be in accordance with 2 CFR 225 for State and Local Governments. Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact statement is required for this listing. An environmental impact assessment is required for this listing. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No 2 CFR 200 and FTA Circular 5100.1 "Bus and Bus Facilities Program." Applications are made to the regional offices of the Federal Transit Administration listed at https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/regional-offices/regional-offices An FTA grant award obligating Federal funds is reflected in a grant agreement. Grants are awarded electronically using FTA's electronic award management system, TrAMS. In order to access this system, a user name and password are needed and can be obtained by contacting the regional offices. Once the funds are reserved in TrAMS and the project information has been reviewed and approved, the recipient must execute the grant agreement to access the funds. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 15 to 30 days. From the date of the application submittal in FTA's Transit Award Management System (TrAMS) the approximate time of award is 15 to 30 days. Not applicable. Funding is made available annually through the appropriation process. Grants may be amended to add newly available funds for a continuing project. For the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program and the Low-No Program the criteria utilized included: Demonstration of Need; Demonstration of Benefits; Project Implementation; Financial Commitment; Technical, Legal, and Financial Capacity; and Planning and Local Prioritization. Eligible capital projects include the acquisition of buses for fleet and service expansion, bus maintenance and administrative facilities, transfer facilities, transportation centers, intermodal terminals, park-and-ride stations, acquisition of replacement vehicles, bus rebuilds, passenger amenities such as passenger shelters and bus stop signs, accessory and miscellaneous equipment such as mobile radio units, supervisory vehicles, fare boxes, computers, and shop and garage equipment. Low or No Emissions grants may be used to acquire low or no emissions buses and related equipment and facilities. Performance Reports: A milestones progress report is required. Not applicable. Recipient is required to retain intact, for 3 years following submission of final expenditure report, pending resolution of audit findings, all project contract documents, financial records, and supporting documents. Statutory Formula: Title 49 Chapter 5339

Matching is mandatory. Percentages for matching: 10/15/20. The federal share is not to exceed 80 percent of the net project cost. The Federal share may be 85 percent for the cost of a vehicle that complies with the American with Disabilities Act and the Clean Air Act or 90 percent for the cost of vehicle-related equipment or facilities attributable to compliance with these requirements.

This program has MOE requirements, see funding agency for further details. Additional Information: Funds must be obligated in a grant within three years after the year in which funds are appropriated (total of four years). Reimbursement of eligible project expenses: Applicant is required to submit a grant application in the Transportation Awards Management System (TrAMS). None/Not specified. Kirsten Wiard-Bauer
1200 New Jersey Ave SE
Washington, DC 20590 USA
kirsten.wiard-bauer@dot.gov
Phone: 202-366-7052

Margaretta Veltri
1200 New Jersey Ave SE
Washington, DC 20590 USA
margaretta.veltri@dot.gov
Phone: 202-366-5094 http://www.transit.dot.gov 69-2812-0-1-401 (Formula Grants) FY 22$565,973,000.00; FY 23 est $557,058,000.00; FY 24 est $613,546,000.00; FY 21$520,426,000.00; FY 20$627,330,942.00; FY 19$553,241,081.00; FY 18$310,024,293.00; FY 17$302,272,050.00; FY 16$427,800,000.00; - (Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 22$406,957,000.00; FY 23 est $481,175,000.00; FY 24 est $531,263,000.00; FY 21$621,509,000.00; FY 20$348,834,953.00; FY 19$422,192,688.00; - Current year: $165,000 - $592,000,000 See FTA Circular 5100.1 "Bus and Bus Facilities Program." May 18, 2015. Fiscal Year 2016 The same types of funded projects are expected in FY 2016. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CA) – Bus purchase. .City of Clemson dba Clemson Area Transit (SC) – Zero emission electric buses Iowa DOT (IA) - Rural vehicle purchase
Fiscal Year 2017 bus procurement, passenger and maintenance facility construction, battery electric bus charging equipment
Fiscal Year 2018 A transit system received funding to purchase associated infrastructure for CNG and electric buses.
Fiscal Year 2019 In Arizona, two projects will receive a total of $17.4 million, including approximately $17.3 million to the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority to construct a new Downtown Connection Center in Flagstaff and purchase all-electric buses; and $160,000 to the White Mountain Apache Tribe to purchase new vehicles and expand transit service for tribal residents. In Michigan, the City of Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) and Flint Mass Transportation Authority (MTA) will receive a total of $12.8 million, including $8.5 million to modernize Detroit’s fare collection system on buses and $4.3 million to help Flint purchase new buses that will replace diesel buses that have exceeded their useful life. In North Carolina, three projects will receive a total of $24.5 million, including $17.3 million to the North Carolina Department of Transportation to help several rural transit systems replace vehicles and construct public transportation facilities throughout the state; as well as $6.8 million to the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation and $480,000 to the City of Salisbury to purchase new vehicles to replace those that have exceeded their useful life.
Fiscal Year 2021 The Port Authority of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, PA, will receive $5.1 million to purchase electric chargers and make improvements at its East Liberty Garage to support future electric buses as part of its planned bus rapid transit system. By retrofitting the garage to service electric buses, the agency will also lower pollution in the surrounding community. The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County in Washoe County, NV, will receive nearly $6.5 million to purchase hydrogen fuel cell-electric buses and construct a hydrogen fueling facility to improve service reliability and air quality for residents in the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area. The project also supports RTC’s efforts to transition its aging diesel bus fleet to zero emission vehicles to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in an area where ozone levels currently exceed air quality targets.
Fiscal Year 2023 The Ohio Department of Transportation will receive $29.3 million to help 10 transit agencies serving both rural and urban communities buy dozens of low- or no-emission buses that will replace older vehicles. The agencies will expand their fleets to support essential services, train workers in good-quality careers, and begin the decarbonization transition for several of Ohio’s major transit systems. The Seneca Nation of Indians in Western New York will receive nearly $6 million to replace an outdated maintenance facility with a new building that will serve as an operations hub for the Seneca Nation Department of Transportation, including the Seneca Transit System (STS). The building will allow STS to store and maintain transit buses.