US DOT announces more than $30 billion in federal funding

The US Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced a total of $30.5 billion in Federal funding to support the nation’s public transportation systems as they continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and support President Biden’s call to vaccinate the U.S. population.

“Transportation workers are serving on the front lines of this pandemic: delivering the vaccine, getting people to essential jobs, and providing goods and services to people who need them,” said US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

“The critical American Rescue Plan funding we are announcing will help prevent service cuts, protect employees from layoffs, keep riders and workers safe, and strengthen our economy.”

The American Rescue Plan Act includes $30.5 billion for public transportation, including $26.6 billion which the DOT says is to be allocated to urban and rural areas, tribal governments, and for the enhanced mobility of seniors and individuals with disabilities, and $2.2 billion to FTA grant recipients in communities that demonstrate additional pandemic-associated needs.

An additional $1.7 billion is being provided for projects in the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program and another $25 million for competitive planning grants, which includes infrastructure projects in cities such as New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and Dallas.

“This is an important moment in our nation’s pandemic response,” said FTA Acting Administrator Nuria Fernandez. “The American Rescue Plan Act contains funding to help speed up vaccine distribution and provide relief to transit agencies so they can continue to provide service to the many Americans who depend on transit to get to essential jobs, healthcare and vaccine appointments.”

The DOT says it continues to work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other Federal partners to provide guidance to the public transportation industry in response to COVID-19 and move swiftly to make sure that transit agencies can access these much needed funds.