The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced a total of $25 billion in federal funding allocations to help the nation’s public transportation systems respond to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
"We know that many of our nation’s public transportation systems are facing extraordinary challenges and these funds will go a long way to assisting our transit industry partners in battling COVID-19," stated FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams. "These federal funds will support operating assistance to transit agencies, including those in large urban areas as well as pay transit workers across the country not working because of the public health emergency."
The funds will be allocated with no local match required to recipients of urbanized area and rural area formula funds, with $22.7 billion allocated to large and small urban areas and $2.2 billion allocated to rural areas. The funds will support capital, operating, and other expenses under those programs to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19.
Operating expenses incurred beginning on January 20, 2020, are also eligible, including operating expenses to maintain transit services and paying for administrative leave for transit personnel due to reduced operations during an emergency. Answers to frequently asked questions about this funding are available on FTA’s web site.