FTA Announces $9.9 Billion in Federal Formula Funding

FTA has announced $9.9 billion in federal formula funding to support public transportation throughout the U.S. The funding will help communities maintain and operate trains, buses, and ferries; upgrade stations and tracks; plan and design new transit corridors; and provide access for seniors and riders with disabilities.

“When we invest in public transit, we improve daily life for millions of Americans across the country, and make it easier, safer, and more affordable to get around communities of every size,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The Biden-Harris Administration is making the largest investment in public transit in U.S. history, including $9.9 billion announced today, to help communities improve public transit and expand it to reach more people than ever before.”

The partial-year FY24 funding is detailed in apportionment tables that specify funding to states, urbanized areas, and tribal governments based on statutory formulas. The funding reflects formula funding available for five months (Oct. 1, 2023, to March 1, 2024) at FY23 levels while the federal government operates under a Continuing Resolution. See state-by-state funding here. The publication of apportionment tables allows public transit providers to move forward with applications for FY24 funds to support expanding and modernizing transit systems and operations.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides significant increases to transit funds across the country, from counties with just one van providing rides, to systems operating hundreds of trains, buses, and ferries in the largest cities in America,” said FTA Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. “Communities depend on this funding to start new projects, fix old infrastructure, and bring more fast, safe, convenient service.”

Formula-based grant programs include funding for public transit systems in both urbanized and rural areas, grants for buses and bus facilities—including low- and no-emission buses—transit designed for seniors and people with disabilities, planning funds, and support to improve the condition of transit assets.

This year, due to changes resulting from the 2020 Census, some areas will see changes to funding amounts due to new urbanized area boundaries, as well as changes in populations. The apportionments reflect changes occurring in areas that exceed or fall below the 50,000 population threshold for urban areas, as well as other thresholds within the urban programs that determine whether funds are apportioned to the states or directly to urbanized areas.

Full-year formula funding will be available once Congress passes an FY24 appropriations bill. Once enacted, transit funding will support President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support transit in 500 urban communities across the country and rural transit systems across the U.S.