TxDOT Approves Nearly $150M For Statewide Transit
July 18, 2022
GOBUS
East Texas Council of Governments will receive $350,164
On July 12, the Texas Transportation Commission awarded more than $68 million in federal and state funds to transit providers across the state. Combined with an award granted in June, TxDOT is distributing more than $146 million in funding, a 65% increase compared to funds approved in the summer of 2021. This increase is partly due to additional federal funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
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In Atlanta County, the fund includes $89,400 for the Arc-Tex County Council serving Bowie, Cass, Morris, and Titus counties. The East Texas Council of Governments will receive $350,164 serving Camp, Harrison, Marion, Panola, and Upshur counties.
“This funding is important to ensure everyone in Texas, especially those in rural areas, needs to travel safely and reliably,” said TxDOT Transportation Commissioner Alvin New. “Many people across the state rely on these services to meet their basic needs because they have no other choice. We are excited to fund these agencies as they continue to serve the people of Texas."
Transit companies can use these funds to cover maintenance costs, buy new buses, build new facilities, and expand their services to accommodate more people. Here are some concrete examples:
- The Concho Valley Transit District in San Angelo will build a bus storage and internal maintenance facility.
- The Rural Economic Assistance League (REAL), which serves nine counties in South Texas’ Coastal Bend region, will build a multimodal transit facility after doubling its service area in recent years.
- Texoma Area Paratransit System, Inc. (TAPS), which serves six counties near the Oklahoma border, is moving administration and transportation functions from its leased premises to a new facility.
- The Brazos Transit District, which serves seven counties in the Brazos Valley, will expand its service and add fuel vehicles to the site.
TxDOT says state and federal funds support rural and urban transit services in more than 90% of the state’s land area and serve more than a third of the state’s population. Statewide, the money will make transit safer and more reliable.
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The East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) has received a $175,000 grant from the Texas Veterans Commission to continue transportation services for veterans through its rural transit district, GoBus. The funding is part of more than $3.3 million in Texas Veterans Commission grants awarded this month to 13 veteran-service organizations across East Texas. Statewide, the commission awarded $40.8 million to organizations helping veterans and their families access critical services. For many veterans in rural East Texas, reliable transportation can be a barrier to medical appointments, employment, education, grocery stores, social service programs, and other essential destinations. The grant will help GoBus continue providing transportation options that support veterans’ independence and connection to the services they need. “We are grateful to the Texas Veterans Commission for investing in transportation access for veterans in our region,” said ETCOG’s Transportation Director, Vince Huerta. “Through GoBus, we can help reduce the transportation barriers that too often stand between veterans and essential health care, employment opportunities and community resources. With this grant, we are proud to offer free trips for veterans and active service members, their spouses and dependents.” GoBus provides public transportation across East Texas, helping residents in rural communities travel safely and affordably where transportation options may otherwise be limited. Every single vehicle in our fleet is ADA compliant and ready to serve passengers with mobility challenges, disabilities, or special needs. The Texas Veterans Commission’s Fund for Veterans’ Assistance supports organizations that provide direct assistance to veterans, their families and surviving spouses. Grant funding helps address service gaps in areas such as transportation, housing, financial assistance, legal services, and other supportive programs. Veterans who need transportation assistance are encouraged to contact GoBus to learn about available services, eligibility requirements, and how to schedule a trip. For more information about GoBus, visit www.gobustransit.com or call 903-215-8870.
ETCOG has completed a major fleet replacement for its GoBus rural transit system, with approximately $1.5 million in funding used to purchase and receive multiple new vehicles now ready to serve communities across East Texas. The funding was part of a broader initiative led by TxDOT in late 2024 to secure federal support for rural transit agencies across Texas. That effort brought in more than $26 million in federal funding statewide to address critical fleet replacement needs and help rural systems replace aging vehicles more quickly than would normally be possible. Under typical annual funding levels, most rural transit agencies are only able to replace one to two vehicles per year. This investment gave ETCOG the opportunity to replace several GoBus vehicles that had significantly exceeded their useful life, strengthening the system’s ability to provide safe, dependable transportation for the people who rely on it every day. The new vehicles will help improve safety, reliability, and service continuity for rural residents who depend on GoBus for essential trips such as medical appointments, work, shopping, and other daily needs. With the buses now received, ETCOG is better positioned to maintain consistent service and reduce the risk of disruptions caused by aging equipment. “This funding allows us to continue delivering on our mission of providing safe, reliable, and friendly transportation to the communities we serve,” said Vince Huerta, Director of Transportation. “It ensures we can maintain the level of service our riders depend on every day.” This fleet replacement reflects a meaningful investment in rural public transportation and in the East Texans who count on GoBus to stay connected to essential services and opportunities.
Improving mobility is an ongoing objective for persons living, working, or visiting the East Texas region. As the lead agency for our region, the East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) is working with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and a consultant team to prepare an update of the Regional Public Transportation Coordination Plan for Anderson, Camp, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Marion, Panola, Rains, Rusk, Smith, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood counties. The 2026 Plan seeks to identify practical strategies for improving the day-to-day mobility of all residents of the region, but especially older adults, persons with disabilities, low-income individuals, zero-car households, area youth, persons with limited English proficiency, veterans, clients of workforce agencies, and employment/job seekers. It will include a variety of public participation opportunities including a bilingual (Spanish/English) project webpage, community survey, and focus groups with members of the target populations listed above. We will also conduct surveys of stakeholders and transportation providers to gain additional insight into the transportation needs and resources available to the region. While public transportation plays a significant role in regional mobility, it is far from the only transportation provider. As such, we will be reaching out to many organizations that provide transportation services or support for transportation to gain a comprehensive understanding of the mobility resources available within East Texas communities. All residents are encouraged to take the community survey by clicking here . If you are interested in participating in a focus group, you’ll have the opportunity to let us know at the end of the survey. If you are an organization that serves any of the target populations listed above, have not received a stakeholder survey, and would like to complete a stakeholder survey and/or receive materials to distribute to those you serve, click here to send us your request . Make sure you include your email address so we can respond.
