TxDOT Approves Nearly $150M For Statewide Transit

Jul 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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