FTA: $20.5B in FY24 Funding for Transit Agencies
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
FTA Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on April 4 reported that $20.5 billion is available to support public transit for Fiscal Year 2024 and provided full-year tables that specify funding to states, urbanized areas, and tribal governments based on statutory formulas and funding levels set by Congress.
These apportionment tables reflect the funding provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Pub. L. 118-42, March 9, 2024), which provides a full-year spending authority, according to FTA. Transit agencies and grant recipients can use the tables to view the amounts for FTA grant programs by state and urbanized area so they can “better plan and manage new and expanded transit projects that benefit their communities,” FTA said.
The funding can be used to expand, modernize, maintain, and operate public transportation systems; upgrade stations, tracks and maintenance facilities; plan and design new transit corridors; and provide access for seniors and riders with disabilities.
According to FTA, there are two changes in FY 2024 that impact apportionment amounts: “This year, based on population changes from the 2020 Census, some areas will see changes to funding amounts due to factors such as new urbanized area boundaries. Specifically, some population fluctuations result in regions exceeding or falling below the 50,000-population threshold for urbanized areas. Other thresholds within the urban programs determine whether funds are apportioned to the states or directly to urbanized areas. In addition, the formulas use transit agencies’ ridership data from 2022, which reflects post-pandemic changes in travel patterns.”
FY 2024 full-year apportionments/allocations by state for selected FTA grant programs through Sept. 30, 2024, is available by clicking here.
“We are pleased to provide billions of dollars in federal support to communities thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” FTA Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool said. “Transit funds reach communities large and small, which depend on this funding to start new projects, fix old infrastructure, and ensure fast, safe, convenient service.”
FTA earlier this year released $9.9 billion in partial-year apportionments reflecting funding available for five months (October 1, 2023, to March 1, 2024) at FY 2023 levels while the federal government operated under a Continuing Resolution. “The partial-year funding, which provided transit agencies an opportunity to draw down formula funding for time-sensitive needs, is a subset of the full-year amounts being announced today [April 4],” FTA said.
