FTA grants CARES funding to five rail agencies

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) yesterday announced grant awards to five transit-rail agencies as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to address the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The agencies and their grant allocations are:

• Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, $876.8 million for operating, capital and preventive maintenance expenses;
• Bay Area Rapid Transit in San Francisco, $251.6 million to maintain operations and replace lost fare revenue; 
• San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, $197.2 million to continue operations and replace lost fare revenue; 
• Tri-County Metropolitan District of Oregon, $185 million to support rail, bus and paratransit transportation services, including covering the cost of administrative leave for some employees and purchasing personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies.
• Sound Transit in Seattle, $166.3 million for operating, maintenance and vehicle disinfection expenses. 

“We know 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,” said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams in a press release. “These federal funds will support operating assistance to transit agencies of all sizes providing essential travel and supporting transit workers across the country who are unable to work because of the public health emergency.”