WASHINGTON – Congressman Antonio Delgado (D, NY19), member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has introduced legislation to boost funding for rural public transportation.
His plan would increase funding for the so-called 5311 Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program at the Federal Transit Administration by 55 percent for the fiscal year 2021, with a $20 million increase per year until 2025.
Delgado’s bill will give rural communities the funding needed to expand bus routes and make improvements to public transportation systems that increase accessibility and enable economic development.
The Rural Areas Program provides capital, planning, and operating assistance to states to support public transportation in rural areas with populations of less than 50,000, where many residents often rely on public transit to reach their destinations. Eligible activities include planning, capital, operating, job access and reverse commute projects, and the acquisition of public transportation services.
