Transit grants set to improve mobility for residents of rural tribal lands

The Obama Administration is firmly committed to improving tribal transportation resources. The Recovery Act, for example, included a $310 million boost for the Indian Reservation Roads Program, and we increased the annual amount of that program from $275 million to $450 million.

We’re also working to make it easier for Native American communities to access resources through discretionary programs like Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER). For example, we provided $12 million in TIGER support to improve roads on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana.

And just last week, I was pleased to announce the availability of $15 million in Tribal Transit grants. These grants will enable rural American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments across the United States to invest in public transit options that provide convenient access to employment centers and promote new economic development on tribal lands.

The Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Tribal Transit Program provides grants to tribes for capital transportation projects and operating expenses to meet the growing public transit needs of rural tribal communities.  Funds available on a competitive basis to tribes through the Tribal Transit program are in addition to formula funds tribes receive from states through FTA’s rural transit program.

Federal tribal transit grants have enabled dozens of tribal communities and transit providers to purchase, modernize, and expand bus fleets, increase service for seniors and people with disabilities, and launch new bus, van, and commuter service in rural communities that had never been served by public transit before.

In addition, these dollars create jobs and stimulate development of new tribal-owned businesses.

Interested tribes should start with the application instructions on the FTA's program website.

Affordable transit choices in our rural communities give residents better access to jobs and health care, and provide an incentive for much-needed economic development. Through the Tribal Transit program, DOT will continue to make these choices a reality for native communities across the country.

Comments

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$450 million dollars for tribal roads through the failed stim plan??? Where are the JOBS the failed stim plan was to create?? Another tax payer rip off. way to go Lahood!! Now we have airline tickets being paid for by the tax payers ot the tune of 3G per ticket, yet another waste of our tax dollars. US treasury just borrowed $238 BILLION dollars because the debt celing is raised. 14.5 trillion dollars is now our debt. 14.5 trillion dollars is our GDP output. So we are now borrowed to 100% of GDP!! Greece was at 126% of GDP. Do we see anything good from this? What is wrong with you people?!?!?!

[tyn]

The stim plan isn't failed, moron. Take your unwanted conservative propaganda elsewhere.