Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) will receive a $100 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to help keep the transit organization going during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) said Monday.
Part of the funding provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress on March 27, the grant will support SacRT’s public transportation services throughout the Sacramento region, including covering operating expenses, preventive maintenance on assets, ADA and paratransit services, and assistance for El Dorado Transit in El Dorado County, a subrecipient of the grant funding.
“As our economy recovers and adjusts to the challenges of this continuing pandemic, public transit is crucial to keeping us moving in the right direction,” Matsui said. “For many in our community, public transit is their primary mode of transportation. That’s why I called for increased public transit funding support in the CARES Act. SacRT has long been a community pillar for driving economic growth and equity throughout the region, and I am thrilled that these funds will enable them to continue to safely serve their riders and dedicated employees through this crisis. I thank Henry Li and SacRT for ensuring the safety and efficiency of Sacramento’s public transit in these uncertain times.”
In total, Matsui announced, SacRT received $100,091,546.
“Public transit is a lifeline for millions of Americans and the CARES Act delivered critical funding at a critical time. These funds allowed SacRT to continue to provide essential public transit service to our riders when they needed it most,” said Henry Li, GM/CEO of Sacramento Regional Transit. “I would like to thank Congresswoman Matsui for her extraordinary leadership in crafting this much-needed relief package and for her commitment to ensuring that Sacramentans have access to critical destinations through innovative and affordable bus and light rail service.”