According to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), North Carolina will receive 25 percent more ($176 million) in public transit funding as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The legislation, also called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, passed in November and was signed into law by President Joe Biden last year. It is expected to infuse an estimated $1.2 trillion into the nation’s infrastructure.
The funding includes more than $45 million in funding for rural transit services, the FTA said, defined as areas serving less than 200,000. The remaining $131 million will go to urban transit agencies.
“We are so pleased with the bipartisan effort that has taken place to get us to this point,” said N.C. Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette. “Public transit is the backbone of so many communities in North Carolina. This funding will go a long way in continuing to support them.”
Last year, the state received $140 million. The increased funding will help transit systems to replace their aging vehicles with new ones that are expected to be zero-emission vehicles. The fund will also be used to hire more operators.
The funding will also allow public transit systems to adopt new technologies, such as on-demand microtransit and cashless pay systems that will improve service. NCDOT has previously supported the development of microtransit services in the Wilson and Wilmington areas.