FTA awards nearly $9M to indigenous communities through Tribal Transit Program

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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) recently awarded $8.6 million in Tribal Transit Program grants to more than two dozen American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native communities.

The program supports public transportation for federally recognized American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages, groups, or communities.

“Today’s grant awards will improve public transportation and connections for people in communities that have been historically underserved,” FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez said. “We want to make sure that no one is left behind as we expand and modernize transit systems.”

The Native Village of Unalakleet in Alaska will receive $1.6 million to build a bus garage and maintenance facility for the storage and repair of buses.

The Walker River Paiute Tribe in Nevada will receive $976,360 to establish the Agai-Dicutta Tribal Transit Program, which will provide transit services from the reservation to several Nevada cities.

The Winnebago Tribe in Nebraska will receive $489,700 to replace vehicles, purchase equipment, and upgrade its maintenance facility.

These grants are in addition to the more than $35 million in annual formula funding allocated for Tribal Transit. Nearly 12 million vehicle miles of service are provided by Tribal Transit systems nationwide annually, according to the National Transit Database.