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The city of Phoenix Public Transit Department has been awarded a $2.6 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to purchase new local buses.
The award of the grant was announced Thursday, and according to the FTA, Phoenix was one of the 139 total grants awarded aimed at improving the safety and reliability of existing bus systems, and enhance mobility for transit riders in all 50 states and two territories.
"As we continue to make investments that improve our transit system, bus ridership has increased," said Mayor Greg Stanton. "This grant will help fund new buses as we increase our services and have a continued need for reliable transit options."
The voter-approved Phoenix Transportation 2050 plan, or T2050, identifies the need to continue to purchase new buses to modernize and expand the city's local bus fleet to continue to both improve existing route connections and add new routes in the near future.
"This grant allows Phoenix flexibility to continue to improve the city's transit system," said Vice Mayor Thelda Williams, who chairs the City Council's Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. "Local buses are part of our transportation infrastructure, modernizing our fleet and expanding our routes is key to our city's connectivity and economic development. Through T2050, the voters of Phoenix have given us a clear direction, and as a city we appreciate when the federal government awards a grant submitted with that vision in mind."
Currently, 39 percent of the city's fleet of 480 plus local buses are a decade or older, and the oldest ones have about 750,000 miles on the road. Phoenix has been actively purchasing new buses since 2014, replacing an average of 80 a year to ensure the fleet is reliable and safe for our riders.
About the Phoenix Public Transit Department:
The Phoenix Public Transit Department provides Phoenix residents a variety of transit options and is the largest member of the Valley Metro regional transit system. Services range from local and commuter buses to alternative transportation for senior citizens and special needs. The city of Phoenix funds transit, and other transportation improvements, through
Transportation 2050 (T2050) - a local sales tax approved by Phoenix voters in 2015 – as well as county and federal funds. T2050 allows for enhanced bus service, transit-related technology improvements and fare media upgrades under the leadership of the Citizens Transportation Commission. Visit us at
phoenix.gov/publictransit or follow us on
Twitter for the latest news.
