MDOT announces $133 million in grants to transit agencies across Michigan for new buses

By Anne Snobes

asnabes@detroitnews.com

The Michigan Division of Transportation has awarded $133 million in grants to improve transit autos and amenities throughout the state, together with $59.8 million for the Detroit Division of Transportation.

MDOT stated the cash, which is able to go to greater than two dozen transit businesses in Michigan, will assist modernize the state’s bus infrastructure, cut back site visitors congestion and “assist folks journey extra effectively and affordably.”

The Detroit Division of Transportation will obtain the biggest grant: $9 million in state funds and $50.9 million in federal funds. The company announced last month that it could use the federal cash to purchase 53 new buses.

The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation, which serves Metro Detroit’s suburban communities, in the meantime, will get $1.56 million, together with $312,375 in state funds and $1.25 million in federal funds.

“These aggressive grants strengthen Michigan’s thriving intermodal transportation community that connects our communities,” stated Jean Ruestman, administrator of the MDOT Workplace of Passenger Transportation, in a information launch concerning the statewide grants. “Each grant packages have numerous constructive social and financial impacts, starting from enhancing mobility to selling inexperienced innovation in public transportation.”

Federal funding comes from the Federal Transit Administration Subsidies for buses and bus facilities program And Low or no emissions grant programthe latter of which funds the 53 new Detroit buses. These buses are along with 76 buses awarded via Biden administration grants over the previous two years, bringing Detroit’s complete new bus purchases to 129 — or 44% of the whole fleet, in accordance the city of Detroit.

A third of Detroit Division of Transportation buses have been routinely in disrepair as of 2024. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan attributed a part of the issue to town falling behind on new bus purchases in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bus operators, passengers and a few mechanics who work on buses stated final 12 months that the scarcity of working autos is affecting the operation of the whole system. Some stated a part of the issue is hiring technicians with out sufficient expertise. At the least one knowledgeable stated the pandemic upended public transportation in lots of main cities.

SMART Chief Advertising and marketing Officer Bernard Parker stated the company is receiving grants to buy new autos for 3 of its neighborhood companions: the North Oakland Transportation Authority, the OPC Social and Exercise Middle and the Pointe Space Assisted Transportation Companies.

“These grant funds will enable SMART to place assets immediately into the fingers of our neighborhood companions,” he stated in a press release. “By supporting native authorities with dependable autos, we assist them broaden their attain and higher join folks with providers and alternatives.”

A number of the grant recipients are transit businesses in rural areas, together with the Cadillac/Wexford Transit Authority. It would obtain greater than $6 million for varied initiatives, together with the growth of the bus storage and workplaces, the development of a bus washing facility and the acquisition of 14 new autos.

In the meantime, the Capital Space Transportation Authority, which serves Better Lansing, will obtain $8.7 million to buy new hybrid buses to switch older buses which have reached the tip of their service life. Jackson Space Transportation Authority will obtain $2.37 million for hybrid buses.