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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

Waivers Granted

Date Waiver Summary
10/25/2022 Notice of Partial Buy America Waiver for Vans and Minivans FTA announced a two-year Buy America waiver of the domestic content requirement for certain vans and minivans used in public transportation. This waiver covers mass-produced, unmodified non-ADA accessible passenger vans and minivans.
12/12/2016 North County Transit District FTA waives its Buy America requirements for the purchase of replacement parts for Diesel Multiple Unit rail vehicles by NCTD over several phases from 2018 through 2026, finding that the materials for which the waiver is requested are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of satisfactory quality.
12/12/2016 Port Authority of New York and New Jersey FTA is issuing a general public interest waiver for two PANYNJ Hurricane Sandy grants, NY-44-X005 and NY-44-X014. This public interest waiver is limited to the Hurricane Sandy recovery projects at the WTC Hub only and does not apply to separately funded resiliency projects.
12/12/2016 Central Puget Sound Transit Authority Sound Transit seeks to procure approximately 15,100 feet of ultrastraight rail for a portion of its Northgate Link light rail extension to avoid exceedance of contractually-mandated vibration thresholds. The FTA hereby waives its Buy America requirements, finding that the materials for which the waiver is requested are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of satisfactory quality. This waiver is limited to a single procurement by Sound Transit.
12/12/2016 Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority FTA granted a waiver limited to a single procurement by GDRTA for radio consoles, finding that the materials for which the waiver is requested are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of satisfactory quality.
10/20/2016 Pace Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority FTA waives its Buy America domestic content requirement for non-ADA-accessible minivans and vans. FTA’s requirement for final assembly in the United States is not waived. This waiver applies to all contracts for the procurement of non-ADA-accessible minivans and vans entered into on or before September 30, 2019, or until a fully-compliant domestic source becomes available, whichever is earlier.
09/01/2016 Public Interest Waiver of Buy America Domestic Content Requirements for Rolling Stock Procurement in Limited Circumstances FTA issued a policy statement regarding its implementation of the phased-in increase in domestic content for rolling stock under the FTA’s Buy America statute, as amended by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. Through this final policy, FTA is providing guidance to transit agencies and transit vehicle manufacturers regarding how they are to implement the FAST Act’s statutory amendments. Additionally, FTA is providing notice of public interest waivers of Buy America domestic content requirements for rolling stock procurements in limited circumstances.
04/19/2016 Kansas City Area Transportation Authority FTA granted a waiver limited to a single procurement by KCATA for the DMR Tier III Trunked UHF Voice radio system, finding that the materials were not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality.
04/19/2016 Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation FTA grants a Buy America non-availability waiver for the procurement of a Horizontal Lifeline Fall Protection Maintenance Tie Back System (System), limited to a single procurement by IPTC for the System.
04/19/2016 Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation; York Adams Transportation Authority; Key West Transit; Springfield Redevelopment Authority FTA granted a Buy America non-availability waiver for the procurement of ductless mini-split system air conditioners limited to the specific procurements identified herein.
04/19/2016 Metro North Railroad FTA granted a Buy America non-availability waiver for the procurement of a steel excavator with a continuous wield platform (CWP), limited to a single procurement by MNR for the CWP.
04/19/2016 Detroit Transportation Corporation FTA granted a Buy America non-availability waiver for the procurement of two special trackwork turnout switch components, limited to the procurement by DTC for the switch.
12/10/2015 Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority FTA granted a Buy America non-availability waiver for the procurement of a proposed innovative electronic platform track intrusion system (PTIDS) for research and testing purposes to determine whether such a system will help to increase rail safety by identifying obstacles in the right-of-way. The waiver is limited to one procurement of the specific PTIDS components identified in this waiver request, and not to any future procurement by LACMTA or others.
12/10/2015 Virginia Department of Transportation FTA granted a Buy America non-availability waiver for Voith Turbo Schneider Propeller GmbH 21/R5 propulsion units as part of an engine and drive system replacement for the Ferry Boat Pocahontas. The waiver is limited to one procurement of the specific propulsion unit identified in this waiver request, and not to any future procurement by VDOT or others.
08/27/2015 Long Island Rail Road FTA granted a non-availability waiver for the movable point frog component of a single track turnout needed for Stage 1.1 of LIRR’s Jamaica Station Capacity Improvements Project. LIRR is withdrawing its request for Stage 2 waivers based on a redesign enabling it to use domestically-manufactured components.
08/21/2015 Colorado Department of Transportation FTA granted a non-availability waiver for replacement gondola components procured by Mountain Village for a gondola refurbishment project.
08/14/2015 City of Kansas City FTA granted a non-availability waiver for a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) HVAC system for the Kansas City Streetcar’s Vehicle Maintenance Facility.
02/18/2015 Long Island Rail Road FTA granted a non-availability waiver for two track turnout components on the East Side Access project.
10/09/2014 San Bernardino Associated Governments

FTA granted a non-availability waiver for a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) HVAC system for the San Bernardino Transit Center needed to meet LEED certification standards.
09/10/2014 New York City Transit  FTA granted a non-availability waiver for microcellular pads and rubber boots for Low Vibration Ties (LVTs) installed on the South Ferry Station project while NYCT seeks US-made components.
07/29/2014 Golden Gate Bridge District FTA granted a non-availability waiver for replacement waterjets for a high-speed ferry rebuilding project.
06/17/2014 Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District FTA granted a Buy America non-availability waiver request for a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) HVAC system for installation in the Rock Island Transfer Station.
05/06/2014 City of Cincinnati FTA granted the City of Cincinnati a waiver for Cincinnati Bell’s cross-connect cabinet for utility work associated with the Cincinnati Streetcar project.
04/22/2014 Allison Transmission FTA denied Allison Transmission’s request for another non-availability waiver for the Energy Storage Unit subsystem used in its hybrid-electric propulsion system.
03/21/2014 MTA Capital Construction Company (New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority FTA granted MTA Capital Construction Company a non-availability waiver for the pad and rubber boot of a concrete block for the Low Vibration Track system that it is constructing as part of Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway project.
12/18/2013 City of Charlotte FTA granted a non-availability waiver for a Video-Ready Access Device (VRAD) cabinet for utility relocation work associated with the CATS LYNX Blue Line Extension project.
11/27/2013 North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization FTA granted NFRMPO a non-availability waiver for seven-passenger minivans for its VanGo Vanpool Program.
07/05/2013 Metro-North Railroad FTA denies a request from Metro-North Railroad, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, for a price-differential waiver for the procurement of frogs from Progress Rail Services Corp.
03/27/2013 ALSTOM Transportation, Inc. FTA denied a waiver for the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) based inverter/converter system used in the propulsion system of a light rail vehicle manufactured by Alstom Transportation, Inc.
03/15/2013 Nextek Corporation FTA determined that banknote handling units used in transit ticket vending machines are subcomponents; therefore, a Buy America waiver requested by Nextek Corporation is unnecessary.
10/20/2011 Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority FTA granted a non-availability waiver for the procurement of journal bearings.
08/03/2011 New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority

FTA granted a public interest waiver that permitted a bidder to modify its Buy America certificate from non-compliance to one of compliance.
03/16/2011 Volvo Bus Corporation - Prevost Coach FTA denied a request for a public interest waiver for motor coache manufactured in Canada by Prevost Coach.
07/21/2010 Nextek Corporation FTA grants Buy America waiver for BV-6200 Bill Tekpak.
06/21/2010 El Dorado National / Chrysler In response to formal requests from El Dorado National, Kansas, and Chrysler Group LLC, and informal requests from several other parties, and based on the fact that no manufacturer has identified itself as willing and able to supply minivans or minivan chassis that are assembled in the United States, the Federal Transit Administration hereby waives its Buy America final assembly requirement for minivans and minivan chassis. This waiver is valid until such time as a domestic source becomes available.
Last updated: Tuesday, October 25, 2022