Regulations & Program Overview

In its role of providing financial assistance to develop new transit systems and improve, maintain, and operate existing systems nationwide, FTA oversees thousands of grants provided to states, tribes, and local public agencies to support public transportation. Grantees have a responsibility to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements associated with the management of federally assisted grants.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

US DOT has been made of aware of instances of telephone scammers falsely representing the Department regarding this program.Learn more.

Charter Bus Service Regulations

FTA’s Charter Service Regulations (49 CFR Part 604), which implement 49 U.S.C. 5323(d), protect private charter operators from unauthorized competition from FTA grant recipients. In essence, the charter regulations were implemented to ensure that transit agencies, subsidized with federal money, do not unfairly compete with privately owned bus companies. Under the charter rules, with limited exceptions, local transit agencies are restricted from operating chartered services.

Charter service means, but does not include demand response service to individuals:

FTA Public Affairs

Contact the Federal Transit Administration 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays.

Federal Transit Administration East Building 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590

Main number: (202) 366-4043

Grant Programs

Expired Grant Programs

The following FTA grant programs have expired or been repealed:

Emergency Relief Program

FTA’s Emergency Relief program was established under MAP-21, and enables FTA to provide assistance to public transit operators in the aftermath of an emergency or major disaster.

2012 Table 5: Local Taxes Dedicated at their Source for Transit Operating Funds Applied

FTA no longer produces this table. Provided detail on local sources of revenue applied to operating expenses.

Keywords: FTA no longer produces this table. Provided detail on local sources of revenue applied to operating expenses.

2012 Table 4: State Taxes Dedicated at their Source for Transit Operating Funds Applied

FTA no longer produces this table. Provided detail on state sources of revenue applied to operating expenses.

Keywords: income tax, sales tax, property tax, gasoline (fuel) tax, national totals, national statistics, agency size, UZA size, service size

2012 Table 3: Federal Government Sources for Transit Operating Funds Applied

Contains detail on federal sources of revenue applied to operating expenses.

Keywords: operating cost, 5307, uaf, 5309, capital program, fta, dot, funding, federal funding, grants