The city of dekalb urban transit fleet operates up to 20 fixed route and 19 paratransit vehicles at peak service providing 1088518 passenger trips in CY2025

The Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration awarded the City of Dekalb $27.687 million in Federal Transit Formula Grants (CFDA 20.507) on April 23, 2026, for public transit operations, rolling stock refurbishment, and facility construction in the DeKalb Urbanized Area through March 31, 2029.

Operating assistance funds support City of Dekalb Transit staff salaries, fringe benefits, fuel, the transit provider contract with Transdev Services Inc. for fixed-route and paratransit services, printing, marketing, and other operating costs. The city's transit fleet operates up to 20 fixed-route and 19 paratransit vehicles at peak service, delivering 1,088,518 passenger trips in calendar year 2025. Rolling stock refurbishment funds extend the useful life of up to 8 existing fixed-route fleet vehicles. Transit facility construction funds support construction-related activities for a new DeKalb Transportation Facility.

The funding serves residents and transit ridership in the DeKalb Urbanized Area, encompassing the City of DeKalb, the City of Sycamore, the Town of Cortland, and Northern Illinois University. The source identifies no sub-recipients.

Activities

Operating assistance will be used to support public transit operations in the dekalb IL UZA. Operating activities consist of city of dekalb transit staff salaries fringe benefits fuel for transit service providers and to support the transit provider contract with transdev services INC. (both fixed route and paratransit services) printing and marketing activities and other operating costs.rolling stock refurbishment project funds will be used to extend the useful life of up to 8 existing fixed route fleet vehicles. Transit facility construction funds will be used for construction-related activities for a new dekalb transportation facility.

Expected outcomes

Operating assistance funding will permit city of dekalb transit to continue to provide service operations in the dekalb IL UZA.rolling stock refurbishment project funds will extend the useful life of up to 8 existing fixed route fleet vehicles which will help maintain adequate service levels within the dekalb IL UZA.transit facility construction funding will allow for construction-related activities for the new dekalb transportation facility to be implemented.

Intended beneficiaries

Residents and transit ridership of the dekalb illinois urbanized area including the city of dekalb the city of sycamore the town of cortland and northern illinois university.