Purchase bus replacements for niagara frontier transportation authority and for bus shelters FY26 section 5339 funding to support transit service

The Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration awarded Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority $2,000,029 on August 19, 2026, under the Buses and Bus Facilities Formula, Competitive, and Low or No Emissions Programs (CFDA 20.526) to purchase one 40-foot battery electric bus, five paratransit vehicles, and forty-nine bus shelters for installation in the Buffalo-Niagara region.

The award funds replacement of life and mileage-expired buses currently in NFTA-Metro's revenue service fleet with new vehicles and infrastructure designed to reduce average fleet age, minimize out-of-service repair time, and lower fleet maintenance costs. The battery electric bus purchase will replace diesel-fueled vehicles experiencing frequent breakdowns. The bus shelters will be installed across the service area. These replacements will serve routes connecting residents of Buffalo and surrounding suburbs to employment, healthcare, education, and recreation opportunities.

The award obligates $2,000,029 and is classified as a formula grant. Performance extends through November 30, 2028, with place of performance in New York. No sub-recipients are identified in the award documentation.

Purpose

The purpose of this award is to purchase bus replacements for niagara frontier transportation authority and for bus shelters FY26 section 5339 funding to support transit service.

Activities

This grant will fund a purchase one (1) 40-foot battery electric bus and five (5) paratransit vehicles to replace an equal number of life and mileage expired buses currently in revenue service as part of the nfta-metro bus fleet. This grant will also fund forty-nine (49) bus shelters to be installed in our area.

Expected outcomes

This project will help nfta reduce its overall average bus fleet age minimize the number of buses out of service for repairs and reduce the cost of fleet maintenance. The purchase of replacement battery electric buses will reduce the frequency of breakdowns experienced by nfta-metros life and mileage-expired diesel-fueled fleet currently in service.

Intended beneficiaries

The new buses will replace buses that have exceeded their useful life. The new vehicles are less costly to maintain and more reliable. These routes connect people living in the city of buffalo and its surrounding suburbs to employment healthcare education and recreation opportunities. As such by replacing life and mileage-expired buses with new clean diesel models to operate across these routes this project will increase access to convenient reliable and efficient public transportation options for a large portion of nftas overall ridership.