Purchase up to five (5) cutaway fixed route replacement vehicles in order to provide more reliable transportation services

Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (CMRTA) received a $669,315 formula grant award on June 23, 2025, from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the Buses and Bus Facilities Formula, Competitive, and Low or No Emissions Programs (CFDA 20.526). The grant funds the purchase of five new cutaway fixed-route replacement vehicles to replace an equivalent number of 2017 Ford propane cutaways that have reached or exceeded their useful service life of seven years and/or 200,000 miles. The procurement and deployment of these replacement vehicles will enhance service reliability for CMRTA's fixed-route transit operations serving the Columbia, South Carolina metropolitan area.

The intended beneficiaries of this award are customers utilizing CMRTA's fixed-route transit system. No subrecipient activities are associated with this grant. The award has an ultimate completion date of March 30, 2035, providing CMRTA with an extended timeline to execute the vehicle purchase and deployment activities. This formula grant represents part of CMRTA's ongoing federal support for fleet modernization and service improvement initiatives.

Purpose

The purpose of this grant is to purchase up to five (5) cutaway fixed route replacement vehicles in order to provide more reliable transportation services. These vehicles will replace five (5) 2017 ford fixed route vehicles that have reached or surpassed their useful life of 7 years and/or 200000 miles.

Activities

Five 2017 ford propane cutaways will be replaced through the purchase of five new cutaways.

Expected outcomes

The replacement of cmrtas older vehicles will increase reliability in the provision of fixed route service.

Intended beneficiaries

The intended beneficiaries are customers of the cmrtas fixed route transit system.