To provide funds for vehicle purchases operating assistance program administration training and preventive maintenance for twelve subrecipients that provide rural transit service in WV.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded $31.2 million to the West Virginia Division of Public Transit under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas and Tribal Transit Program (CFDA 20.509) on September 19, 2025, with a completion date of March 31, 2027. This formula grant provides capital, planning, and operating assistance to support public transportation services across West Virginia's rural and non-urbanized areas. The funding will be distributed to twelve subrecipients that operate rural transit services, including Bluefield Area Transit, Buckwheat Express, Central West Virginia Transit Authority, Country Roads Transit, Fairmont-Marion County Transit Authority, Here and There Transit Authority, Little Kanawha Transit Authority, Mountain Transit Authority, Potomac Valley Transit Authority, Tri-River Transit Authority, Mt. Line Transit Authority, and Barons Bus.

The awarded funds will support vehicle purchases (buses, vans, and support vehicles), operating assistance, program administration, preventive maintenance activities, training, and intercity transit operations. These investments enable the twelve subrecipients to maintain safe and effective transit services for rural West Virginia residents, including seniors, individuals with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations in underserved communities. The grant advances the FTA's strategic objectives by ensuring continued mobility and accessibility for residents in areas with populations under 50,000, where public transit access is often limited.

Activities

Funds will be used to cover operating assistance program administration training preventive maintenance activities intercity transit and purchase of buses vans and support vehicles.

Expected outcomes

Funding will permit wvdot to support continued safe and effective operation of transit services for rural areas of west virginia.

Intended beneficiaries

The wvdot transit organizations and citizens in the rural and non-urbanized areas of west virginia.

Subrecipient activities

The following twelve (12) subrecipients are providers of rural transit service and will receive funds for vehicle purchases operating assistance preventive maintenance and training: bluefield area transit bluefield WV; buckwheat express kingwood WV; central WV transit authority clarksburg WV; country roads transit elkins WV; fairmont-marion county transit authority fairmont WV; here and there transit authority philippi WV; little kanawha transit authority grantsville WV; mountain transit authority summersville WV; potomac valley transit authority petersburg WV; TRI-river transit authority hamlin WV. MT. Line transit authority morgantown WV; and barons bus cleveland OH.