Rail Fixed Guideway Public Transportation System State Safety Oversight Formula Grant Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 20.528
- Agency
-
Federal Transit Administration
Department of Transportation
- Grant awards
- 275 $411,448,477 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- State Safety Oversight Grant Program
- Assistance types
-
- Formula Grant
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 69-8350-0-7-401
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds state safety oversight of rail fixed guideway public transportation systems through Formula Grants, with the most recent award disbursed on August 12, 2026 (Assistance Listing 20.528).
This program finances state safety oversight agencies' operations across all fifty states, territories, and the District of Columbia to regulate rail transit safety for systems not under Federal Railroad Administration jurisdiction. Eligible activities include personnel and contractor costs for conducting safety oversight, administrative expenses, training aligned with Federal Transit System Safety Professional requirements, consultant services for accident investigations and audits, risk-based inspection programs, information systems development, and miscellaneous equipment including personal protective gear and support vehicles. Award recipients are designated state safety oversight agencies, typically housed within state departments of transportation, that oversee light rail, heavy rail, rapid rail, monorail, inclined plane, funicular, trolley, and automated guideway systems receiving FTA formula funding. Recent awards demonstrate consistent state-by-state deployment: California received $9.4 million, New York $6.7 million, Washington $2.0 million, Texas $2.9 million, and New Jersey $2.0 million in federal obligated funds across recent fiscal years.
The program is exclusively Formula Grant funded across all 275 awards in the portfolio, split 60 percent Formula Grants (166 awards) and 40 percent Project Grants (109 awards). The FTA is the sole funding agency. Combined federal dollars obligated total $411.4 million, with recipients providing additional cost-share bringing total obligated dollars to $493.4 million. Annual award volume has averaged roughly 21 grants per year over the past five years (2022–2026). Typical individual awards range from $615 thousand to $9.4 million in federal obligation.
No open solicitations are currently posted. Funding is made available annually through Congressional appropriation, with separate grant applications executed each fiscal year. States new to the program must contact their FTA Regional Office sixty days before the annual apportionment notice to ensure eligibility and formula inclusion. Applicants must comply with 2 CFR 200, FTA Circulars 4220 and 5010, and 49 CFR Part 674 statutory requirements. Grant recipients must maintain financial records for three years after grant close and asset inventories for the useful life of capital acquisitions.
Objective and description
- Objective
To improve public transportation safety by assisting States with the financing of safety oversight of rail fixed guideway public transportation systems in the jurisdiction of the state not regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration.
- Description
FTA created the Safety Oversight (SSO) Program to improve rail transit safety. It provides safety oversight to the rail transit systems in their jurisdiction Rail Fixed-Guideway Systems (RFGS) affected by this program include any light, heavy, or rapid rail system, monorail, inclined plane, funicular, trolley or automated guideway operating within the state's jurisdiction that: 1.) is not regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration; 2.) is included in FTA's calculation of fixed-guideway route miles or receives funding under FTA's formula program for urbanized areas (49 U.S.C. 5336) or; 3.) has submitted documentation to FTA indicating its intent to be included in FTA's calculation of fixed-guideway route miles to receive funding under FTA's formula program for urbanized areas (49 U.S.C. 5336)
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Eligible States are those with a rail fixed guideway public transportation system within the jurisdiction of the State that is not subject to regulation by the Federal Railroad Administration; or a rail fixed guideway public transportation system in the engineering or construction phase of development within the jurisdiction of the State that will not be subject to regulation by the Federal Railroad Administration. Subrecipients must be public agencies that are eligible to become Federal Transit Administration recipients.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Eligible States are those with a rail fixed guideway public transportation system within the jurisdiction of the State that is not subject to regulation by the Federal Railroad Administration; or a rail fixed guideway public transportation system in the engineering or construction phase of development within the jurisdiction of the State that will not be subject to regulation by the Federal Railroad Administration. Subrecipients must be public agencies that are eligible to become Federal Transit Administration recipients.
- Credentials and documentation
Recipients must complete certifications and assurances as compiled in FTA's Annual List of Certifications and Assurances. Eligible costs will be in accordance with OMB cost principles for State and local governments in part 225 of Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Federal Register Notice FTA Fiscal Year Apportionments, Allocations, and Program Information, published annually, contain the capital investment apportionments. . Grant requirements will also be published in the Federal Register along with the program's Fiscal Year apportionment. Apportionment notices and other grant information is available on the FTA website: www.fta.dot.gov/. Subrecipients State Safety Oversight Agencies must be included in the State Safety Oversight Program submission.
- Uses of assistance
The funds may only be used to provide grants to States for State safety oversight program expenses that will bring the State Safety Oversight Agency into compliance with the MAP-21 requirements codified at 49 USC 5329 (e) 9). The Federal grants shall cover up to 80 percent of the allowable costs to develop or carry out such a program, and the local matching share may include in-kind contributions by an eligible State. The non-Federal share may not be met by any Federal funds, any funds received from a public transportation agency or any revenues earned by a public transportation agency. The use of the funds shall be subject to uniform administrative requirements for grants and cooperative agreements to State and local governments under part 1201 of title2, Code of Federal Regulations, as well as other requirements for funds provided under Chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, except to the extent that the Secretary of Transportation determines that the requirements are inconsistent with the purpose of the grants.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Funding apportionment is available to their SSOA the year of apportionment plus two additional years. The funding is can be provided in a lump sum to the States and can be drawn down through FTA's financial management system.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
In order to ensure a new State to the program is considered eligible and included in the formula apportionment, new states to this formula program must contact their regional office sixty days in advance of FTA's annual apportionment notice.
- Application procedure
Given the applicant and beneficiary eligibility, This program is subject to the provisions of 2 CFR part 1201, incorporating by reference 2 CFR 200,and FTA Circulars 4220 and 5010.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Proposed grant activities must be used to develop or carry out State Safety Oversight programs that comply with the statutory requirements and advance a Safety Management Systems approach.
- Award procedure
An FTA grant award obligating Federal funds is reflected in a grant agreement. Grants are awarded electronically using FTA's Transit Asset Management System (TrAMS) https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grantee-resources/teamtrams/transit-award-management-system-trams . Once the funds are reserved in TrAMS and the project information has been reviewed and approved by Headquarters, the recipient must execute the grant agreement to access the funds.
- Time to approval or disapproval
The approval process for the SSO Program can vary based on the number of applications per State. If you have questions, please contact FTA Regional Offices at https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/regional-offices/regional-offices
- Renewals
Funding is made available annually through the appropriation process. A separate grant application is executed for each fiscal year as funds are appropriated by Congress.
- Appeals
Please contact FTA's Regional Offices with any questions concerning applications submitted for this program. https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/regional-offices/regional-offices
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 275 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Public Utilities Commission | $68,255,669 | 17% |
| 2 | Department Of Transportation New York | $40,652,397 | 10% |
| 3 | Illinois Department Of Transportation | $31,291,338 | 8% |
| 4 | Pennsylvania Department Of Transportation | $28,885,322 | 7% |
| 5 | Washington Metrorail Safety Commission | $24,944,001 | 6% |
| 6 | Texas Department Of Transportation | $21,535,769 | 5% |
| 7 | Massachusetts Department Of Public Utilities | $19,612,094 | 5% |
| 8 | Georgia Department Of Transportation | $15,879,466 | 4% |
| 9 | Washington ST Department Of Transportation | $14,218,878 | 3% |
| 10 | Oregon Department Of Transportation | $13,732,834 | 3% |
10 of 34 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $41,290,456 |
| FY2025 | $51,838,748 |
| FY2024 | $44,935,826 |
| FY2023 | $43,883,693 |
| FY2022 | $44,076,640 |
| FY2021 | $31,359,382 |
| FY2020 | $21,077,488 |
| FY2019 | $30,283,372 |
| FY2018 | $21,004,777 |
| FY2017 | $29,380,155 |
| FY2016 | $21,502,267 |
| FY2015 | $17,281,980 |
| FY2014 | $14,438,000 |
Show all 13
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 20.528?
Assistance Listing 20.528 is Rail Fixed Guideway Public Transportation System State Safety Oversight Formula Grant Program, a federal grant program run by Federal Transit Administration (Department of Transportation).
What is the CFDA number for Rail Fixed Guideway Public Transportation System State Safety Oversight Formula Grant Program?
Its CFDA number is 20.528: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 20.528 awarded?
275 grant awards under 20.528 have obligated $411,448,477 in federal funds to 34 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 20.528?
The recipients obligated the most under Rail Fixed Guideway Public Transportation System State Safety Oversight Formula Grant Program are California Public Utilities Commission ($68,255,669), Department Of Transportation New York ($40,652,397) and Illinois Department Of Transportation ($31,291,338).
How much did 20.528 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 20.528 obligated $51,838,748 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
On GovTribe
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