Rides Mass Transit District

Rides Mass Transit District is a local government entity registered in SAM.gov, serving as a transit authority operating in southern Illinois. Headquartered in Harrisburg, Illinois, the organization provides public transportation services across multiple counties in the region, including Williamson, Jackson, and several surrounding counties. The transit district operates a comprehensive flexible transportation system that includes deviated routes, zoned point deviated routes, fixed routes, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant services, serving nine communities across two counties in the Carbondale Urbanized Area.

Through federal grant awards, primarily from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Rides Mass Transit District has consistently secured funding for operational support, vehicle procurement, and technology upgrades. The organization has received multiple Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula Grants and Section 5311 Rural Area Formula Grants, enabling the purchase of various paratransit vehicles including minivans, medium duty, and supermedium duty vehicles. Recent notable grants include a $1.5 million technology modernization project grant in 2024 to replace paper-driven processes with digital platforms, involving the implementation of scheduling software, procurement systems, electronic requisition tools, bus simulators, and safety reporting software. The transit district has also received emergency relief funding through COVID-19 related programs like the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan Act, which supported continued operations during the pandemic. Most of these grant awards are sub-granted through the Illinois Department of Transportation, demonstrating a strong partnership with state-level transportation authorities.