The ColumBUS Transit System was awarded a $728,000 from the Federal Transportation Administration. Jamie Brinegar, the city’s Director of Finance, says that the grant program is an 80/20 matching grant with the federal government picking up 80-percent of the cost. He explains that the money will be used to pay for the replacement of two fixed-route vehicles.

The FTA’s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities program makes federal resources available to states and direct recipients to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities including technological changes or innovations to modify low or no emission vehicles or facilities. Funding is provided through formula allocations and competitive grants. City officials say that Columbus was the only project funded in Indiana.

Mayor Jim Lienhoop was pleased with the announcement. “This program will allow the city to continue its efforts and to improve the quality of public transportation in City of Columbus as well as defraying a significant portion of the city’s cost to replace these buses,” we says.

Dave Hayward, the city’s director of engineering, says that this money will help the city to replace its aging fleet of fixed route buses.