New Program to Make Bus Service Available to More Tennesseans

 

NASHVILLE - As part of the Tennessee Department of Transportation's effort to increase mobility throughout the state, TDOT is announcing an initiative for the development of an Intercity Bus Demonstration Program for the State of Tennessee.  Qualified private or public agencies will be able to utilize more than $3.6 million dollars from a statewide competitive grant provided by the Federal Transit Agency.  

 

 

"This program will allow public and private companies to expand the transit services they offer across the state," said Governor Phil Bredesen. "The Intercity Bus Demonstration Program will help fill existing gaps in service for our rural communities that currently have no intercity connections to the next major city." 

 

The program is administered by TDOT's Multimodal Transportation Resources Division and utilizes federal 5311(f) grant funds to build on the current services offered in Tennessee by Greyhound and other rural transit operators. 

 

TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely explained, "Our goal is to have an intercity bus service that offers set schedules and standard pick up-drop off locations across the state by January 2009. This will mean better access in more places, particularly for rural areas of the state. 

 

In 2006, TDOT conducted a study of intercity bus service in the state and identified a number of gaps in service provided to the public.  TDOT found that traditional Greyhound intercity bus service currently serves only 17 locations and its service, particularly to small towns, has been reduced significantly in recent years. The study also found that the majority of rural transit operators in Tennessee did not offer scheduled, regular route services and that most agencies operated on a "demand response" basis.

 

These grant funds may be used to purchase buses, vans, radios, wheelchair lifts, computers and other equipment necessary to maintain and transport human-service agency clients and general-public passengers in non-urbanized areas.  Funds may also be used to build intercity bus shelters, joint-use stops, intermodal facilities and bus depots, as well as performing preventive maintenance.

 

Federal 5311(f) grant funds will become available for eligible projects October 1, 2008 and will be available for 2009 and beyond.  On average $1.3 million will be available each year for the state of Tennessee.

 

All interested parties such as RPOs, MPOs, existing private and publicly-owned bus operators, firms, companies, agencies and individuals should submit an application describing a program that will provide beneficial Intercity Bus transportation service throughout the state of Tennessee. The grant application can be found on the TDOT Multimodal Transportation Resources Division website.

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