MassDOT Issues Rural Intercity Bus Grant Funding

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation recently issued $1.2 million in grants via its Rural Intercity Bus Connections program.

[Above photo by MassDOT]

The agency said this initiative aims to enhance accessibility and connectivity for residents in rural communities who depend on intercity bus services for essential travel to larger urban hubs. Since 2016, MassDOT noted it has awarded nearly $7 million through its Rural Intercity Bus Connections program.

“Reliable intercity bus service is a vital component of a comprehensive, equitable [transportation] network,” explained Monica Tibbits-Nutt, MassDOT secretary and CEO, in a statement. “We are fortunate to collaborate with partners who are both skilled and committed to delivering bus service that meets the needs of travelers.”

“Demand for intercity travel remains strong, which is why we want to identify and use every available tool to fill gaps in our transit network,” added Meredith Slesinger, MassDOT’s rail and transit administrator. “The routes that received funding are expected to significantly enhance regional connectivity, providing rural residents with more convenient and effective transportation options.”

[Editor’s note: In a related effort, MassDOT and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority recently launched the South Coast Rail commuter line. For the first time in over 65 years, the agency said cities and towns of southeastern Massachusetts will now have passenger rail service to and from downtown Boston.]

Slesinger also noted that eligible applicants for these MassDOT grants, including intercity bus carriers and regional transit authorities, can receive funding to subsidize services on routes serving rural areas – thereby improving links to urban centers for employment and healthcare access for residents living in those areas.

State departments of transportation across the country provide support to rural transportation providers in a variety of ways.

For example, in February, the West Virginia Department of Transportation started work on a major facility renovation project for Mountain State Transit Authority or MTA that includes overhauling the MTA’s headquarters and bus garage in Summersville, WV.

That renovation project aims to modernize and expand MTA’s Summersville headquarters, adding new office space and a room dedicated for bus driver training, as well as expanding the garage area to house more buses

And, in November 2024, the Ohio Department of Transportation issued grants of more than $17.5 million in grants to public transportation providers in rural and urban areas of the state to help improve workforce mobility.

Those grants went to transit agencies in 16 counties through its Ohio Workforce Mobility Partnership Program or OWMP; supporting 33 transit projects that increase the ease and efficiency of transporting residents to economically significant employment centers or places of employment outside of their home communities.