The City of Columbus’s transit system was recently awarded a $140,000 grant as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The funds will go toward operating expenses, including COVID-19-related purchases, for both ColumBUS fixed-route bus system and the Call-a-Bus paratransit service.
This grant, announced by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), is in addition to the $2.3 million in CARES Act funding the transit system received on July 17.
“The total Fiscal Year 2020 CARES Act Apportionment for Columbus was $2,489,963,” said Cindy Setser, Columbus Transit Coordinator. “We just applied for the total in two grants. “
Starting March 16, the ColumBUS operations were suspended and only Call-A-Bus paratransit services remained available. ColumBUS resumed full services on May 26. Setser said that last week, the five day total of riders was 2,500, compared to 3,300 a year ago.
The transit system is also facing lost revenue, not only due to its two-month closure, but also its suspension of fares.
Fares are currently suspended and the transit system is looking to to move toward electronic fares. Setser said that some of the CARES funding will go toward automated fare boxes, which will promote social distancing between drivers and passengers.
“Fares will resume according to the climate of COVID-19,” Setser said. “The city will make decisions based on the safety of passengers and transit employees.”
Setser said that the CARES funding will also go toward:
Safety modifications
Protective gear
Personal protective equipment
Barriers and partitions
Air filtration systems
Rolling stock
Renovations to the maintenance bay for a power washing station
Cleaning supplies
Other operating expenses incurred since January
Setser said that operating expenses typically include drivers’ salaries, fuel and items with “a useful life of less than one year, including PPE and cleaning supplies.”
“We know many of our nation’s public transportation systems are facing extraordinary challenges and these funds will go a long way to assisting our transit industry partners in battling COVID-19,” said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams. “These federal funds will support operating assistance to transit agencies of all sizes providing essential travel and supporting transit workers across the country who are unable to work because of the public health emergency.”
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ColumBUS bus routes have resumed regular service hours: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.
More information on the transit system can be found on its website at columbus.in.gov/columbus-transit/.
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