Federal Transit Administration

US agency providing financial and technical assistance to public transport operators

Federal Transit Administration

Agency overview
Formed| July 9, 1964; 61 years ago (July 9, 1964)
Superseding agency|

* Urban Mass Transportation Administration

Jurisdiction| United States
Headquarters| 1200 New Jersey Ave SE
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Agency executives|

* Marc Molinaro, Administrator
* Tariq Bokhari, Deputy Administrator

Parent agency| Department of Transportation (USDOT)
Website| Official website

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transportation systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT. Headed by an Administrator who is appointed by the president of the United States, the FTA functions through its Washington, D.C., headquarters office and ten regional offices which assist transit agencies in all states, the District of Columbia, and the territories. Until 1991, it was known as the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA).

Public transportation includes buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, monorail, passenger ferry boats, trolleys, inclined railways, and people movers. The federal government, through the FTA, provides financial assistance to develop new transit systems and improve, maintain, and operate existing systems. The FTA oversees grants to state and local transit providers, primarily through its ten regional offices. These providers are responsible for managing their programs in accordance with federal requirements, and the FTA is responsible for ensuring that grantees follow federal mandates along with statutory and administrative requirements.

## History

[edit]

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy sent a major transportation message to the U.S. Congress. It called for the establishment of a program of federal capital assistance for mass transportation. President Kennedy stated, "To conserve and enhance values in existing urban areas is essential. But at least as important are steps to promote economic efficiency and livability in areas of future development. Our national welfare therefore requires the provision of good urban transportation, with the properly balanced use of private vehicles and modern mass transport to help shape as well as serve urban growth."

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 into law, which passed the House by a vote of 212–129 and cleared the Senate 52–41, creating the Urban Mass Transportation Administration.[1] The agency was charged with providing federal assistance for mass transit projects, including an initial $375 million in capital assistance over three years as mandated by the act. In 1991, the agency was renamed the Federal Transit Administration.[2]

### Administrators

[edit]

The Administrator is Marc Molinaro since August 4, 2025. Below is a list of past administrators.[3]

Administrator  | Term started  | Term ended

|
|

Paul L. Sitton | 1966  | 1969
Carlos C. Villarreal | 1969  | 1973
Frank C. Herringer | 1973  | 1975
Robert E. Patricelli | 1975  | 1977
Richard S. Page | 1977  | 1979
Theodore C. Lutz | 1979  | 1981
Arthur Teele | 1981  | 1983
Ralph L. Stanley | 1983  | 1987
Alfred A. DelliBovi | 1987  | 1989
Brian H. Clymer | 1989  | 1993
Grace Crunican (acting) | 1993  | 1993
Gordon Linton | 1993  | 1999
Nuria I. Fernandez (acting)  | 1999  | 2001
Hiram J. Walker (acting)  | January 20, 2001  | July 2001
Jennifer L. Dorn | 2001  | 2005
Sandra Bushue (acting) | January 2006  | June 2006
James S. Simpson | June 2006  | December 2008
Sherry Little (acting)  | December 2008  | January 20, 2009
Matthew Welbes (acting)  | January 20, 2009  | May 2009
Peter Rogoff | May 2009  | January 16, 2014[4]
Therese McMillan (acting)  | January 16, 2014  | March 31, 2016
Carolyn Flowers (acting)  | April 1, 2016  | January 20, 2017
Matthew Welbes (acting)  | January 20, 2017  | August 29, 2017
K. Jane Williams (acting)  | August 29, 2017[5] | January 20, 2021
Nuria I. Fernandez (acting)  | January 20, 2021  | June 10, 2021
Nuria I. Fernandez | June 10, 2021  | February 24, 2024
Veronica Vanterpool (acting)  | February 24, 2024  | January 20, 2025
Matthew Welbes (acting)  | January 20, 2025  | May 1, 2025
Tariq Bokhari (acting)  | May 1, 2025  | August 4, 2025
Marc Molinaro | August 4, 2025  | Incumbent

## Notable programs

[edit]

* Metropolitan & Statewide Planning[6]
* Urbanized Formula Funding[7]
* Clean Fuels Grant Program[8]
* Major Capital Investments[9]
* Fixed Guideway Modernization[10]
* Transportation for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities[11]
* Formula Grants for Other than Urbanized Areas[12]
* Public Transportation on Indian Reservations[13]
* Rural Transit Assistance Program[14]
* Transit Cooperative Research Program[15]
* National Research & Technology Program[16]
* Job Access and Reverse Commute Program[17]
* New Freedom Program[18]
* Bus and Bus Facilities[19]
* Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks Program[20]
* Alternatives Analysis[21]
* University Transportation Centers Program[22]
* Over-the-Road Bus Program[23]
* BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development), formerly TIGER (Transit Investment Generating Economic Recovery)[24][25]
* Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) Program[26]
* Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative Capital Grants Program[27]

## Databases

[edit]

### National Transit Database

[edit]

Since 1974, the National Transit Database (NTD) has served as the repository for data on the financial, operating, and asset conditions of the public transit systems of the United States, statistics that FTA to uses to help apportion funding to urbanized and rural areas in the country. NTD data products, which are all free and open to the public, reflect a wide range of characteristics of its participating systems, including agency funding sources, vehicle and facility inventories, maintenance and state-of-good repair reports, safety data, catalogues of available transit services, modal breakdown, ridership estimates, and transit employment numbers.

Specific metrics reported to the NTD by participating agencies include Vehicle Revenue Miles (VRM), Vehicle Revenue Hours (VRH), Passenger Miles Traveled (PMT), Unlinked Passenger Trips (UPT), and Operating Expenses (OE).[28]

## See also

[edit]

* Public transportation in the United States

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Beginnings of Federal Assistance for Public Transportation". Federal Transit Administration. Archived from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
2. ^ "Urban Transportation Planning In the United States: An Historical Overview". U.S. Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
3. ^ "Heads of the Operating Administrations, U.S. Department of Transportation". Office of the Historian, U.S. DOT. March 1, 2009. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
4. ^ https://www.governing.com/news/headlines/leadership-shakeup-at-transportation-department.html
5. ^ dot.gov
6. ^ Metropolitan & Statewide Planning (5303, 5304, 5305)[dead link]. Federal Transit Administration.
7. ^ Urbanized Formula Funding (5307). Federal Transit Administration.
8. ^ Clean Fuels Grant Program (5308) . Federal Transit Administration.
9. ^ Major Capital Investments (New Starts & Small Starts) (5309(b)(1)) . Federal Transit Administration.
10. ^ Fixed Guideway Modernization (5309 (b)(2)) . Federal Transit Administration.
11. ^ Transportation for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities (5310)[dead link]. Federal Transit Administration.
12. ^ Formula Grants for Other than Urbanized Areas (5311) Archived August 28, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. Federal Transit Administration.
13. ^ Public Transportation on Indian Reservations (5311(c)). Federal Transit Administration.. Federal Transit Administration.
14. ^ Rural Transit Assistance Program (5311(b)(3))[dead link]. Federal Transit Administration.
15. ^ Transit Cooperative Research Program (5313) Archived August 28, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. Federal Transit Administration.
16. ^ National Research & Technology Program (5314)[dead link]. Federal Transit Administration.
17. ^ Job Access and Reverse Commute Program (5316) . Federal Transit Administration.
18. ^ New Freedom Program (5317) Archived August 28, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. Federal Transit Administration.
19. ^ Bus and Bus Facilities (5309, 5318) Archived August 28, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. Federal Transit Administration.
20. ^ Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks Program (5320) . Federal Transit Administration.
21. ^ Alternatives Analysis (5339) . Federal Transit Administration.
22. ^ University Transportation Centers Program (TEA-21 5505) . Federal Transit Administration.
23. ^ Over-the-Road Bus Program . Federal Transit Administration.
24. ^ "Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Grants Program (formerly TIGER)". United States Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
25. ^ TIGER (USDOT)[dead link]. Federal Transit Administration.
26. ^ TIGGER Program . Federal Transit Administration.
27. ^ Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative Capital Grants Program . Federal Transit Administration.
28. ^ "National Transit Database". transit.gov. Federal Transit Administration. Retrieved April 19, 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* American Recovery & Reinvestment Act
* Federal Transit Administration in the Federal Register

* v
* t
* e

United States Department of Transportation

* Headquarters: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE (Transportation Department Building)

* Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation
* Steven G. Bradbury, Deputy Secretary of Transportation

Deputy Secretary
of Transportation|

* Federal Aviation Administration
* Federal Highway Administration
* Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
* Federal Railroad Administration
* Federal Transit Administration
* Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
* Maritime Administration
* National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
* Office of Inspector General
* Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

Under Secretary of
Transportation for Policy|

* Office of the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy
* Office of the Chief Economist
* Office of Policy Development, Strategic Planning and Performance
* Office of Infrastructure Finance and Innovation
* Office of the Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs
* Office of International Transportation and Trade
* Office of International Aviation
* Office of Aviation Analysis
* Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
* Bureau of Transportation Statistics
* John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center
* Transportation Safety Institute
* National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau
* Build America Bureau
* Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer

* v
* t
* e

Lyndon B. Johnson

* 36th President of the United States (1963–1969)
* 37th Vice President of the United States (1961–1963)
* U.S. Senator from Texas (1949–1961)
* U.S. Representative for TX-10 (1937–1949)

Presidency|

* Timeline
* Inaugurations
* first
* second
* Let Us Continue
* Great Society (Model Cities Program)
* Architectural Barriers Act
* Child Nutrition Act
* Clean Air Act
* Civil Rights Act of 1964
* Coinage Act of 1965
* Department of Housing and Urban Development
* Department of Transportation
* Economic Opportunity Act of 1964
* Head Start Program
* Job Corps
* Elementary and Secondary Education Act
* Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
* Civil Rights Act of 1968
* Fair Housing Act
* Truth in Lending Act
* Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968
* Food Stamp Act of 1964
* Glassboro Summit
* Gun Control Act of 1968
* Higher Education Act of 1965
* Upward Bound
* TRIO
* Teacher Corps
* Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968
* Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
* Johnson Doctrine
* Dominican Republic occupation
* Medicare
* Medicaid
* Meritorious Service Medal
* National Endowment for the Arts
* National Endowment for the Humanities
* Executive Order 11246
* Executive Order 11375
* Older Americans Act
* Operation CHAOS
* Outer Space Treaty
* Public Broadcasting Act of 1967
* Foreign policy
* Vietnam War
* Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
* "Credibility gap"
* VISTA
* 24th Amendment
* Voting Rights Act of 1965
* War on poverty
* White House Conference on Civil Rights
* Cannabis policy
* White House preservation
* State of the Union Address
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* Cabinet
* Judicial appointments
* Supreme Court
* Thurgood Marshall Supreme Court nomination
* controversies
* Johnson desk
* Presidential transition of Richard Nixon
* Executive Orders
* Presidential Proclamations

Life|

* Early years and career
* Operation Texas
* Texas Broadcasting Company
* Johnson Amendment
* Box 13 scandal
* Bashir Ahmad
* Charles E. Marsh
* Alice Marsh

Legacy and
memorials|

* Bibliography
* Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
* Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland
* Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
* Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
* Lyndon Baines Johnson Day
* Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
* Memorial Grove on the Potomac
* U.S. Postage stamp
* USS Lyndon B. Johnson
* Black Jack (state funeral riderless horse)

Elections|

* United States House of Representatives
* 1937 (special)
* 1938
* 1940
* 1942
* 1944
* 1946
* United States Senate
* 1941 (special)
* 1948
* 1954
* 1960
* Democratic Party presidential primaries
* 1960
* 1964
* campaign
* 1968
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* Democratic National Conventions
* 1956
* 1960
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* Presidential elections
* 1960
* transition
* 1964

Public image|

* Lyndon B. Johnson in popular culture
* Daisy advertisement
* Johnson cult
* The Years of Lyndon Johnson
* Master of the Senate
* LBJ (1991 television film)
* Path to War (2002 film)
* All the Way (play, film)
* Selma (2014 film)
* LBJ (2017 film)

Family|

* Claudia "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson (wife)
* Lynda Bird Johnson Robb (daughter)
* Luci Baines Johnson (daughter)
* Samuel Ealy Johnson Jr. (father)
* Sam Houston Johnson (brother)
* Samuel Ealy Johnson Sr. (grandfather)
* Joseph Wilson Baines (grandfather)
* George Washington Baines (great-grandfather)
* Chuck Robb (son-in-law)

* ← John F. Kennedy
* Richard Nixon →

* ← Richard Nixon
* Hubert Humphrey →

* Category

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Israel

Other|

* SNAC
* Yale LUX

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