FTA makes $10 million available in Bus Safety and Accessibility Research Program grants
Nov. 20, 2024
The funding will allow awardees to design and develop prototypes to make existing and new buses safer for operators, riders and vulnerable road users, as well as more accessible for passengers.
Related To: Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $10 million in grant funding through its Bus Safety and Accessibility Research Program to design and develop prototypes to make existing and new buses safer for operators, riders and vulnerable road users, as well as more accessible for passengers.
FTA notes the program’s key focus areas are:
- Driver safety systems: Changes made to the transit vehicle and technology upgrades that protect the operator and enhance the safety of those outside of the vehicle, including vulnerable road users.
- Passenger safety systems: Changes made to the transit vehicle and technology upgrades that protect and increase accessibility for passengers.
FTA says the design project solicited by the NOFO must address bus operator health and safety, transit vehicle safety and accessibility and provide a foundation for transformative bus systems and designs that enhance safety.
The project builds on previous research, including FTA’s Bus Operator Compartment Redesign Program, and the Transportation Cooperative Research Program’s Report 249, “Bus Operator Barrier Design: Guidelines and Considerations.”
Applications for the funding are due Jan. 17, 2025.
