Improving America’s Communities through Public Transportation

FTA supports transit systems nationwide, including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, trolleys and ferries, through funding — currently investing more than $20 billion annually — and technical assistance. FTA also oversees safety, protecting transit riders and workers, and helps develop the next generation of transit innovation through research.  

Over the past six decades, FTA’s work has modernized transit and extended service into small cities and rural communities that previously lacked options. Today, and every day, FTA carries on its mission to improve America’s communities through public transportation.

Leadership

An agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), FTA is headed by an administrator appointed by the President of the United States. FTA is one of DOT’s 10 modes of transportation and is run by a headquarters in Washington, D.C. as well as 10 regional offices that assist transit agencies in all states and U.S. territories. Learn more.  

Funding

Chapter 53 of Title 49 of the U.S. Code establishes the authority for FTA. It incorporates the Urban Mass Transportation Act originally enacted in 1964 and states that “it is in the interest of the United States, including its economic interest, to foster the development and revitalization of public transportation systems that (1) maximize the safe, secure, and efficient mobility of individuals; (2) minimize environmental impacts; and (3) minimize transportation-related fuel consumption and reliance on foreign oil.”

Congress authorizes money to FTA in long- and short-term transportation legislation, such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021. The transportation bills amend Chapter 53 to modify or set up funding programs and laws for FTA to follow.