The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems, including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, trolleys and ferries. FTA also oversees safety measures and helps develop next-generation technology research.
Transit services supported by FTA span many groups and provide wide-ranging benefits. Since 1964, FTA has partnered with state and local governments to create and enhance public transportation systems, investing more than $10 billion annually to support and expand public rail, bus, trolley, ferry and other transit services. That investment has helped modernize public transportation and extended service into small cities and rural communities that previously lacked transit options.
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.
