UA awarded $13 million grant to buy buses for Razorback Transit

The University of Arkansas will receive a $13.17 million federal grant to allow its transit provider, Razorback Transit, to buy new buses and paratransit vans.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced Thursday (Nov. 20) about $2 billion in grants for buses and facilities and low or no-emission projects, supporting 165 transit projects in 45 states and Washington, D.C. The money is expected to pay for the production of 2,400 buses using American parts and labor.

The UA was the only Arkansas recipient in this round of fiscal 2025-26 awards from the Federal Transit Administration’s Buses and Bus Facilities Program. The UA grant is expected to help Razorback Transit meet increased demand and replace older buses.

“Transit buses provide a vital service for millions of Americans every day,” said FTA Administrator Marc Molinaro. “These grants will strengthen connections between communities, boost bus safety and reliability, and enhance mobility and quality of life for passengers.”

The Buses and Bus Facilities Program supports capital projects to replace, rehabilitate, buy or lease buses and related equipment and to rehabilitate, buy, build or lease bus-related facilities. For fiscal 2025, about $400 million was made available through this program.

According to the FTA website, the low- or no-emission grant program provides funding to state and local government agencies to purchase or lease zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, as well as to acquire, construct, and lease required supporting facilities.

The program provides grants on a competitive basis. For fiscal 2025, about $1.1 billion was made available. Through advance appropriations, FTA added $518 million in fiscal 2026 money through the program to make additional selections.