U.S. Department of Transportation awards $3.6 million to City of DeKalb transit program

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration on Friday awarded a $3.6 million grant to the City of DeKalb Public Transit Department.

The grant will be used for transit operations, COVID-19 emergency response and wages for employees on paid administrative leave due to transit service reductions, according to a news release.

The grant was issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, passed March 27.

“This historic $25 billion in grant funding will ensure our nation’s public transportation systems can continue to provide services to the millions of Americans who continue to depend on them,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao in the release.

“We know that many of our nation’s public transportation systems are facing extraordinary challenges and these funds will go a long way to assisting our transit industry partners in battling COVID-19,” said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams. “These federal funds will support operating assistance to transit agencies of all sizes providing essential travel and supporting transit workers across the country who are unable to work because of the public health emergency.”