Innovative Transit Systems and Practices - Relevant Programs under the Federal Transit Administration

The Office of Research, Demonstration and Innovation of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the U.S. Department of Transportation funds and manages an array of transit-related innovative research, development, and demonstration projects. It also encourages and identifies innovative transit practices and provides guidance in making good business decisions about transit technology and capital and operating investments involving the transit industry. Recent programs and projects largely funded by the FTA involve an emphasis on improving the effectiveness of public transit operations, reducing energy and greenhouse gas emissions, and encouraging sustainability. These programs include Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER), the National Fuel Cell Bus Program (NFCBP), and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Under these activities, the FTA provides funding for research, development, demonstrations, evaluations, and standards involving advanced transit technologies all leading toward operations and deployments in public transportation systems that are safer, more efficient, and more environmentally conscious than before.