Public Transportation

09/24/2025 Summit Presentations:

Idaho’s Intercity Bus Plan Update 2019

Idaho has developed a distinctive model for providing its rural intercity bus program under the FTA Section 5311(f) program. In addition to unsubsidized intercity bus services provided by private for-profit bus companies, over the past decade the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) has funded two private for-profit firms to provide services on selected routes identified in its previous statewide corridor study. ITD also provided capital for vehicles to operate some of these services through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, intercity bus ridership declined substantially, falling as low as 15-20% of pre-pandemic levels. During the pandemic ITD used available federal funding to sustain these two carriers, providing funds to support continued services even on lines that had not previously been funded. As Idaho and the nation emerge from the reduction in travel resulting from the pandemic, there is a need to consider the role that these services have provided, and to have a strategy to deal with the uncertain level of demand, revenue, and federal funding.

This study builds upon information about the pre-pandemic intercity bus network serving Idaho and stakeholder input about desired potential expansion of services to provide that strategy, even as it is difficult to develop a specific plan. The prioritization of current and potential services will help ITD respond to the future challenges, whether that is a continued need for support to maintain existing service, or the ability to expand with additional federal funding.

For more information regarding intercity bus services, please feel free to contact Connie Edwards at (208) 334-4492 or Connie.Edwards@itd.idaho.gov.

Intercity Applications
In many states, intercity bus service is a vital link between otherwise isolated rural communities and the rest of the nation. Historically, major intercity bus carriers abandoned less productive routes. Patronage generated in rural areas, however, appears to be important to the continuing viability of the remaining intercity routes. One objective of the funding for intercity bus service under Section 5311, therefore, is to support the connection between rural areas and the larger regional or national system of intercity bus service. Another objective is to support services to meet the intercity travel needs of residents in rural areas. A third objective is to support the infrastructure of the intercity bus network through planning and marketing assistance and capital investment in facilities. FTA encourages states to use the funding under Section 5311(f) to support these national objectives, as well as priorities determined by the state.

Public Transportation Operational Grant Program
Once a Federal or State grant is executed by the Idaho Transportation Department and when applicable the Federal Transit Administration, the subrecipient will receive a funding agreement and be assigned to either the Operational Grant Program or the Capital Grant Program.

The Operation Grant Program handles all active and executed grants that have been deemed by the Idaho Transportation Department to be of an Operating nature. These can include the following: FTA 5311 Program Funding, FTA 5310 Program Funding (directly resulting in operations), and the FTA 5304 Planning Program.

Responsibilities include reimbursement processing, compliance assistance, technical guidance, and required reporting.

Please click on the links below to learn more about each program:

• • • Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5311 Grant: Formula Grants for Other than Urbanized Areas
    • Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5310 Grant: Transportation for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities
    • Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5304 Grant: Statewide Planning

Public Transportation Capital Grant Program

Once a Federal or State grant is executed by the Idaho Transportation Department and when applicable the Federal Transit Administration, the subrecipient will receive a funding agreement and be assigned to either the Operational Grant Program or the Capital Grant Program.

The Capital Grant Program handles all active and executed grants that have been deemed by the Idaho Transportation Department to be Capital purchases in nature. These can include the following: FTA 5310 Program Funding (directly resulting in capital purchases), FTA 5311 Program Funding (directly resulting in capital purchases), FTA 5339 Program Funding, and Idaho Vehicle Improvement Program Funding. VIP provides capital funding for demand response providers to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses to support the continuation and expansion of public transportation. Eligible recipients include private non-profit organizations, State or local government authorities, operators of public transportation services including private operators and tribal governments for capital projects to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses, vans, and related equipment for demand response services.

Please click on the below links to learn more about each program:

• • • Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5310 Grant: Transportation for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities
    • Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5311 Grant: Formula Grants for Other than Urbanized Areas
    • Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5339 Grant: Bus and Bus Facilities
    • FTA Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act Guide (URA)

Asset Management Program

Public transportation is a capital intensive program that requires constant maintenance and upkeep to ensure that each asset is being used to its full extent. ITD-PT employs an extensive data collection effort to track asset information throughout Idaho. Click the following link to review the information ITD-PT collects.

Safety Program
The Idaho Transportation Department Public Transportation Program (ITD-PT) is committed to providing safe public transportation options for all Idaho citizens. ITD-PT recognizes that public transportation is one of the safest modes of transportation.

• 2020 Summit Idaho Transit on the Lookout to Fight Human Trafficking Presentation
  • Idaho Transit on the Lookout to Fight Human Trafficking Presentations
  • Idaho Transit on the Lookout to Fight Human Trafficking Session Recording

  
  

• Human Trafficking Awareness Resources:
  • Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking
  • National Human Trafficking Hotline
  • Busing on the Lookout
  • Idaho Anti-Trafficking Coalition

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