Partnership for Petersburg: City gets nearly half a million dollars to improve its transit system
PETERSBURG— The city will be receiving $450,000 from the federal government to develop its public transportation system as part of the Partnership for Petersburg program, says director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
These funds come from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration Areas of Persistent Poverty program, which gave 47 economically-distressed communities a total of $20 million. The money is designed to help create better transit for residents with limited or no transportation options.
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT) will receive funding to develop a plan with Petersburg Area Transit to improve transit accessibility and advance transit electrification efforts in the city.
The plan will identify opportunities improve accessibility to key regional destinations, such as Bon Secours Southside Medical Center and Virginia State University. Another element to be studied is the possible electrification of the entire larger-bus fleet, which all run on diesel fuel.
Jennifer DeBruhl, executive director of VDRPT, said the modernization project is part of the overall Partnership for Petersburg initiative. The funding announced Thursday "will help us determine how we can improve efficiency" system-wide, DeBruhl said.
Federal guidelines require that by Jan. 1, 2026, 25% of the total number of buses PAT will purchase must be zero-emission. That expands to all new-bus purchases by 2029 and a complete fleet of new and older buses by 2040.
“Across the country, people who live in low-income rural, urban, and Tribal communities are less likely to own a car and more likely to rely on public transit,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Through this program, we are bringing affordable, accessible public transit to the very communities that need it the most, making it possible for more people to access jobs, resources, and opportunity.”
About 20% of Petersburg's population doesn't have a car, 1 in 5 people live in poverty, its median household income is about $45,000, and its per capita income is $26,000.
The grant sizes ranged from $80,000 to $778,500. The Federal Transit Administration received applications totaling close to $36 million in funding requests. These grants are specifically awarded for studies to improve transit in low-income areas.
Investments from the Areas of Persistent Poverty program can be used to improve transit service and modernize fleets, from procuring low- and no-emission buses, to launching scheduling apps and improving bus stops.
“Transit is the great equalizer, providing rides for those who do not have a car or cannot drive, and particularly in rural and Tribal areas, having access to an affordable, reliable bus ride can mean the difference between isolation and opportunity,” said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez.
Joyce Chu, an award-winning investigative journalist, is the Social Justice Watchdog Reporter for The Progress Index. Contact her with comments, concerns, or story-tips at Jchu1@gannett.com or on Twitter @joyce_speaks.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Partnership for Petersburg: City gets $450,000 to improve transit
