Peters, Stabenow Announce $18.3 Million for the Capital Area Transportation Authority Through the CARES Act

DETROIT, MI – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) today announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is providing the Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA), which services Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton counties, an $18.3 million grant. Peters and Stabenow helped secure this funding as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The funds will help ensure that CATA will remain operational during the Coronavirus pandemic.

“As communities across our state work together to navigate this unprecedented health crisis, it is more important than ever that Michiganders can depend on reliable access to public transit,” said Senator Peters, a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. “This grant will help ensure that critical transportation services throughout the Greater Lansing Area remain operational for people to get to work, buy groceries, go to the doctor or pick up prescription drugs.”

“The leadership and employees of Capital Area Transportation Authority work hard to make sure that people can get to their jobs, doctor appointments, and grocery stores,” said Senator Stabenow. “This funding will make sure that they’re able to continue to provide these vital services for our community during this pandemic.”

“The Capital Area Transportation Authority thanks Sen. Gary Peters, Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin for their determined efforts to secure Federal Section 5307 Program funding on behalf of Michigan’s transit systems,” said Bradley T. Funkhouser, AICP, Chief Executive Officer, Capital Area Transportation Authority. “Our agency utilized CARES Act Relief funds in the amount of $18,343,421 to procure personal protection equipment for our essential work force and for innovative services that safely gave members of our community access to life-sustaining resources, such as critically needed medical care, groceries stores, financial institutions and jobs. Despite a work-from-home directive, designed to keep employees safe, CATA maintained employment and full wages for its entire work force. The CARES Act Relief funds continue to give us peace of mind during this extraordinarily challenging and uncertain time for the state of Michigan and our nation.”

More information on the Federal Transit Administration’s COVID-19 response can be found at https://www.transit.dot.gov/coronavirus.

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