SMART Earns $440,000 in New State Grant Awards

SMART logo

May 30, 2023 – South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART), which provides transit service within the City of Wilsonville, has been awarded $440,000 from the Oregon’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund’s competitive programs, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has announced.

ODOT is allocating more than $28.5 million to transit authorities throughout Oregon to support bus service, maintain and purchase vehicles, build bus charging stations and fund additional improvements. STIF awards are funded from state payroll taxes, and support programs that help many of Oregon’s residents most in need.

The grants awarded to SMART are to fund two initiatives:

  • A $320,000 discretionary award is funding a mobile battery back-up unit to charge SMART’s fleet of electric vehicles in the event of loss of power for an extended period, and;
  • A $120,000 intercommunity award is funding analysis to determine the feasibility of deploying electric buses on SMART’s longer-distance routes.

“These awards steer us toward our goal of relying entirely upon alternative fuels by 2028,” Transit Director Dwight Brashear said. “Acquiring the mobile charger is also regionally significant; it allows us to provide assistance to other agencies in the wake of a stranded vehicle.”

During this competitive grant cycle, ODOT received 75 applications requesting $35.5 million in funding, or about $1.25 in proposals for every available dollar. These totals reflect the high demand for public transportation investment.

To allocate these awards, ODOT’s Public Transportation Advisory Committee considered input from transit districts, public transportation key audiences, Area Commissions on Transportation and others. More information is available at the My Oregon News website.

To learn more about SMART’s award-winning service, which includes fare-free rides within Wilsonville city limits, visit ridesmart.com.

For additional information on local grant programs, contact Kelsey Lewis, Grants and Programs Manager, 503-682-4523 x. 1496, or klewis@ridesmart.com.

  • Printer-friendly version