Skip to main content

Congressman Cohen Announces $17.7 Million in Recovery Act Funding For Memphis Transit Authority

June 10, 2009

“Each day the Memphis Area Transit Authority transports tens of thousands of people around the city and Shelby County safely and efficiently. These funds will allow the Authority to purchase 35 state-of-the-art busses and technology to improve rider safety and the efficiency of the system,” Congressman Cohen said. “Access to affordable and reliable transportation is crucial to promoting economic development. I was proud to support the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and am grateful that these funds are moving quickly to our district.”

"We are elated. The stimulus funds will allow us acquire more environmentally friendly buses and the technology will enhance our efficiency,” MATAPresident/General Manager William Hudson said.

Along with purchasing 35 new busses, the funds will be used to install advanced transportation technology on transit vehicles and trolleys to aid riders and promote safety. Some of these improvements include: real time electronic bus arrival time displays; automatic voice annunciation system for announcement of stops; interactive voice response for phone system; ticket vending machines for the trolley system; on-board automatic passenger counters; on-board automatic vehicle diagnostics (Vehicle Health Monitoring); replacing radio communication systems; and computer-aided dispatching capability.

“The Recovery Act is the most sweeping economic package in the history of our country, and we’ve already seen incredible results in the first 100-days since its passage,” Congressman Cohen said. “I support President Obama’s efforts to speed up the distribution of even more Recovery Act funds over these next 100-days so that Shelby County’s families and businesses can experience even greater financial relief, create and save jobs, and fuel technology and infrastructure investments that will be the foundation of our economic recovery.”

The FTA is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

-30-