A new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has recently been announced. Click the link below for additional information and to read the respective flyer.
Title: FY 2026 Bus Safety, Accessibility, and Innovation Research Program
Agency: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Office of Research, Demonstration, and Innovation
Deadline: September 28, 2026
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the FY 2026 Bus Safety, Accessibility, and Innovation Research Program, which provides up to $10 million in competitive funding to support research and prototype development that improves the safety, security, and accessibility of public transit buses. The program focuses on innovative bus designs and technologies that address operator safety, passenger safety, vulnerable road user (VRU) safety, and accessibility for individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities. FTA anticipates making up to two awards under this program to advance solutions that can be retrofitted onto existing buses or incorporated into new vehicle designs.
Eligible applicants include transit vehicle manufacturers, public transportation agencies, state and local governments, Tribal governments, research institutions, universities, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and research consortia, with project teams required to include a transit vehicle manufacturer in a prominent role. The program requires a 20 percent local match, and applications are due September 28, 2026 through Grants.gov. Proposals will be evaluated based on criteria including technical expertise, innovation, implementation strategy, organizational capacity, partnerships, and financial commitment.