FLAGSTAFF, AZ – Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick announced today that the Federal Transit  Administration will be making $1,227,303 available to improve public transportation options in the Flagstaff area. The funds will be allocated to the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA) through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

NAIPTA is in the process of expanding services and replacing its diesel bus fleet with hybrid electric vehicles. They will be able to use this grant to purchase a new hybrid bus and set up a new transfer center and passenger shelters. The organization will also make further progress on establishing the Mountain Links route between downtown Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University and Woodlands Village.

“A modern, cost-effective public transportation system can greatly benefit our local economies,” said Rep. Kirkpatrick. “This Recovery Act investment in our community will help create jobs on the new bus lines and make Flagstaff a more attractive place for businesses to set up shop.”

“Private sector employees are gainfully employed building new buses as we speak,” said Jeff Meilbeck, general manager for NAIPTA. “It will be good to use these capital improvements to help Northern Arizona citizens get where they want to go, and we appreciate Congresswoman Kirkpatrick’s advocacy and support of alternative transportation efforts.”