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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | July 9, 1964; 61 years ago (July 9, 1964) |
| Superseding agency |
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| Jurisdiction | United States |
| Headquarters | 1200 New Jersey Ave SE Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Agency executives |
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| Parent agency | Department of Transportation (USDOT) |
| Website | Official website |
TheFederal Transit Administration (FTA) is an agency within theUnited States Department of Transportation (DOT) that provides financial and technical assistance to localpublic transportation systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within theDOT. Headed by an Administrator who is appointed by thepresident of the United States, the FTA functions through itsWashington, D.C., headquarters office and ten regional offices which assist transit agencies in all states, theDistrict of Columbia, and the territories. Until 1991, it was known as the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA).
Public transportation includesbuses,subways,light rail,commuter rail,monorail, passengerferry boats,trolleys,inclined railways, andpeople movers. The federal government, through the FTA, provides financial assistance to develop new transit systems and improve, maintain, and operate existing systems. The FTA oversees grants to state and local transit providers, primarily through its ten regional offices. These providers are responsible for managing their programs in accordance with federal requirements, and the FTA is responsible for ensuring that grantees follow federal mandates along with statutory and administrative requirements.
In 1962, PresidentJohn F. Kennedy sent a message to theU.S. Congress calling for the creation of a program of federal capital assistance for mass transportation. President Kennedy said, "To conserve and enhance values in existing urban areas is essential. But at least as important are steps to promote economic efficiency andlivability in areas of future development. Our national welfare therefore requires the provision of good urban transportation, with the properly balanced use of private vehicles and modern mass transport to help shape as well as serve urban growth."[1]
PresidentLyndon B. Johnson signed theUrban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 into law, which passed theHouse by a vote of 212–129 and cleared theSenate 52–41, creating the Urban Mass Transportation Administration.[2] The agency was charged with providing federal assistance for mass transit projects, including an initial $375 million in capital assistance over three years as mandated by the act. In 1991, the agency was renamed the Federal Transit Administration.[3]
The Administrator isMarc Molinaro since August 4, 2025. Below is a list of past administrators.[4]
| Administrator | Term started | Term ended |
|---|---|---|
| Paul L. Sitton | 1966 | 1969 |
| Carlos C. Villarreal | 1969 | 1973 |
| Frank C. Herringer | 1973 | 1975 |
| Robert E. Patricelli | 1975 | 1977 |
| Richard S. Page | 1977 | 1979 |
| Theodore C. Lutz | 1979 | 1981 |
| Arthur Teele | 1981 | 1983 |
| Ralph L. Stanley | 1983 | 1987 |
| Alfred A. DelliBovi | 1987 | 1989 |
| Brian H. Clymer | 1989 | 1993 |
| Grace Crunican (acting) | 1993 | 1993 |
| Gordon Linton | 1993 | 1999 |
| Nuria I. Fernandez (acting) | 1999 | 2001 |
| Hiram J. Walker (acting) | January 20, 2001 | July 2001 |
| Jennifer L. Dorn | 2001 | 2005 |
| Sandra Bushue (acting) | January 2006 | June 2006 |
| James S. Simpson | June 2006 | December 2008 |
| Sherry Little (acting) | December 2008 | January 20, 2009 |
| Matthew Welbes (acting) | January 20, 2009 | May 2009 |
| Peter Rogoff | May 2009 | January 16, 2014[5] |
| Therese McMillan (acting) | January 16, 2014 | March 31, 2016 |
| Carolyn Flowers (acting) | April 1, 2016 | January 20, 2017 |
| Matthew Welbes (acting) | January 20, 2017 | August 29, 2017 |
| K. Jane Williams (acting) | August 29, 2017[6] | January 20, 2021 |
| Nuria I. Fernandez (acting) | January 20, 2021 | July 1, 2021 |
| Nuria I. Fernandez | July 1, 2021 | February 24, 2024 |
| Veronica Vanterpool (acting) | February 24, 2024 | January 20, 2025 |
| Matthew Welbes (acting) | January 20, 2025 | May 1, 2025 |
| Tariq Bokhari (acting) | May 1, 2025 | August 4, 2025 |
| Marc Molinaro | August 4, 2025 | Incumbent |
Since 1974, the National Transit Database (NTD) has served as the repository for data on the financial, operating, and asset conditions of the public transit systems of theUnited States, statistics that FTA to uses to help apportion funding to urbanized and rural areas in the country. NTD data products, which are all free and open to the public, reflect a wide range of characteristics of its participating systems, including agency funding sources, vehicle and facility inventories, maintenance and state-of-good repair reports, safety data, catalogues of available transit services, modal breakdown, ridership estimates, and transit employment numbers.
Specific metrics reported to the NTD by participating agencies include Vehicle Revenue Miles (VRM), Vehicle Revenue Hours (VRH), Passenger Miles Traveled (PMT), Unlinked Passenger Trips (UPT), and Operating Expenses (OE).[29]
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| Deputy Secretary of Transportation |  | |
| Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy |
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| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
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