Fort Bend Transit has secured roughly $13.7 million in federal funding to overhaul its aging fleet, build new clean-fuel infrastructure and launch additional commuter service as the county works to keep up with rising mobility demands.

The award, part of a $15.7 million project, will replace older gasoline and diesel vehicles with compressed natural gas buses, add commuter service to the Houston Energy Corridor and upgrade a maintenance facility that has been stretched for years, said James Pressler, Fort Bend County external affairs project Manager.

The investment comes as Fort Bend Transit continues to expand from a small, mostly rural system into a regional network. 

The agency recorded 167,890 rides in the first half of 2024 across its express and Dial-a-Ride programs and provided 329,619 trips in fiscal year 2023–24, county data shows. The system now serves communities from Sugar Land and Richmond to Katy, Stafford, Missouri City and Needville, where a 16-passenger route was added last year to meet rising demand.

The crowded, aging “bus barn” facilities are unable to accommodate the growing fleet, Pressler said.

County Judge KP George said the federal grant will help the county meet those pressures.

“Safe, efficient and clean transportation has always been a top priority for me,” George said, noting the county has secured more than $600 million in grants since 2019. “It is important to maintain efficient and safe transportation alternatives for Fort Bend County families, the disabled and our senior citizens.”

The grant was supported by the Houston-Galveston Area Council, Commissioners Court, U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls and U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher.

A long-awaited fleet upgrade

The new funding will allow Fort Bend Transit to retire 13 vehicles that have exceeded their useful life and add 11 compressed natural gas buses. Officials say the shift will cut emissions, lower maintenance costs and reduce the breakdowns that often plague older buses, according to Pressler.

The grant funds construction of a compressed natural gas fueling station and major upgrades to the maintenance facility, including new ventilation, gas-detection systems and fire-code compliance, allowing the county to safely support a cleaner fleet.

New routes and timeline

The funding also includes a new commuter route to the Houston Energy Corridor. Additional demand-response service will expand transportation options for residents needing trips to work, medical appointments, childcare or school.

Grant documents outline an expected timeline of late 2026 for most infrastructure and fleet upgrades to be complete, though county officials have not announced a firm date for when the new buses will begin service.

Pressler said the “Better Buses, Brighter Futures’’ initiative is a long-term investment in public health, access and economic mobility that will benefit seniors, riders with disabilities and the growing number of commuters traveling across Fort Bend each day.

View this article in the Houston Chronicle.