Rides Mass Transit District, providing transportation services to several area counties is the recipient of a major Rebuild Illinois grant.

Through the Downstate Mass Transportation Capital Improvement Fund of $355 million, Rides Mass Transit has been awarded $9,825,000.

Through the grant, Rides will be able to purchase heavy-duty bus and maintenance equipment, mobile lifts and bus and bus facility video systems. The money will also be used to build a new or purchase and remodel an existing multi-use vehicle storage maintenance and dispatch facility in Wayne County.

A new or remodeled facility will reportedly save $45,000 per year in annual lease expenses and result in additional operating savings. Plans also call for the construction of a 10,000 square feet operations and maintenance facility in in Olney and a similar structure in Carbondale. 

Officials have also stated that funds will be used to purchase bus shelters and route supervisor mini-vans for the district's urbanized area. 

Rides Mass Transit was one of 31 applicants to receive funding through the Rebuild Illinois grant program.

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