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Federal Transit Administration: National Transit Database (NTD)

2pm, October 09th, 2015

The Federal Transit Administration National Transit Database (NTD) was established by Congress to be the US’s primary source for information and statistics on the transit systems of the United States.

Today the transit industry consists of over 140,000 vehicles, traveling over 48 billion passenger miles, and collecting over $8.5 billion in passenger fares. In the past 10 years the transit industry has grown by over 20 percent – faster than either highway or air travel.

Recipients or beneficiaries of grants from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the Urbanized Area Formula Program or Other than Urbanized Area (Rural) Formula Program are required by statute to submit data to the NTD.

Over 660 transit providers in urbanized areas currently report to the NTD through the Internet-based reporting system. Each year, NTD performance data are used to apportion over $5 billion of FTA funds to transit agencies in urbanized areas (UZAs). Annual NTD reports are submitted to Congress summarizing transit service and safety data.

The NTD reporting system evolved from the transit industry-initiated Project FARE (Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Elements). Both the private and public sectors have recognized the importance of timely and accurate data in assessing the continued progress of the nation’s public transportation systems.

Institutions Involved

  • Federal Transit Administration
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