MTD Budget Increase

Thursday's News-Gazette had some budget numbers for the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District from their most recent board meeting:

MTD board approves budget with $10.7 million spending bump
Employee raises, capital projects and a liability insurance increase will help push next year's spending plan for the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District up by about $10.7 million.

The MTD board unanimously approved a budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 that includes a total appropriation of $56.4 million — roughly 19 percent more than the current year's $45.7 million.

A public hearing preceding that action opened and closed rapidly when there weren't any comments offered.

Most of the budget increase is reflected in capital spending, according to MTD Managing Director Karl Gnadt. That's largely linked to the MTD's hydrogen-fuel-cell project, of which a Federal Transit Administration grant is covering $1.45 million of the cost, he said.

The MTD expects to take delivery of two no-emission, hydrogen-fuel-cell electric buses by early 2020, Gnadt said.

More details, like a 2.75% raise for everyone, fares being unchanged,  and a breakdown of other spending priorities at the full article here. A quick overview of the grant announced jointly by Congressman Rodney Davis and CUMTD last year here. More information on the hydrogen fuel cell project from its page at the Center for Transportation and the Environment.