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Illinois Department of Transportation

Transit

Stay updated on various transit initiatives and programs that improve public transportation across Illinois. View highlighted projects designed to enhance service reliability, expand coverage, and improve accessibility for all residents and learn about the initiatives aimed at fostering collaboration between local transit agencies and IDOT to create a seamless transportation network.

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A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) was published on September 21, 2026 for the calendar year 2026 Statewide Capital Call for Projects. Resulting awards will be funded by the Downstate Transit Improvement Fund (DTIF). The total amount of funding to be awarded out is $100,000,000. There is no cap on funding requests for individual projects.

 

Application

The following application components and materials are required in order to submit a request for funding:

Applicants will be able to upload the opinion of counsel, governing board resolution, and BoBS 2867 at the end of the web-based application.
 

Web-based applications submitted without all required attachments or supporting documentation will be considered incomplete and will not be evaluated for award. Applications are due by 11:59pm central time on October 30, 2026. Late applications will not be considered.


Applications will be evaluated against predefined criteria. Download a copy of the evaluation criteria.
 

For more information on the funding program, requirements, and eligibility, please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity : (CSFA Number: +1 494-80-1284)
 

IMPORTANT: While completing the web-based application, you will NOT be able to save your in-progress application. You may leave and return to your in-progress application AS LONG AS you use the same web-browser on the same computer with the same IP address. You will not be able to create an account, and your staff or colleagues will only be able to make edits to the application you have created on your computer and web-browser. We apologize for the inconvenience. We carefully weighed the pros and cons of different platforms and determined this platform to be the best option for our application.

 

Technical Assistance

A PDF of the web-based application is being provided to assist in the planning and preparation of your application, and can be downloaded here: 2026 Statewide Call for Projects PDF of web-based application (for planning/preparation purposes only, not a required submittal item)

A technical assistance webinar will be held at 10:00 am central time on October 1st, 2026 to demonstrate the application, review the requirements of this Call for Projects, and answer questions from prospective applicants. Attendance at this session is not mandatory, however, it is strongly encouraged. If you are unable to attend at the time of the webinar, a recording of the webinar will be posted to the Resources section of BlackCat. Please review the recording prior to submitting additional questions to the email address below.

Watch a recording of the October 1 technical assistance webinar

Please submit any questions about this Call for Projects or application to DOT.CH.OIPITransitDocs@Illinois.gov

The Illinois Statewide Public Transportation Plan, Next Move Illinois 2026, will help transit providers plan for long-term impacts to their services and address systemic questions regarding coordination, resources, equity, and emerging mobility. Public participation will be encouraged throughout the development of the plan, ultimately leading to a more effective and inclusive public transportation system. 

Illinois Transportation Plan

Public transportation is an essential way for people to travel throughout the state of Illinois. Next Move Illinois is a successor to the 2018 Illinois Statewide Public Transportation Plan. The goal of this plan is to set a strategic vision, recommend policy and performance updates, and identify specific strategies to improve public transportation outcomes within Illinois.

Read about the plan's progress in our Spring 2025 Public Transportation Plan Fact Sheet.

Resources

What is intercity bus service?

The Federal Transit Administration defines Intercity Bus service as regularly scheduled bus service for the general public operating with limited stops and fixed routes connecting two or more urban areas not in close proximity, that has the capacity for transporting baggage carried by passengers,  and making meaningful connections with scheduled service to more distant points, where available.

Intercity buses serve rural Illinois communities and connect those communities to urbanized areas, local transit networks, and the broader regional or national transportation network.

  • Intercity bus services play a critical role in connecting Illinois residents to jobs, education, medical care and other essential services.
  • Intercity bus service does not include commuter, charter, tour or school bus service.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is undertaking a comprehensive Statewide Intercity Bus Plan project to enhance the connectivity, accessibility and sustainability of intercity bus services throughout Illinois. This plan will prepare recommendations to expand the coverage of the bus network, along with an implementation strategy that will identify sustainable funding options and a clearly defined role for IDOT. These recommendations will lead to pilot projects across the state. IDOT’s role in this plan is to assist with funding and oversight of intercity bus operators, directly contract and operate intercity bus services, and provide vital perspectives to guide the strategic direction of the plan.

What are the goals of this project?

  • Connectivity: Identifying potential gaps in the current bus network and opportunities to enhance connectivity throughout the state.
  • Access: Expanding the existing network's coverage to explore locations for potential new stops or routes.
  • Sustainability: Exploring strategies to allow for stable service that can steadily accommodate growth in demand.

How will recommendations be developed?

  • Public Input: IDOT is asking for feedback on current intercity bus travel to help inform its findings. The public can support this effort by participating in a survey located here: Statewide Intercity Bus Plan Survey. There will also be opportunities to participate in meetings, town halls and other in-person events. A schedule of upcoming events will be added soon. To get project updates or ask questions, please submit your information.
  • Illinois Engagement: IDOT will study the existing intercity bus network in Illinois and engage with key stakeholders to gather targeted feedback on the network.
  • External Research: Intercity bus networks in other states will be reviewed as case studies to provide insight for best practice and possible recommendations for Illinois.

 

Kickoff Meeting (we are here), Survey launch Q3 2026-For current and potential riders, available for 10-12 weeks, digital and physical promotion, Stakeholder Meetings Fall/Winter 2026-engaging other stakeholders, follow up engagement with you and individual meetings, Feedback on findings 2027-Follow-up engagement with you, public meetings to share initial findings at selected locations, Final Report 2028-Internal review with IDOT, presentation to stakeholders, report available to public.

 
  • 2018 Statewide Public Transportation Plan: IDOT completed the state’s first Statewide Public Transportation Plan in 2018. This plan identified goals, objectives, and strategies to meet the demand for service and was integrated into the last Long Range Transportation Plan.
  • Capital Asset State of Good Repair Report: This document includes sections on Transit Asset Management (TAMP), existing conditions of Illinois transit providers, best practices, and recommendations.
  • Performance Measurements Report: This document includes details on how downstate transit providers’ performance is measured, as well as performance comparisons of demand response and fixed route providers with peer providers from across the nation.
  • Service Needs and Gaps Report: This document identifies demand-based opportunities for new fixed route, commuter, demand response, and intercity transit services, along with the methodologies demonstrating how the respective demand for each type of transit was calculated.
  • Stakeholder Engagement Report: This document includes a record of the outreach which took place in the early stages of developing the transit plan, including summaries of public meetings, survey results, summaries of interviews held with transit operators, and summaries of transit activities which are undertaken by other public agencies across Illinois.
  • State Funding and Benefits of Public Transportation Report: This document contains a summary of state public transportation funding in Illinois, a comparison of state public transportation funding with other peer states, and an analysis and the conclusions of a study calculating the economic benefits of public transportation.
  • Technology, Opportunities, and Benefits Report: This document showcases new technologies available to both fixed route and demand response transit systems, and a table of where these new technologies are being implemented throughout Illinois.

If you have any questions or comments about this project, please email DOT.IllinoisTransitPlan@illinois.gov