NCAT to celebrate 4 new vehicles

North Central Area Transit scheduled a ribbon cutting ceremony noon Tuesday, June 18, to celebrate new fleet vehicles at NCAT’s Transit Center, 1784 Chessie Lane, Ottawa.

The project was funded by the La Salle County American Rescue Plan Act and Illinois Department of Transportation’s Rebuild Illinois grant funds. The total cost for four new ADA compliant Ford Transit vans is $395,000.

Adding four new vehicles to NCAT’s fleet is important to maintain the current service level and plan for expansion, as the existing fleet ages, said Kim Zimmerman, transit director.

Rural public transit agencies in Illinois receive most of their vehicles through state’s annual Consolidated Vehicle Procurement grant program. That program has been on hold since 2020 when NCAT last received four buses. In absence of the CVP and unknown return of the program, NCAT found another means of procuring vehicles to maintain service levels.

NCAT purchased two used buses in 2022 and applied for capital funding through state and local grants to purchase additional vehicles until the CVP returned. NCAT was awarded $135,000 in Rebuild Illinois and $265,650 La Salle County ARPA funds.

These new vehicles will help offset the loss of decommissioned fleet vehicles and support a new route providing service from Streator to and from La Salle-Peru daily.