Transit evokes the image of a large bus running up and down an urban city street, but urban buses are only a portion of the broader picture. Oklahoma’s large urban systems (serving communities with populations of 50,000 or more) are directly funded by the FTA, along with city and state funds, but ODOT is responsible for administering Rural Transit funds. Many of the rural public transportation operators in Oklahoma use standard minivans and buses and provide services to Oklahoma’s disabled populations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Just as the urban and rural vehicles differ, so too does their funding structure. These funding sources include federal, state, private and nonprofit sources, as well as local funding.

In Oklahoma, 19 rural public transportation systems operate in all 77 counties statewide, though not all communities in those counties have access to transit service. In fiscal year 2022, these rural transit systems provided more than 1.74 million trips. Twelve percent of those trips were made by persons who are elderly or disabled.

The financial assistance programs that are administered by ODOT’s Office of Mobility & Public Transit include funding from the federal government and from Oklahoma’s Public Transit Revolving Fund. In fiscal year 2023, the federal Rural Area Formula Grant Program (Section 5311) provided nearly $21 million in formula funding for public transportation services in Oklahoma’s rural areas. The state’s Public Transit Revolving Fund provided $7.5 million to Oklahoma’s rural transit programs.

Oklahoma’s Office of Mobility and Public Transit (OMPT) released the 2026 Intercity Bus Program Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) on June 1, 2026. This funding opportunity provides financial assistance for intercity bus services operating between October 1, 2026, and September 30, 2028.

The Intercity Bus Program application package will officially be released on July 1, 2026, and applications must be submitted no later than 4:00 PM CT on Friday, August 14, 2026.

Intercity Bus (ICB) service plays a critical role in connecting rural communities and small towns across Oklahoma to metropolitan areas, regional destinations, and the national intercity transportation network. For many Oklahomans (including older adults, individuals with disabilities, low-income households, college students, and residents without access to a personal vehicle) intercity bus service represents one of the few available options for long-distance transportation within and beyond the state.

OMPT administers the Intercity Bus Program in accordance with Section 5311(f) of the Federal Transit Administration’s Rural Areas Formula Program. The program is designed to strengthen meaningful connections between rural communities and regional and national transportation networks, helping expand mobility options as market-driven service continues to concentrate around larger metropolitan corridors.

Interested in staying updated on everything related to Intercity Bus 5311(f)? Complete the form below to join our ICB mailing list and stay informed about funding opportunities, application cycles, program updates, and more.

Urban public transportation systems serve communities with populations of 50,000 or more. In Oklahoma, urban public transportation providers are currently operating in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Edmond, Norman and Lawton. Their services include transportation for the general public, along with more specialized services for citizens who are elderly and/or have a disability.

The Fort Smith, Arkansas metropolitan area includes portions of Sequoyah and LeFlore counties in eastern Oklahoma. CityLink Edmond receives urban funding from a portion of the funding received by Oklahoma City. The federal Urban Area Formula Grant Program (Section 5307) provided $25.02 million in fiscal year 2023 funds to urbanized areas in Oklahoma. The Federal Transit Administration apportions this amount based on the percentage of population attributable to the states in the urbanized area, as determined by the latest census. The state’s Public Transit Revolving Fund provided $3.2 million to Oklahoma’s urban public transit programs.