On the bus to New York State: $14m grants.

Gov. George E. Pataki announced that $14 million in Statewide Transit Capital grants from the State Transit Dedicated Fund will be provided to local agencies across New York State to help fund a variety of public transportation initiatives, including the purchase of clean-fueled buses and infrastructure improvements to transit facilities.

"New York's commitment to a safe, environmentally friendly and technologically advanced public transportation system has helped ridership increase to unprecedented levels," Pataki said.

"Through our State's Transit Dedicated Fund, we are placing cleaner buses on our streets, expanding our State's transit infrastructure and creating a public transit system that is second-to-none and a model for the rest of the nation.

"We also know that public transportation plays a key role in our economy, transporting thousands of New Yorkers to and from work everyday. As we work to achieve our goal of creating one million new jobs in New York by the end of this decade, we're committed to maintaining the finest and most reliable public transportation system in the nation."

With the $14 million announcement, the State Transit Dedicated Fund has made $94 million in State Transit Capital grants available to transit agencies throughout the Empire State. The program has helped deploy approximately 165 new clean-fueled buses across New York and fund infrastructure improvements, including upgrades to bus garages and terminals, improvements to heating and air conditioning and replacement of outdoor fuel storage tanks.

These latest grant awards will put approximately 30 new clean fueled buses on New York's highways, as well as make necessary upgrades to transit facilities. The municipal transit systems receiving grant awards collectively carry more than 200 million riders annually.

The municipal transit systems receiving grants are as follows:

New York City--$2.75 million;

Westchester county--$2.75 million;

Niagara Frontier Regional Transportation Authority (Niagara and Erie counties)--$2.75 million;

Rochester--Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Wayne and Wyoming counties)--$1.795 million;

Rockland County Commuter Bus Services--$1.492 million;

Orange County Commuter Bus Services--$1.258 million;

Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (Onondaga, Oswego and Cayuga counties)--$631,000;

Broome county--$395,000; and

Capital District Transportation Authority (Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties)--$179,000.

The State Transit Dedicated Fund was created by Governor Pataki in 1996 to address the capital needs of public transportation systems that exceed available federal and local resources. Counties, cities and upstate regional transportation authorities are eligible for grants.

State Transportation Commissioner Joseph H. Boardman said, "With the Governor on our side, we are delivering to our public transportation customers, ensuring that buses are safer and more friendly to our environment and that bus facilities are in top condition for the people who make our transit systems work. Efficient public transit systems are essential to growth and economic opportunities for communities across New York State."