Shawnee MTD Awarded Grant to Enhance Five-county Transit Coverage

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Shawnee Mass Transit District in Vienna, Illinois has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Community Rides Grant program to enhance transportation services across a five-county rural region in the southernmost part of the state. The funding will allow Shawnee MTD to expand routes, launch new microtransit service, and extend paratransit service hours to better connect residents with crucial resources like healthcare, groceries, employment, and other essential services.

Why it matters

This grant will help address transportation barriers in a very rural, underserved area of Illinois by increasing access to key community resources and services. Improved public transit can have a significant impact on health, economic, and social outcomes for residents in the region.

The details

The $100,000 grant is part of the Community Rides Grant program administered by the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility Technical Assistance Center (CCAM-TAC) in collaboration with the National Rural Technical Assistance Program. Shawnee MTD is one of five communities across the country receiving this funding, which totals $483,109 across the five projects. CCAM-TAC will provide technical assistance to each community to help them achieve their goals of enhancing transportation access.

• Shawnee MTD was awarded the $100,000 grant on February 18, 2026.

What’s next

Shawnee MTD will work closely with CCAM-TAC over the coming months to develop and implement their plans to expand routes, launch microtransit service, and extend paratransit hours across the five-county region.