River Cities Public Transit receives grant to develop transportation plan for Native American Reservations in South Dakota

A Pierre-based transit system will receive a grant worth over half-a-million dollars to develop a transit plan to serve Native American Reservations in South Dakota.

The Federal Transit Administration has awarded River Cities Public Transit a grant in the amount of $527,520 under the Areas of Persistent Poverty Program. The goals of the new transit plan are improving efficiency and ensuring their system meets the needs of people who lack access to employment, public services, education and healthcare facilities.

River Cities Executive Director Ron Baumgart says they have worked to provide rural transportation services to remote areas of South Dakota for over two decades. He says they understand how vital transportation is to many of the communities they serve, and in some cases, it’s literally a matter of life and death.