Washington County Transit officials told MDOT and county leaders they are advancing a five‑year transit development plan, deploying real‑time passenger information tools, and have secured a $2.8 million federal BUILD grant for design and engineering of a transit facility expansion.

Sean Harbaugh, director of Washington County Transit, described improvements made this year: the launch of Passio GO real‑time passenger information for riders, the implementation of new ADA paratransit dispatching software (EcoLane), and the completion of a five‑year Transit Development Plan recommending fare‑collection upgrades, expanded routes and improved bus‑stop infrastructure.

Harbaugh and Hagerstown Eastern Panhandle MPO Executive Director Matt Mullenix said the county, MPO and Maryland Transit Administration collaborated on a discretionary BUILD grant application this past spring. USDOT awarded the county a $2,800,000 grant for design and engineering that is fully federally funded, according to meeting remarks. County transit officials asked MDOT and MTA for continued support as the project advances into construction and for help accessing state or other grant funds to cover construction costs.

MTA local transit support staff confirmed grant and vehicle support: the Maryland Transit Administration provides nearly $4 million in grants to Washington County for operations and capital, including preventative maintenance and replacement buses.

Discussion only: transit staff summarized technological and planning advances and requested ongoing state partnership for construction funding. Direction/assignment: WCT to advance design work with MTA on‑call support and to return to state and local partners with grant and financing requests for construction. Formal action: the BUILD grant award was announced by USDOT and acknowledged at the meeting; no local vote was required.

Background: county transit operates 10 fixed routes, paratransit and job shuttles, and sits at the outer edge of state transit investment patterns, prompting county staff to pursue federal discretionary grants and MPO partnerships to advance facilities and service improvements.