" Public transportation in rural areas can be critical to connecting people to jobs, shopping, and health services. FTA awarded approximately $600 million in grants in both fiscal year 2013 and 2014 to support rural transit, including tribal transit. The current surface transportation authorization, enacted in 2012, increased funding for tribal transit from about $15 to $30 million per year and changed how these funds are allocated. The committee asked GAO to review FTA's rural transit program. This report examines (1) FTA's funding, oversight, and other support for the rural transit program; (2) changes in services, ridership, and costs since 2009; and (3) challenges that rural and tribal transit providers face and possible actions to address them. To address these topics, GAO reviewed program documentation and conducted about 50 interviews with FTA officials, national groups that have a relationship with rural transit providers, state transportation officials, and officials from rural and tribal transit providers. GAO selected state officials and providers based on grant amounts, the types of services offered, the size of transit systems, and geography, among other factors. Results are not generalizable to all states and providers. Additionally, GAO analyzed FTA data on transit services, ridership, and costs from 2009 through 2012, the latest year data were available. This report contains no recommendations"