DEKALB – The DeKalb City Council Monday night approved a funding agreement with the state for more than $11.5 million to support local bus services for the upcoming year. This grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation covers about 82 percent of the total cost to run the transit system. City leaders also gave the transit manager authority to sign federal grant paperwork to help manage $13 million in existing funds. During the meeting officials shared that six new buses are expected to arrive this month to upgrade the current fleet. The local transit program relies on state money along with contributions from Northern Illinois University and passenger fares to stay in service.
“We ordered six Gillig buses back in December of 2024. Our first bus was produced, we’re waiting for delivery, and all six should be arriving. We’re expecting to see over the course of this month, we should start seeing them rolling in. We’ll have the bus wraps on them and all those things,” said DeKalb Transit Manager Mike Neuenkirchen.
