CyRide could receive $3 million in funding from the House Appropriations Committee with the assistance of Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa.

The bill still has to be passed by Congress this fall and approved by the Federal Transit Administration.

“It was very important for us to receive this money,” said Tom Davenport, administrative assistant at CyRide. “We’ve been waiting a long time for this.”

CyRide has been expanding their routes, staff and facilities since 1996. Previously, CyRide’s expansions have been supported by the Government of the Student Body and the City of Ames, Davenport said.

“We’ve been talking to [Sen. Chuck] Grassley and [Sen. Tom] Harkin since it became apparent that we needed to expand and get newer facilities,” he said.

CyRide found out about the possible funds through a fax sent from Congressman Latham’s office Friday morning, Davenport said.

“The director of CyRide [Bob Bourne] requested a meeting with Congressman Latham late last year and gave him a tour of the facilities,” said James Carstensen, communications director for Congressman Latham.

The director told Congressman Latham about the funding need and Latham made a request for the money in the Transportation and Treasury Appropriations bill, Carstensen said. The bill was passed by the House Appropriations Committee for the 2004 fiscal year, he said.

“Having Congressman Latham on the Appropriations Committee has helped with CyRide getting their money and other projects in Iowa,” Carstensen said.

The money received from the House Appropriations Committee will help CyRide go through three stages of construction. The first stage, which includes a new bus washer, fuel lane and seven more interior parking spaces, is planned to be completed this fall.

“This will help keep the buses from breaking down, help keep maintenance low and the buses won’t rust as fast,” Davenport said.

The second stage of construction, set to begin next fall, will provide two more indoor storage lanes, adding room for 12 more buses. Currently, CyRide has 60 vehicles and can only park 52 inside, Davenport said.

The third stage plans renovations to the CyRide office building.

“With our third stage, we are hoping to have the offices done and to have bigger facilities for our staff,” Davenport said. “We’re not even sure if we have enough money for the third stage of construction yet.”

The goal for the three stages of construction is to be able to park every bus inside and to have better facilities for the staff, Davenport said.

“Our break room and restroom facilities are only designed for 70 people,” Davenport said. “It would be nice to have a bigger area for our staff.”

Right now, CyRide has 80 to 85 part-time drivers, 27 full-time drivers, seven dispatchers, seven supervisors and 12 to 13 workers in the shop.

“Hopefully, if all goes well with Congress this fall we will be able to have an architect [come] out to tell us how much the second stage will cost next spring,” Davenport said.

CyRide is the only project of this kind being funded in Iowa, Carstensen said.

Other projects funded by the Appropriations Committee in Iowa include the Highway 20 project, money for the Iowa National Guard and Iowa law enforcement agencies.