The Great Falls Transit District received $3 million from the Federal Transit Administration to support operations and preventative maintenance during COVID-19.

Jim Hegleson, Great Falls Transit manager, told The Electric the agency paid for health insurance during the shutdown and increased pay for their workers.

“We will use the funding carefully in case we have a huge blowup in COVID and have to take other measures,” Hegleson said.

Ridership is increasing, he said, and passengers have been wearing masks.

The funding is through the CARES Act.

In a release, Sen. Steve Daines said, “this critical funding will help support the transportation infrastructure needs of the Great Falls community and ensure our transit system in the city has the resources needed to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.”

Great Falls Transit resumed fixed route transportation services June 1. The agency had suspended paratransit in April but other agencies collaborated to fill that gap.