# 10/15/26 Transportation Advisory Committee

The St. Mary’s County Transportation Advisory Committee met on October 15, 2026. St. Mary’s Transit System reported that its bus garage floor is being restored, with operations temporarily based at the airport and a planned return around November 2. The agency is recruiting staff, preparing its annual federal report and Title VI plan, and expects four transit vans and two buses to arrive in the near future; no costs or vendors were specified. It is evaluating dispatch software that includes potential client portals and AI features, which are not yet in use. Federal funding has fallen to approximately FY2023 levels, and the committee was told that decisions about continuing fare-free service rest with the County Commissioners. No transit contract awards or spending approvals were reported.

Presenters discussed bicycle and pedestrian connections, possible low-cost safety improvements, and the need for staff capacity to pursue transportation grants; one speaker estimated that grant opportunities worth a couple of million dollars may have gone unpursued. An electric passenger ferry remains in planning: a Calvert-St. Mary’s MPO grant is supporting an implementation plan, and project organizers are interviewing consultants to develop an RFI ahead of a future RFP. No consultant or ferry operator was selected, and no project budget was stated. The committee voted to retain its proposed 2027 quarterly meeting dates and 1 p.m. time; this was the only vote described and was not a procurement action.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Transportation, Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure, Grants & Funding
**Published:** October 15, 2026

### Sources
- [10/15/26 Transportation Advisory Committee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zM9NauB37M) - St. Mary's County Government