urban mass transit administration
Urban Mass Transit Administration. A unit in the U.S. Department of Transportation responsible for making grants to help states, regional and local governmental bodies, and public agencies to acquire or improve capital equipment and facilities for urban mass-transit systems; for providing technical assistance and funds for demonstration projects; for making educational grants for urban mass-transit research and training; and for making training grants to mass-transit systems for training. • The agency also awards grants for transit operations in nonurban areas. — Abbr. UMTA.