Transit agencies that keep more spare buses than allowed risk losing federal funding if they aren’t granted an exemption from the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) for additional spare buses. Southern Nevada’s congressional delegation is now asking the FTA to remove or increase its cap on the number of spare buses the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) can maintain in Las Vegas. Southern Nevada’s transit authority operates a fleet of over 400 buses and relies on FTA funding to purchase both active and spare buses, but federal limits on spare buses have strained operations. High transit demand and the extreme desert climate leads to rapid wear and tear on buses in Las Vegas, especially for high-mileage buses operating routes with long hours. Conventions and sporting events frequently create a surge in ridership that requires more spare buses to provide reliable transit, said the RTC.