The federal funding spigot has reopened for Gary Public Transportation Corp.

The Federal Transit Administration, which has said last fall the Gary agency "lacks the technical, legal or financial capacity to continue receiving grants," now says the GPTC has made "significant progress" in turning itself around.

The federal assistance -- more than $2 million a year -- accounts for almost one-third of the GPTC's revenue.

The Northwest Indiana Regional Bus Authority is establishing a regional bus service, but it isn't in a position yet to step in if GPTC or any other agency has a financial disaster.

"This (restoration of federal funding) takes away the scary prospect of GPTC folding its tent on a given day and leaving thousands of people in the lurch for transportation," RBA President Dennis Rittenmeyer said last week.

But the Gary agency remains a "high risk" agency, according to a May 7 letter by FTA Regional Administrator Marisol Simon. GPTC must demonstrate it is making progress on the FTA's financial recovery plan, and the FTA is more closely supervising GPTC expenditures.

The FTA was demanding the GPTC pay back $3.7 million in misspent money. The letter this month states the GPTC must come up with a five-year plan for repaying the money.

The FTA is taking an 80 percent financial interest in four new buses purchased with local funds, essentially giving the federal agency a lien on the buses, which will help repay part of the debt.

Restoring federal funding is good news for Gary bus riders, not only because service will continue but also because it means the Gary agency has made significant progress in turning itself around.

Now keep up the work to complete the turnaround.