09/18/2025
Ponca Express Receives U.S. Department of Transportation Regional Ridership Award
NORFOLK, NE – Ponca Express, a transportation service operated by the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, was recently presented with an award recognizing Highest Total Ridership Among Tribal Transit Systems in the Midwest Region. This award, presented by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) at the 2025 Midwest Transit Conference, recognized the invaluable services the Ponca Express has provided over the past year, providing 17,433 rides in the communities served.
“The Ponca Express is a critical service, connecting natives of all tribes and non-natives across our service delivery area to critical destinations like healthcare, jobs, daily needs, and family,” said Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Chairwoman Candace Schmidt. “We thank the Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration’s recognition of the Ponca Express and applaud our dedicated staff for their commitment to providing high-quality, safe, and reliable transportation.”
Ponca Express currently operates transportation services in Norfolk, Niobrara, Omaha, Lincoln, and Sioux City, providing on-demand transportation within a three-hour radius of each city on a first-come, first-served basis. The service is open to native and non-native community members alike, and can be used for transportation to health appointments, public social services, education, recreation, and more.
For more information, please visit https://www.poncatribe-ne.gov/services/ponca-express/ or call your local Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Office. To schedule a ride, call:
Ponca Express Rural (Norfolk and Niobrara):
1-877-769-3111
Ponca Express Metro (Omaha, Lincoln, and Sioux City):
1-855-766-2239
