RADFORD -- City buses haven't rolled in Radford since 1981, but that may change.

On Monday, the Radford City Council endorsed an application for a $40,000 grant to study the need to re-establish a city transit system.

"The beginning part of the process is what you have before you, which is a feasibility study," said Vicky Collins, speaking for the council-appointed transit committee. "The feasibility study obligates you in no way to go any further than just the feasibility study. ... It's kind of the gateway to other funds that are available."

Radford University's bus system serves its students with biodiesel fueled, tartan-striped vehicles. But that service is limited, and the rest of the city doesn't benefit from it. The feasibility study could look at how the city could cooperate with the university as well as other nearby communities and transit systems.

"I think their study can be as far-reaching or as limited as we want it to be," Collins said.

The grant would come from the state Department of Rail and Public Transportation, which would supply the consultants to conduct the study, Collins said. That would require a $4,000 match from the city, though City Manager Tony Cox said he's trying to change that.

"We are hopeful that we can talk them out of the match," Cox said. "We are endeavoring to try to poor mouth to see if we can get by with no match."

Jim Hurt, the city's engineer, said the idea of reviving the city's transit system has come up at least twice before, but there wasn't much interest from the council. There seems to be now. A transit system is included in the comprehensive plan council approved Monday night. And the council voted unanimously to endorse the grant application.

Councilman Dick Harshberger reminded Collins that the council made it easier to start a taxi business in Radford, but no one's done that yet. Harshberger said he wants that option to be part of the transportation planning mix because he thinks that would better serve some elderly residents better than a bus system could.

The study, if it's funded, would be completed by November, according to Hurt.