Suffolk County has cleared an important hurdle in its goal to secure nearly $4 million in federal funding for expanded Sunday bus service.

The New York Metropolitan Transit Council’s Program Finance and Administration Committee has approved giving Suffolk a $3,965,934 federal grant over three years. The Job Access Reverse Commute grant still needs to be approved by the Federal Transit Administration.

The county in May approved spending $1.1 million in new state transit aid to expand Sunday bus service, which is currently available only on two East End lines, and only during the summer months. Combined with the grant money, the new funding could pay for year-round Sunday service on at least 10 bus routes, Legis. Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk) has said.

“This is a major step closer to a significant rollout of needed Sunday bus service throughout Suffolk County,” said Schneiderman, who proposed the bill.

The county aims to have the new service in place by January. —