BLOOMINGTON - State Farm Insurance Cos. workers will continue to flash their company badges and ride Twin City buses free this year.

On Tuesday, the Bloomington-Normal Public Transit System board approved extending an informal agreement under which State Farm reimburses the transit system each month for State Farm workers' fares. It will run through December.

"It's great for the transit system, and it seems like its good for State Farm too," said Mark Peterson, Normal city manager and a transit system trustee.

A pilot program began in April and was deemed a success.

"We get about 2,000 riders from that a month on average," said Pete Weber, the bus system's general manager.

Because the Bloomington-based insurer pays regular fares for each, the result is an additional $2,000 in monthly revenue for the system, said Weber.

Also at the meeting, the board authorized spending up to $330,000 for a new 35-foot transit bus. Federal funds will cover the purchase, to be made through the Greater Lafayette Public Transportation Corp. in Lafayette, Ind., in connection with its multiyear contract with Gillig Corp.

Buying buses through other agencies' contracts isn't unusual, said Weber. In the past, Bloomington-Normal Public Transit System has acquired buses from metropolitan transit systems in Missouri and Florida, he said.

Weber said Tuesday's board approval marks the first step in the process, and he doesn't expect the bus to arrive for more than a year.

As the transit system outgrows its space at the Oakland Avenue facility, plans continue to move forward for a bigger bus garage and maintenance facility.

At Tuesday's meeting, the board awarded an architectural consulting services contract, for up to $2,500, to Bloomington-based Young Architects. Additional services would be billed at $90 per hour.

The board expects to seek construction bids this spring, and construction of the proposed $6.6 million facility should begin in April. The facility will be on a 10-acre site off Wylie Drive in Normal.