Federal Resources for Rural Transit presented by Don Koski, FTA Region VI Deputy Regional Administrator

1. Federal Resources for
Rural Transit
Presented by Don Koski,
Deputy Regional Administrator
FTA Region 6
Fort Worth, TX

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FTA Rural Section 5311 Program
• The Formula Grants for Rural Areas program provides funds to
states to support public transportation in rural areas with populations
of less than 50,000.
• Funds are apportioned to States based on a formula that includes
land area, population, revenue vehicle miles, and low-income
individuals in rural areas.
• Eligible recipients- states and federally recognized Indian Tribes.
– Subrecipients may include state or local government authorities,
nonprofit organizations, and operators of public transportation or
intercity bus service.
• Eligible activities- planning, capital, operating, job access and
reverse commute projects, and the acquisition of public
transportation services.

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HHS
Secretary
ED
Secretary
DOL
Secretary
VA
Secretary
USDA
Secretary
HUD
Secretary
DOI
Secretary
Attorney
General
SSA
Comm’r
NCD Chair
DOT
Secretary
Mission
The CCAM issues policy
recommendations and
implements activities that
improve the availability,
accessibility, and
efficiency of human
services transportation for
the following targeted
populations:
Individuals with
Disabilities
Older Adults
Individuals of
Low Income
Organization
History
The Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM) is an
interagency partnership established in 2004 by Executive
Order 13330 to coordinate the efforts of the Federal agencies
that fund transportation for CCAM targeted populations.
Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility
(CCAM) Mission and Organization

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FTA and HUD Partnership for COVID-19 Recovery
• FTA and HUD kicked-off a COVID-19 Initiative, undertaken as part of
the CCAM.
• HUD is one of the eleven CCAM partner agencies who helped develop
the CCAM Program Inventory which identifies 130 Federal programs
that may fund transportation services.
• In response to COVID-19, many transit agencies have partnered with
local municipalities to provide essential services.
• FTA and HUD are partnering to
educate stakeholders on eligible
incidental uses of FTA-funded
vehicles and encourage partnerships
to provide essential services in local
communities with those vehicles.

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• Incidental use is the use of FTA funded assets for non-transit
purposes.
• The non-transit activity may not reduce or limit transit service.
• Incidental use is permitted under all FTA grant programs.
• FTA recipients must notify FTA regional office of incidental
use.
• Essential services are services that help provide the
community with safety and security or access to food, water,
shelter, social services/medical care, and communications
infrastructure.
• Transit systems may partner with local Public Housing
Authorities (PHAs), Tribes, Tribally Designated Housing
Entities (TDHEs), and other community partners to use
transit vehicles, facilities, or equipment to deliver essential
Incidental Use Policy on Providing
Essential Services

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• Twin Transit in Lewis Co., Wash., has a contract with the county health
department to staff a vaccine call center. Twin Transit is building a waitlist
of people who are ready to get the vaccine, as the vaccine becomes
available, transit call center staff schedule an appointment and provide a
ride to the vaccine as needed. As they see natural groupings of people to
be vaccinated within a community, the transit agency will load the medical
staff and their equipment and travel to that community. The vaccination
clinic will take place in a community hub (e.g., fire station, senior center),
with the bus serving as the mobile "home base" for clinic staff. In these
cases, Twin Transit will also send a van to go pick nearby residents and
bring them to the community hub.
• SPARTAN Transit in Levelland, TX is partnering to increase COVID-19
vaccine access. SPARTAN operates 60 vehicles on 25 routes and on-
demand service for the South Plains Rural Transit District, comprised of
17 counties in South Central TX. They are using their brand-new facility
as a vaccination center to help their rural community, here’s their story.
Rural Incidental Use Examples

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Incidental Use Example Tables
FTA and the FTA-funded National Center for Mobility
Management (NCMM) are compiling examples of how
transit agencies are partnering to respond to identified
community needs during the COVID-19 pandemic in two
separate tables.
• Table 1: Incidental uses of transportation for essential
services during the pandemic
https://nationalcenterformobilitymanagement.org/ccam/
• Table 2: Incidental uses of transportation for COVID-19
vaccination access
https://nationalcenterformobilitymanagement.org/covid-
19-resource-center/

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• FTA funding may be used to pay for the operational costs of providing
essential services through the incidental use of transit assets,
including:
– Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
• Formula Grants for Rural Areas (49 USC 5311): $2.2 billion
– Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations
Act, 2021 (CRRSAA)
• Formula Grants for Rural Areas: $678 million
– American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
• Formula Grants for Rural Areas: $276 million
– Formula Grants for Rural Areas may be used to pay for 100
percent of the operational costs associated with the provision of
essential services in response to COVID-19. This funding option
is available until January 20, 2022.
– Frequently Asked Questions from FTA Grantees Regarding
COVID-19
Eligible Funding Sources (Rural)

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Community Rides Grant Program
• The FTA-funded National Rural Transit Assistance Program (NRTAP)
has an open funding opportunity: Community Rides Grant Program.
• Current recipients and subrecipients of FTA’s Formula Grants for Rural
Areas (Section 5311) program may apply for grants of up to $100,000
for projects that develop or strengthen transportation partnerships
that improve social determinants of health in rural and tribal
communities.
• Applications due May 12, 2021.
• NRTAP hosted 2 webinars providing an overview of the RFP and the
online grant application portal, which opened on April 7, 2021.
Webinars are posted online and feature speakers sharing examples of
transportation partnerships and lessons learned.

10. Additional Resources
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11. Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility
Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility
Additional
Resources
Free Technical Assistance (TA) Centers
These FTA-funded national TA centers provide a range of services that support the
provision and coordination of transportation services and promote the mobility of
Americans. These 3 centers provide community grants:
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NADTC’s mission is to promote the availability and
accessibility of transportation options for older adults,
people with disabilities, and caregivers.
NCMM’s mission is to promote customer-centered
mobility strategies that advance good health, economic
vitality, self-sufficiency, and community.
National RTAP’s mission is to address the training and
technical assistance needs of rural and tribal transit
operators across the nation, and support state RTAP
programs.

12. Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility
Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility
Additional
Resources
Free Technical Assistance (TA) Centers (cont.)
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N-CATT’s mission is to translate emerging transportation
technologies for states and localities across the United
States.
SUMC’s mission is to achieve equitable, affordable, and
environmentally sound mobility across the US through
the efficient sharing of transportation assets.
TA center websites:
• National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
• National Center for Applied Technology
• National Center for Mobility Management
• National Rural Transit Assistance Program
• Shared-Use Mobility Center

13. Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility
Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility
Stay Connected with the CCAM
Receive the latest updates from the CCAM using the following resources:
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CCAM Website
The CCAM website serves as a hub for
CCAM resources and information.
GovDelivery
GovDelivery provides relevant CCAM
updates via email notifications.
Additional
Resources
Relevant CCAM links:
• CCAM Strategic Plan 2019–2022
• CCAM Federal Fund Braiding Guide
• CCAM Summary of Recent Activities
• CCAM Program Inventory
• CCAM Report to the President

14. Federal Transit
Administration
www.fta.dot.gov
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