Transit

Transit Funding

FTA Section 5310 Call for Projects

The Ozarks Transportation Organization (OTO) will be accepting applications for FTA Section 5310 funds from December 19, 2022, through January 30, 2023. These funds are for improving the mobility of seniors and individuals with disabilities in the OTO area. Non-profit human service agencies and public transportation providers are eligible to apply. The purchase of accessible vehicles is the primary project funded by this program. Applications will be made available on December 19, 2022, and will be due by 5pm on January 30, 2023. Applications will be available on this page.

The OTO will host a pre-application meeting at 12:00pm on December 19, 2022, to discuss this opportunity. Staff will talk through the application and answer questions. This is an optional meeting. Applicants who are familiar with the process do not have to attend. The meeting will be held at OTO’s offices at 2208 W Chesterfield Blvd, Suite 101, Springfield, MO.

The current application can be found here: Section 5310 Funding Application FY21 22

Information will be posted here after the meeting for those unable to attend.

If you have any questions about this program, please attend the meeting on December 19, 2022 or contact Debbie Parks at dparks@ozarkstransportation.org or 417-865-3047 x 106.

FTA Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula Funding

The Urbanized Area Formula Funding program (49 U.S.C. 5307) makes federal resources available to urbanized areas and to governors for transit capital and operating assistance in urbanized areas and for transportation-related planning. Currently, City Utilities Transit is the only provider in the OTO region to pursue Section 5307 funding. Until another provider expresses interest in applying for these funds, the OTO does not conduct a competitive application process for these funds.

Eligible activities for funding with Section 5307 monies include: (1) planning, engineering, design, and evaluation of transit projects and other technical transportation-related studies; (2) capital investments in bus and bus-related activities such as replacement, overhaul, and rebuilding of buses, crime prevention and security equipment and construction of maintenance and passenger facilities; and (3) capital investments in new and existing fixed guideway systems including rolling stock, overhaul and rebuilding of vehicles, track, signals, communications, and computer hardware and software. In addition, associated transit improvements and certain expenses associated with mobility management programs are eligible under the program. All preventive maintenance and some Americans with Disabilities Act complementary paratransit service costs are considered capital costs.

FTA Section 5310 Enhancing Mobility For Seniors and Individuals With Disabilities

The OTO is responsible for conducting a competitive project selection process for the region's annual allocation of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 grant funds. These funds can be used to purchase rolling stock for area human service agencies or to make improvements to CU-Transit's system that goes above and beyond the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The OTO's Local Coordinating Board for Transit (LCBT) is responsible for reviewing applications and making recommendations to the OTO's Board of Directors.

The LCBT uses the Section 5310 funding to meet the needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities that have been identified in the Transit Coordination Plan, the region's coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan. The competitive process also follows the procedures outlined in the OTO's Program Management Plan.

The LCBT is currently updating the region's Transit Coordination Plan. For more information on this process, please visit our TCP project page.

FTA Section 5339 Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program

The Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program (49 U.S.C. 5339) makes federal resources available to states and direct recipients to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities including technological changes or innovations to modify low or no emission vehicles or facilities. Funding is provided through formula allocations and competitive grants. A sub-program, the Low- or No-Emission Vehicle Program, provides competitive grants for bus and bus facility projects that support low and zero-emission vehicles. Currently, City Utilities Transit is the only provider in the OTO region to pursue Section 5339 funding. Until another provider expresses interest in applying for these funds, the OTO does not conduct a competitive application process for these funds.