Section 5304 - State Planning and Research Program
Program Description:
The Section 5304 Program provides funds for research, training/education, planning and coordination, and operational and technical projects that preserve or enhance public transit. Projects submitted for funding under this application must demonstrate statewide benefits and are subject to a competitive project selection process. These projects may be funded with FTA Section 5304 funds.
Eligible Applicants:
Eligible authorities and eligible governmental agencies as defined in Act 51 and/or private and public nonprofit providers, and private for-profit providers.
Section 5307 - Urbanized Area Formula Program
Program Description:
This is a formula grant program for urbanized areas (UAs) with a population more than 50,000. Funds are apportioned to UAs utilizing a formula based on population, population density, and other factors associated with transit service and ridership. This program provides both capital and/or operating assistance to the eligible applicants. Interested applicants must contact FTA for the submittal of their applications in addition to requesting state match through OPT's annual application process. FAST Act allowed Section 5307 Program funds to be used for activities that were eligible under the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) Program, which focused on providing services to low-income individuals to access jobs. This includes operating assistance with a 50 percent state match for job access and reverse commute activities. In addition, the urbanized area formula for distributing funds now includes the number of low-income individuals as a factor. There is no floor or ceiling on the amount of funds that can be spent on job access and reverse commute activities.
Eligible Applicants:
Eligible authorities and eligible governmental agencies as defined in Act 51 and that are in the UAs with a population more than 50,000 and have been designated by the governor as an eligible funding recipient.
Section 5309 - Fixed Guideway Capital Investment Program
Program Description:
This program provides capital assistance for core capacity improvement projects, corridor-based bus rapid transit projects, fixed-guideway bus rapid transit projects, new fixed-guideway projects, program of interrelated projects, and small start projects. Interested applicants must contact FTA for the submittal of their applications in addition to requesting state match through OPT's annual application process.
Eligible Applicants:
Eligible authorities and eligible governmental agencies as defined in Act 51, as well as private companies engaged in public transportation and private nonprofit organizations.
Section 5310 - Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program
Program Description:
This program provides formula funding to increase the mobility of seniors and individuals with disabilities. Under FAST Act, funds are apportioned based on each state's share of the targeted populations and are now apportioned to both states (for all areas less than 200,000) and large urbanized areas (more than 200,000). The former NF Program (Section 5317) is folded into this program. NF projects should be for services for individuals with disabilities that go above and beyond the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Eligible Applicants:
Private nonprofit organizations, public transit authorities or governmental agencies where no nonprofit organizations are available to provide service or governmental authorities approved to coordinate services. To be eligible for funding consideration, a Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan and all updates must be on file with OPT or submitted to OPT with the application.
Section 5311 - Rural Area Formula Program
Federal Section 5311 - Rural Area Formula Program
Program Description:
This formula program is used to provide federal funding to assist transportation services in rural areas. In the past few years, Michigan has provided operating assistance that is equivalent to 18 percent of eligible expense to rural public transportation providers currently receiving state funds under the State Operating Assistance Program to further supplement their eligible operating expenses. Starting from FY 2019, agencies have been provided with the option to use all or part of their allocation for operating or capital.
Once an authorization is executed, the agency may not switch between operating and capital. If you choose to use any portion of your Section 5311 allocation for capital, you also need to complete the application requirements for capital assistance. Fifteen percent of the Section 5311 appropriation is set aside for agencies supporting intercity bus service [see Federal Section 5311(f) Intercity Bus Program, for a description of the program]. FAST Act allows Section 5311 Program funds to be used for activities that were eligible under the former JARC Program, which focused on providing services to low-income individuals to access jobs. In addition, the formula now includes the number of low-income individuals as a factor. There is no floor or ceiling on the amount of funds that can be spent on job access and reverse commute activities. MDOT will use a portion of the Section 5311 formula funds to continue existing JARC projects.
Eligible Applicants:
Eligible authorities and eligible governmental agencies as defined in Act 51 who receive state operating assistance and Native American tribes providing public transportation in rural areas of the state. Private nonprofit organizations are eligible for JARC activities.
Section 5311(f) - Intercity Bus Program
Program Description:
This program provides capital and operating assistance to support intercity bus service in rural areas. MDOT is required to spend not less than 15 percent of its Section 5311 apportionment to carry out a program for the development and support of intercity bus transportation. The requirement is in effect unless the governor certifies that Michigan's intercity bus service needs are being adequately met.
Eligible Applicants:
A private, for-profit intercity carrier or provider; a private, nonprofit intercity carrier or provider; a local public transit provider providing, or proposing to provide, feeder service to intercity carriers; or federally recognized Native American tribal governments in Michigan. Contact Robbie Smith, Intercity Bus project manager, at 517-241-0679 if you are interested in applying for financial assistance under this program.
Section 5337 - State of Good Repair Program
Program Description:
The State of Good Repair (SGR) Grants Program provides capital assistance for maintenance, replacement, and rehabilitation projects of high-intensity fixed-guideway and bus systems to help transit agencies maintain assets in a state of good repair. Additionally, the SGR grants are eligible for developing and implementing Transit Asset Management plans. The SGR grant funds are available for capital projects that maintain a fixed-guideway or high-intensity motorbus system in a state of good repair, including projects to replace and rehabilitate: rolling stock, track, line equipment and structures, signals and communications, power equipment and substations, passenger stations and terminals, security equipment and systems, maintenance facilities and equipment, and operational support equipment, including computer hardware and software; as well as implement transit asset management plans. Interested applicants must contact FTA for the submittal of their applications in addition to requesting state match through OPT's annual application process.
Eligible Applicants:
Eligible authorities and eligible governmental agencies as defined in Act 51 and/or state and local government authorities in UAs with fixed-guideway and high-intensity motorbus systems in revenue service for at least seven years. The Detroit Transportation Corp. is currently the only agency with an eligible project.
Section 5339 - Bus and Bus Facilities Program
Program Description:
This grant program includes both competitive and formula allocations. The formula grant program was established under MAP-21, replacing the previous Section 5309 Discretionary Bus and Bus Facilities Program. This capital program provides funding to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment, and to construct bus-related facilities. Each year, $65.5 million will be allocated with each state receiving $1.25 million and each territory (including DC and Puerto Rico) receiving $500,000. The remaining funding will be distributed by formula based on population, vehicle revenue miles and passenger miles to the urbanized areas.
The FAST Act includes a new competitive program under Section 5339 that allows FTA to make grants to states and transit agencies for bus and bus facility capital projects. The competitive allocation provides funding for major improvements to bus transit systems that would not be achievable through formula allocations.
Eligible Applicants:
Eligible authorities and eligible governmental agencies as defined in Act 51.
