Federal Resources for Tribal 

Transit Programs and 

Federal Transit 

Administration Policy 

Updates

May 6th, 2020
Introduction• Federal Transit Administration 

(FTA)’s Office of Program Management

• Rural and Targeted Programs 

Division

• Tribal Transit (49§5311(c)(1)) 

Program Manager

• Interim Enhanced Mobility for 

Seniors and People with Disabilities (49§5310) Program Manager

Am

Amy.Fo

(202)
Agenda• FTA Tribal Transit Program Overview• Resources for Tribal Transit Programs• FTA COVID-19 Response:

– Funding flexibilities– Emergency Relief docket– Deadline extensions

• CARES Act transit funding for Tribes
FTA Tribal Transit Program

Formula ($30M annual)• Eligible Projects 

– Capital, Planning, Operating

• Eligible Federal Share

– 100% (no match required) 

• Recipients

– Federally Recognized Indian 

Tribes that have reported transit data to the most recent National Transit Database

Competitive ($5M • Eligible Projects 

– Capital, Planning, O

limited circumstanstart-up or recipiethan $20,000 in fo

• Eligible Federal 

– 90% (unless financ

demonstrated)

• Recipients

– Federally Recogniz

Tribes
Common Tribal Transit Projects• Fund the start-up costs of the first year of a new public 

transportation service on tribal lands.

• Fund the planning study for start-up public transportation 

or for continued investment in public transportation.

• Fund the replacement of buses and vans. • Fund the purchase of equipment necessary to clear roads 

transit service and transit facilities following winter storm

• Fund the rehabilitation of transit maintenance or storage • Fund the procurement of technology, including: data 

management/dispatch/booking platforms, GPS or other bdevices, or security and surveillance systems. 
FTA or Sponsored Resources for TechnicaAssistance• Tribal Liaisons in FTA Regional Offices• Tribal Transit Technical Assistance Asses• Multiple Technical Assistance Centers

– Rural and Tribal Transit Programs– Mobility Management– Aging and Disability Transportation– Applied Technology

• FTA’s Tribal Entities Landing Page
Technical Assistance Centers

Rural Transit Assistance Programwebsite: www.nationalrtap.org 1-888-56821 email: info@nationalrtap.org

National Aging and Disability Transportwebsite: www.nadtc.org 1-866-983-32email: contact@nadtc.org Annual ComNational Center for Mobility Managemwebsite: www.nc4mm.org 1-866-846-6email: info@nc4mm.org Annual Comm

National Center for Applied Transit TecCATT) https://ctaa.org/about-n-catt/ Cgrossglaser@ctaa.org
FTA or Sponsored Resources for Transit FFunding Opportunity Next stepsRural Areas (5311) Formula Program Suballocation t

DOT

Enhanced Mobility (5310) Formula Program Suballocation t

DOT or MPO

Buses and Bus Facilities Program Suballocation t

DOT or MPO; cprogram annua

Helping Obtain Prosperity for Everyone Program Apply by June 

National Center for Mobility Management Community

Grants

Stay tuned for 

announcement

Other Technical Assistance Grants (National RTAP,

NADTC)

Stay tuned for announcement

Tribal Transit Competitive Program FY 2020 NOFO Release 

May or June 20
Provides grants for: • Capital projects to protect, rep

or replace public transportation-equipment and facilities

• Emergency operating costs o

transportation equipment and fac

No permanent or annual approdate• Receives funding when appropria

often months after the event.

Three supplemental appropriat• Hurricane Sandy in 2013 ($10

• Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and 

($330 million)

• Major declared disasters in calen

($10.5 million)

All funds remain available “unt

Hurricane Sandy flooding, New York, NY - 2013

FTA Emergency Relief Program
Eligible Recipients• States• Territories• Tribal governments• FTA Direct RecipientsEligible Expenses1. Disaster Response: Eme

temporary operations

2. Disaster Recovery and 

Projects to temporarily or repair or replace transit as

3. Disaster Resilience: Proj

address a vulnerability

Hurricane Harvey preparations, Houston, TX- 2017

FTA Emergency Relief Program
Urbanized Area and Rural Area For

Programs Emergency Relief Fun

• On March 13th, FTA announced expanded eligibility and in

federal shares for the Urbanized Area (5307) and Rural Aformula programs

• Under FTA’s Emergency Relief (ER) Program, Urbanized A

Rural Area formula funds may be used for expenses relatedeclared emergency

– Federal public transportation law does not provide sim

authorities for other grant programs

• This action gave all recipients the flexibility to use Urbaniz

and Rural Area formula funds previously apportioned for caoperating expenses directly related to COVID-19 response increased federal share of up to 80%

• This option remains available for COVID-19 response, in 

to the availability of CARES Act funds
FTA Emergency Relief Program• FTA has established an Emergency Relief docket that 

transit providers in states where the Governor has dan emergency related to COVID-19 to request temprelief from Federal requirements under 49 U.S.C. Chas well as any non-statutory FTA requirements.

Questions? Contact:

Tom Wilson

FTA Emergency Relief Program Manager

202-366-5279

Thomas.Wilson@dot.gov
CARES Act of 2020

• Since initial reports of the novel coronavir

December, more than 1 million people havtested positive for COVID-19

• Transit providers have seen a drastic decre

ridership and revenue as a result of social distancing, while incurring unplanned costs health and safety

• On March 27th, the CARES Act was signed 

law providing $2 trillion in support for a vof industries affected by COVID-19, includtransit industry
CARES PROVIDES $25B for TRAN

• The CARES Act provides an unprecede

$25 billion in funding to support the traindustry response to COVID-19

– Urbanized Area Formula Program (49 USC 

$22.7 billion

– Formula Grants for Rural Areas (49 USC 5

$2.2 billion

• Includes $30 million for Tribal Transit formula 

– $75 million for administration and oversig
Urbanized Area and Rural Area For

Program Activities are Eligible

• Beginning January 20, 2020, all activities 

normally eligible under the Urbanized A(49 USC 5307) and Rural Area (49 USC formula programs are eligible for CAREfunding, including:

– Planning– Capital (preventive maintenance, rolling sto

equipment, etc.)

– Operating
Operating Expenses Also Eligib

• Operating expenses for all recipients, inclu

large urbanized areas, are eligible beginninJanuary 20, 2020

– Includes paying administrative leave of operat

personnel due to reductions in service or qua

– There is no limit on the amount of funds that 

used for operating expenses

– There is no limit on the amount of funds that 

used for paratransit service

– Charter service in response to the COVID-1

emergency may be provided for up to 45 days a waiver
Funding Features

• 100 percent federal share for all project

funded by CARES Act

• Pre-award authority for all projects star

on January 20, 2020

– Expenses may be incurred prior to grant a

• Funds are available until expended

– No lapse date– Recipients are encouraged to use funds 

expeditiously
Emergency Relief Docket

• Appropriate for grantees who need to 

additional regulatory or statutory relief and beyond what is already provided, batheir specific circumstances

• Docket FTA-2020-0001 at www.regulat

• For all other questions, please email 

FTAresponse@dot.gov
For More Information

• FTA’s website – please visit transit.dot.gov

– FAQs are posted with more on the way– CARES Act apportionment tables for Urbanized Ar

Area, and Tribal Transit are available now

– A recorded webinar is posted

• CARES Act Apportionment Notice to be publi

the Federal Register

• Email support:

– Questions on federal requirements and funding elig

FTAResponse@dot.gov

– ECHO-Web technical support and inquiries: 

FTA.ECHOWeb@dot.gov