Federal Transit Grant Section 5310 for Monterey-Salinas Transit buses:

1. ACCEPT Monterey-Salinas Transit's Federal transit grant application for 14 bus replacements for its RIDES paratransit service for the elederly and persons with disabilities; and 
2. ADOPT Resolution 2017-14 approving a regional priority project list for submission to the Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 program; and
3. AUTHORIZE the Executive Director to sign certifications and assurance and submit applications, regional priority list and required documentation to Caltrans. 

The Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 program provides competitive grants for capital and operating costs associated with transportation serving the elderly and people with disabilities. The Transportation Agency is responsible for accepting and scoring the FTA 5310 grant applications, and submitting applications to the state for funding. The Transportation Agency's actions do not approve funding or projects, but assist the FTA/Caltrans in making those determinations.

There is no impact to the Transportation Agency budget associated with this action. A total of $28 million in Section 5310 program funds for Federal Fiscal Year 2017 are available through Caltrans on a competitive basis. For the current grant cycle, the program local match requirement is waived and will be met through federal toll credit funds. MST has submitted a grant application requesting a total of $980,000. The requested action will authorize MST to secure grant funds if awarded by Caltrans.

The Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 grant program provides capital grants to public agencies and certified non-profit organizations for the purpose of meeting the transportation needs of the elderly and persons with disabilities where public transportation services are otherwise unavailable, insufficient, or inappropriate. Eligible projects for these grant funds include purchases of new vehicles, and equipment to support paratransit programs.

TAMC is designated by Caltrans to determine the eligibility of 5310 grant program applicants, review and score 5310 program grant applications submitted for projects in Monterey County, and submit a Regional Priority Project list to Caltrans that identifies scores for each 5310 project. For the 5310 program, each vehicle or piece of equipment requested in an application is considered a “project” for scoring purposes and is included in the project priority list. For the current grant cycle, TAMC received a 5310 program grant application from MST, which relies on the Section 5310 grant program for its RIDES program vehicle replacement needs. MST has applied for $980,000 of funding to purchase fourteen (14) vehicles to replace aging, and some high mileage vehicles in the RIDES fleet. The RIDES program provides service pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act to individuals unable to use fixed-route public transit due to age or disability. This program is otherwise an unfunded federal mandate.

For the 5310 grant program, each vehicle replacement is assigned a single score, listed in the regional Priority Project List. 5310 grant projects are scored according to specific criteria established by Caltrans consistent with federal requirements for this program. 

The Regional Priority Project List for the 5310 program, which includes scores calculated by staff for each project, is included as Attachment 1. MST earned scores ranging from 72 to 87 for each of the projects on the Regional Priority Project List; in the past, projects that score above 70 have been awarded grant funding. Projects that scored 72 are vehicles that do not yet have 150,000 miles, but will surpass 150,000 miles by the time Caltrans issues grant contracts. The Transportation Agency is required to submit the list, application materials, and signed standard certification and assurances to Caltrans. Staff requests that the Board adopt Resolution 2017-14 (Attachment 2), which certifies that MST's projects meet federal program requirements and are consistent with the 2014 Regional Transportation Plan and approves the Regional Priority Project List for the 5310 program.

Once submitted to Caltrans, the applications are reviewed by a state committee and regional scores are confirmed, at which point projects are recommended for funding and approval by the California Transportation Commission up to the maximum funding available through the program in the current grant cycle. The state is scheduled to approve a final project list and award funding in June of this year.