Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

Detailed activities include celebrating its 40th anniversary with a leadership summit; initiating updates to the volunteer education process; and increasing the organization’s social media presence.

Grants of up to $20,000 will be given to up to 20 organizations for a six-month period to assist in the documentation, further development and replication of models for involving seniors and people with disabilities in the planning, design and implementation of coordinated transportation systems or processes.

The expansion offers commuters an alternative to congested Highway 99 while bringing new transit service to Cosumnes River College, one of the area’s major employers.

Rogue Valley Transportation District would no longer have to lease the facility after receiving $1 million in federal funds. Savings from ending the costly lease payments could be put into other transportation programs, such as transit options for disabled veterans.

While a $3 million federal grant had covered the subsidized cost of the service for nearly five years, the cash-strapped agency took over payment — about $700,000 a year — two years ago.

Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority received $3.36 million from the FTA for vehicle upgrades. The funding will pay for up to 42 new vehicles.

A $406,125 grant from the FTA will help the Morris Area Para-Transit System develop a one-click/one-call transportation resource center to coordinate local transportation services to veterans who live in the Morris County area.

FTA received 836 project applications totaling $4 billion in requests. In FY2010 and FY2011, FTA awarded a total of more than $1.8 billion in grants for hundreds of state of good repair projects, primarily involving buses and bus facilities.

The rail line relocation competitive grant program funds projects that reduce the adverse effects of rail infrastructure on safety, motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic, community quality of life or economic development. Projects getting the funding include the Massachusetts DOT Patriot Corridor Double-Stack Clearance Initiative and the Indianapolis Downtown Rail Relocation.

Will fund 22 University Transportation Centers to advance research and education programs that address critical transportation challenges.