FTA makes $6.3M available for improved access to healthcare
Will help improve options for people with limited transportation choices and bridge gap between service providers in the transportation and health sectors.
The FTA's Access and Mobility Partnership program emphasizes transportation solutions through better coordination among healthcare providers and transit agencies through technological improvements.
VTA
2 min to read
The FTA's Access and Mobility Partnership program emphasizes transportation solutions through better coordination among healthcare providers and transit agencies through technological improvements.
VTA
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) made $6.3 million available in competitive grant funds for transit coordination projects that improve access to healthcare. A Notice of Funding Opportunity is on display at the Federal Register.
FTA’s Access and Mobility Partnership Grants focus on transportation solutions to medical appointments and other non-emergency healthcare services. The grants will help improve options for people with limited transportation choices and bridge the gap between service providers in the transportation and health sectors.
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“The FTA is encouraging partnerships between public transportation agencies and the healthcare industry to support those who are transit-dependent,” said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams.
The program emphasizes transportation solutions through better coordination among healthcare providers and transit agencies through technological improvements. For example, transit riders in St. Louis can receive rapid health screenings from a mobile health unit and request referrals to medical providers at four MetroLink stations as a result of an FTA grant.
The program supports the work of the inter-agency Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM), which works to coordinate federal programs to improve access to jobs, schools, healthcare, and other opportunities.
FTA’s Access and Mobility Partnership Grants represent two programs: the Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) Pilot Program that supports projects focused on non-emergency healthcare travel needs and FTA’s Human Services Coordination Research program, which funds research to reduce gaps in services to provide safe, affordable, and reliable mobility options to seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals. In 2016, FTA awarded Access and Mobility grants to 19 projects in 16 states.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
