BRTA, Great Barrington Receives Community Transit Grant Program Funds
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Town of Great Barrington was awarded $32,000 to fund the purchase of operational software for on-demand ride scheduling and dispatch to support a new microtransit pilot program in Great Barrington, Egremont, and Stockbridge
The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) was awarded $8,414 from the grant program to continue funding for salaries and materials to support BRTA's travel training program.
The Baker-Polito Administration announced a total of $1.9 million for municipalities, Councils on Aging, Regional Transit Authorities, and nonprofit organizations under the Community Transit Grant Program administered by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). This annual competitive grant program awards money to be used for transit operations and mobility management projects that complement and expand the community transportation options available in communities across Massachusetts. A second set of awards for wheelchair-accessible vehicles will be made in the spring.
"Community Transit Grants provide critical funding to municipalities and local organizations to help people get where they need to go in an accessible, age-friendly way," said Governor Charlie Baker. "We are proud to fund these grants and see the work that gets accomplished through this program."
The Community Transit Grant Program is the Commonwealth's annual competitive grant program to distribute both Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310, Enhanced Mobility of Seniors & Individuals with Disabilities funds and State Mobility Assistance Program funds. The FTA Section 5310 grant program provides funding to assist with the purchase of capital equipment, mobility management projects, and operational costs in order to meet the mobility needs of older adults and individuals with disabilities of any age. State Mobility Assistance Program (MAP) funds are used to assist in the provision of transportation services to seniors and persons with disabilities exclusively through the purchase of eligible vehicles. This round of awards uses only federal 5310 funds; the spring announcement will include both 5310 and MAP awards.
The funding announced today is for the FY23 cycle, for operating and mobility management applications submitted in the spring of 2022. Thirty operating and mobility management projects are receiving funding. Vehicle awards for applications submitted in spring 2022 will be announced in spring 2023.
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