Frequently Asked Questions
These FAQs do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. These FAQs are intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies. FTA recipients and subrecipients should refer to FTA’s statutes and regulations for applicable requirements.
Answer:
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) drug and alcohol regulation (49 CFR part 655) provides that the rule applies to recipients and subrecipients of Urbanized Area (§ 5307), Capital Investment Grant (§ 5309) and Rural Area (§ 5311) funds, as well as their contractors and subcontractors. Generally, a ridesourcing company would be a contractor. Under the rule, a contractor is any entity providing a safety-sensitive function for a recipient or subrecipient. The contract may be a written contract or an informal arrangement "that reflects an ongoing relationship between the parties."
Answer:
Project-specific EJ analysis is conducted as part of a NEPA document. Therefore, if the NEPA document needs to be updated (e.g., when there are project changes that have the potential for significant environmental impacts, or a significant project change which was not analyzed previously), the EJ analysis should be reviewed to confirm that there are no new impacts to the EJ population that would be considered disproportionately high and adverse. FTA will re-evaluate the EJ analysis to determine whether additional EJ analysis is required.
Answer:
The taxicab exception does not apply when a passenger does not choose the taxicab company providing the service. For example, many ADA paratransit agencies contract with taxicab companies and other entities to provide ADA paratransit service to ambulatory passengers. In those situations, when the ADA paratransit provider (not the passenger) contacts the taxicab company to schedule the ride, the drug and alcohol rules apply to the taxicab company providing the service. Similarly, if a public transit agency provides vouchers to passengers to use for one taxicab company, the passenger does not have a choice of which company to contact, so the drug and alcohol rules apply.
Answer:
If an applicant believes the FTA HMCE analysis tool does not capture all of the resilience benefits of a proposed project, the applicant should provide additional information in the qualitative benefits section of the HMCE tool, which is located beneath the projects apparent benefit cost ratio (BCR). Other benefits may also be quantified by an applicant and submitted separately, however, in such a case the applicant must submit a highly detailed explanation of how and why the alternative analysis differs from the HMCE tool. FTA will carefully scrutinize the justification, as well as the procedures and methodology provided together with the results of the HMCE tool.
Answer:
Some buses already use advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), systems that help bus drivers maintain control, for example in narrow lanes, and to avoid collisions. While most of the systems being piloted today use warnings and alerts to help direct driver actions, systems with automation elements have also been tested by transit agencies. Transit agencies have tested prototype systems capable of assisting with precision docking, lane centering, and automated emergency braking. These systems are incrementally moving transit bus operations toward increasing levels of automation, providing FTA, transit operators, bus manufacturers, and other relevant stakeholders with time to adapt to the new technology.
It may be several years before fully automated buses operate on public roads, though there are several pilot deployments using SAE Level 4 automated shuttles with the capacity to transport 6-15 passengers at low speeds (generally with operating speeds of 10-15 mph). These low-speed automated shuttles have not only been tested on closed tracks and in parking lots, but some are operating in mixed traffic and on public roads. Current pilots still use on-board attendants, who are able to control the vehicle if it encounters an unfamiliar situation, fails to detect obstacles, or needs human intervention. These shuttles may not have the capability to provide the same level of service as regular transit service or operate in the more complex operating environments, but may be able to provide basic circulator service on relatively simple routes.
Answer:
A State can receive funds once the grant is awarded. States will work with the FTA regional offices to develop their grant applications. Please refer to FTA’s cash management procedures in the most recent version of FTA Circular 5010.1 or consult your FTA regional office for additional information.
Answer:
TrAMS is anticipated to deploy in Federal Fiscal Year 2016. (Updated 5/20/2015)
Answer:
The following website contains links to finalized Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance Review Reports, Letters of Finding, and links related to collaboration between the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Answer:
You can find all of the associated documents on the TrAMS Guidance page.
Answer:
The grant application is currently available electronically through FTA’s TEAM system. States must coordinate with their Regional Office representative to register in TEAM. States must have their CWPs approved by FTA before they can complete the grant application in TEAM. The CWP template, a sample completed CWP, and technical assistance documents are available on the SSO program page.
Answer:
The slides and training guides from these presentations can be found on FTA’s emergency relief website. Please contact us at FTASandyResilience@dot.gov if you are interested in obtaining a recording of the webinars.
Answer:
To find public transit providers in urban or rural areas, the American Public Transportation Association provides state lists by county and by metropolitan area. This information may be accessed at http://www.apta.com/resources/links/unitedstates/Pages/default.aspx. To find partners who are active in planning and coordinating transportation with other services, visit the National Resource Center's "Coordination Map" which has state agency contacts and known lead agencies and partners in coordinated transportation planning and delivery, as well as with other state-specific information and resources.
Answer:
This information can be found at: http://www.rebuildbydesign.org/
Answer:
The vanpool policy states that vanpool credits should be treated in the same manner as TDC, therefore, grantees should use the TDC line in the EAMS to record the vanpool credits to be used as local match. Whenever a grantee proposes to use vanpool credits as local match, FTA regional staff should notify headquarters staff (TPM-30) by email, of the grantee’s name and project number. TPM-30 will retrieve documentation of the identified grantee from FTA’s EAMS, and maintain a spreadsheet for tracking the vanpool credit used as local match. This is an interim process until FTA creates a permanent reporting field for tracking vanpool credits during the next enhancement of TrAMS.
Answer:
This information should be included in the grantee’s file and available for review upon request by FTA regional staff.
Answer:
States with a rail fixed guideway public transportation system (rail transit system) that is not regulated by the FRA, or any such system in the engineering or construction phase of development, are eligible to receive funding.
Answer:
Applicants must be eligible to receive FTA §5309 funding, that is a public agency, such as a transit authority, city/county government, metropolitan planning organizations, the State or a Native American Tribe.
Answer:
Only transit agencies and State DOTs that are direct recipients and that meet the two-prong threshold described in Circular section 1.4 are required to submit EEO Programs to FTA. The two-prong threshold for EEO Program submission is:
- Employs 100 or more transit-related employees, and
- Requests or receives capital or operating assistance in excess of $1 million in the previous Federal fiscal year, or requests or receives planning assistance in excess of $250,000 in the previous Federal fiscal year.
A direct recipient is an entity that receives Federal financial assistance directly from FTA.
In addition to the requirement to submit EEO Programs to FTA, a direct recipient is responsible for monitoring its subrecipients and contractors. Part of that responsibility is collecting and reviewing EEO Programs from subrecipients and contractors that meet the Section 1.4 two-prong threshold. The EEO Programs of subrecipients and contractors must be maintained by the direct recipient, as they may be requested by FTA at its discretion.
Answer:
In general, the law permits that only states and local or regional public agencies may be recipients or subrecipients of FTA program funds. However, in the grant program for seniors and persons with disabilities (Section 5310), non-profit organizations and private providers of public transportation are eligible subrecipients. Any type of entity may provide service through a contract with an eligible recipient or subrecipient.
Answer:
Recipients of FTA funding who currently do business in TEAM or who will do business in TrAMS to apply for or manage FTA grants or cooperative agreements will be provided access to TrAMS.