Frequently Asked Questions

I would like to find out the exclusions in filing 041 preventive maintenance claims. (What items under maintenance expenses are not included in the claim?). Is there any topic in the website that I can read or areas that cover the "exclusion" to verify our claim?

The National Transit Database describes various specific activities that are eligible expenses of the following categories of "Maintenance":

• Maintenance of Communication Systems (126)
• Maintenance of Fare Collection and Counting Systems (111)
• Maintenance of Garages and Shop Buildings, Grounds and Equipment (125)
• Maintenance of General Administration Buildings, Grounds and Equipment (127)
• Maintenance of Operating Station Buildings, Grounds and Equipment (124)
• Maintenance of Passenger Stations (123)
• Maintenance of Roadway and Track (121)
• Maintenance of Structures, Tunnels, Bridges and Subways (122)
• Maintenance of Vehicle Movement Control Systems (101)

If the cost is for an activity that is not described in one of the categories listed above, it must be excluded as an ineligible maintenance expense.

Additional clarity on the definition of "maintenance" can be found in the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA) (PDF) established by FTA. According to statute (49 U.S.C. 5335), all 5307 Grantees are required to follow the USOA for their accounting.

The definition of Expense Functions can be found in Chapter 6. The Maintenance Functions are 041 through 141 (pages 63 through 80 of the PDF version or pages 65 through 81 of the document itself). (Revised: September 15, 2009)