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- Home › Planning and Research Division › Public Transportation Program › Section 5311 – Rural Area Program

Section 5311 – Rural Area Program

This program provides planning, operating, capital, training, and project administration assistance for public and private nonprofit agencies that provide transportation services to the general public. There are nine (9) rural public transportation operators and three private intercity transportation operators now receiving funding from this program. Also, the Public Transportation Programs Section contracts with the Arkansas Transit Association to provide training, technical assistance, and operate the Public Transit Resource Center for rural programs in Arkansas. FTA requires monitoring and oversight of these projects through monthly performance reports, preventative maintenance reporting, vehicles and facilities maintenance, and documentation of compliance with Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) participation, procurement regulations, drug and alcohol testing policies, National Transit Database (NTD) and Transit Asset Management (TAM) reporting.

Type of Assistance: Eligible cost reimbursements for administration, operating, capital and preventive maintenance.

Eligibility: Available to state agencies, local public bodies, non-profit organizations, Indian Tribes and groups, and private operators of public transportation services under contract to local public bodies.

Amounts Available: Based on federal formula   

Match Requirement: Administration, Capital and Preventive Maintenance - 80% federal, 20% local. 
Operating - 50% federal, 50% local

Application Period: Continuous

Note: This funding is subject to ongoing Federal budgetary action.

Contact Information

Bill Ryan		Larry Lanes		Brook Norris
Bill.Ryan@ardot.gov		Larry.Lanes@ardot.gov		Brook.Norris@ardot.gov
Phone: 501.569.2472		Phone: 501.569.4932		Phone: 501.569.2927
Arkansas Transit Association (ATA)		Eureka Springs Transit		Black River Area Development (BRAD)
Southeast Arkansas Transit (SEAT)		Greyhound Lines		North Arkansas Transportation
				Service (NATS)
South Central Arkansas Transit		Jefferson Lines
(SCAT)				North East Arkansas Transit (NEAT)
		Mid-Delta Transit
Western Transit System (WTS)
		Ozark Regional Transit (ORT)