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Orange County committee authorizes application for federal 5311 transit funds
Summary
The Rules Committee authorized submission of a biannual application for federal 49 U.S.C. § 5311 funds to support operating assistance and purchase of replacement/expansion dial‑a‑ride vehicles for small municipal transit operators.
The Orange County Legislature Rules Committee voted to authorize submission of the county’s biannual application for federal 49 U.S.C. § 5311 funds administered through the New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT).
The request covers federal fiscal years 2024–2025 and seeks a total of $1,905,830 to support operating assistance and capital purchases, including replacement and expansion dial‑a‑ride vehicles for municipal transit operators. Committee members voted in favor; no recorded nay votes were announced.
Why this matters: 49 U.S.C. § 5311 provides formula funding to states to support public transportation in areas with populations under 50,000. Local transit operators rely on that money for operations and for replacing aging vehicles used for demand‑response services in rural and small‑town areas.
Committee discussion and details: County staff and the deputy commissioner of planning said the application combines operating assistance and capital assistance. Staff said the capital portion would fund nine vehicles scheduled for 2026: two replacement vehicles for the town of Goshen, two replacement vehicles for the city of Port Jervis, three replacements for the town of Montgomery, and two expansion vehicles for Montgomery to extend service. Staff described the operating assistance portion as allocated among the towns of Goshen, Warwick, Montgomery and the city of Port Jervis.
Staff provided a numerical total of $1,905,830 and read a breakdown during the meeting; the transcript contains inconsistent internal arithmetic for the federal/state/local split. The presenter said the breakdown was “80 percent federal, 10 percent state, and 10 percent local,” and that municipal operators would provide the local shares at no cost to the county. Committee members asked staff to confirm timing and whether the two‑year program funds both FFY 2024 and FFY 2025 or augment previously awarded funds; staff said they would check with the transit unit and return details as needed.
Votes and next steps: The committee approved the request to submit the application. Staff will proceed with filing the application and follow up with any clarifications about year‑by‑year allocations and the transit unit’s replacement schedule.
Ending: The committee did not set any additional conditions on the application; any award and specific contract or vehicle procurement would be subject to separate approvals if required by county procurement rules.
