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Committee moves multiple FTA grant applications forward to fund JET software, shelters and operations
Summary
The committee forwarded three related resolutions that authorize applications for Federal Transit Administration formula and discretionary funding for Jonesboro Economic Transportation (JET), including requests for $335,868 (section 5339) and $2,657,922 (section 5307) and routine federal assistance certifications.
The Jonesboro Finance Administration Council Committee voted to forward three resolutions to full council that would allow the city to apply for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds for the Jonesboro Economic Transportation system (JET).
Resolutions forwarded include 25-034 (requesting $335,868 in 49 U.S.C. A7 5339 formula funding with up to a 20% local match for capital projects), 25-035 (authorization for the mayor to execute applications and annual certifications and assurances required by the FTA), and 25-036 (requesting $2,657,922 in 49 U.S.C. A7 5307 urbanized area formula funds, which include operating assistance and capital projects and list a local match requirement).
Transit staff told the committee the 5339 funding would be used primarily for capital projects and that the 5307 funding can include operating assistance such as payroll. Transit staff described planned investments including a software upgrade to provide real-time bus location information through an app and online feeds (for example, Google Maps), improvements to fare collection to support online fare purchases, and additional or improved bus shelters.
"This software upgrade . . . would allow for the customer to be able to utilize the software to see where the buses are," a transit staff member said, describing an automated feed relayed by routing software to an app and to Google Maps. Committee members asked whether stops themselves would be monitored by cameras; transit staff said the city currently has cameras on its buses but that there is no citywide system to monitor each individual bus stop. The transit staff said separate shelter grant work includes technology and camera implementation at stops.
The 5307 resolution included a line-item breakdown in the reading: the resolution cited a $2,657,922 request in 5307 funds with a listed local match of $1,848,560 (the transcript contains multiple numeric references and formatting issues; the resolutions will be reviewed in the full-council packet for precise accounting). Committee members confirmed the difference between 5339 and 5307: 5339 is focused on capital projects while 5307 can fund operating assistance.
All three resolutions were moved and seconded and forwarded to the full council for final action; the committee transcript did not show a recorded roll-call tally.
Committee discussion emphasized software upgrades to provide bus-tracking to riders, possible upgrades to fare collection for online purchases, and the potential to use capital funds for additional shelters and accessibility improvements. Transit staff said some shelter improvements and monitoring technologies are already the subject of a separate shelter grant application.
