About

The Specialized Transportation Program, as authorized by the Federal Transit Administration, 49 USC Section 5310, is a funding program to assist in meeting the transportation needs of the elderly and people with disabilities where existing transportation is unavailable, inappropriate, or insufficient.

This program is typically used to purchase small capacity vans, with or without wheelchair lifts, in order to transport seniors or the disabled. Requirements of this program include a 20% match for the cost of the vehicle and an expectation of placing a minimum of 10,000 miles per year on vehicles purchased through this program.

This program was authorized under the Federal Highway SAFTEA-LU transportation bill, now expired; however, remaining funds can still be expended.

Funding Opportunities

There are currently two sources of funding for this program:

  • Funds authorized by Congress under the now expired SAFETEA–LU transportation bill which remain to be spent. This program is managed by the Ohio Department of Transportation Division of Transit (ODOT). Brief details about this program can be found below and at ODOT’s website.
  • Funds authorized by Congress under the current transportation funding bill, MAP-21, about $300,000 annually. These funds are managed jointly by the Stark County Area Transportation Study (SCATS) and the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA). A group comprised of transportation providers (non- and for-profit), social service agencies, and the public, form the Stark County Mobility Coordination Committee which assists in the management of this funding program in Stark County. Stark County Mobility Coordination Committee.

Program Details (from ODOT's website)

  • The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provides Federal funds for the purchase of equipment to support transportation services for the elderly and people with disabilities where existing transportation is unavailable, inappropriate, or insufficient. The Federal Transit Administration provides 80% of the cost of capital items; the remaining 20% must be provided by local funding, which may include transportation funding from other federal programs other than U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) programs or from DOT's Federal Lands Highway Program. ODOT writes the specifications and purchases the vehicles with costs reimbursed by FTA and the recipient.
  • Who Can Apply? Private nonprofit (501(c)(3)) corporations, public bodies identified by the state as lead agencies in a coordination project, or public bodies which certify that no private nonprofit corporations exist within their jurisdiction for the provision of elderly and disabled transportation.
  • Application Process: Funds are available each Federal Fiscal Year and are distributed through a competitive application process. There are two types of applicants - those from urbanized areas and those from non-urbanized areas. While ODOT administers the program for the entire state, certain responsibilities are assigned to the seventeen Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). ODOT has established the eligibility requirements to be used for all applicants. Each MPO may establish additional eligibility requirements and deadlines to fit its urbanized area's needs so long as such requirements and deadlines are not less restrictive than ODOT's.

ODOT Links

The following are links are for applying to ODOT for the Specialized Transportation Program. Although the current program round has completed its application cycle, the links are shown to enable potential applicants to review information in the event that another round of funding is announced. Visit the ODOT Specialized Transportation program.