STIMULUS BUS:

 

Should you try to board?


The deadline for obtaining 5311(f) American Recovery and Reinvestment (ARRA) stimulus funding is almost here — the federal deadline is July 1, and your state may want your bid even sooner. Michael Melaniphy, vice president of MCI's public sector, says his department has been busy taking questions from interested operators. "We're happy to help," says Melaniphy. "We can provide a lot of information — it's up to the operator to make a decision based on their own criteria, risk and resources."

The new era in transit calls for expanding capacity and modernizing systems. You can do your part to design the new infrastructure by serving underserved communities, establishing feeder routes to rail, or going green. Be a solution to reducing greenhouse gases and enhancing energy conservation — and help build your own business in the process.

FTA 5311(f) Funding

Capital assistance is available under FTA 5311(f) to serve rural routes. States must use at least 15 percent of ARRA formula funds for intercity bus services to non-urbanized areas unless the governor certifies that all rural transportation needs have been met. It's a phenomenal opportunity for operators to make a difference to underserved communities in a line-haul capacity. Deadline is July 1.

TIGGER Funding

Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction, or TIGGER, has funds available to US transit agencies for the purpose of reducing energy consumption, including the replacement of vehicles with more energy-efficient vehicles such as hybrids. Proposals are due to the FTA by May 22.

Stimulus funding might be right for you if:

  • You can identify and propose a new scheduled-service route that serves a community that is presently under-represented by transit.
  • You're ready, willing and able to start a transit route.
  • You're willing to use the new coach exclusively for the service proposed in the grant bid.
  • You have the time and energy to act on the proposal immediately.

Stimulus money may not be right for you if:

  • You're interested only in providing tours and charters.
  • You're unable or unwilling to prepare a complex bid on short notice.
  • You have the resources to purchase a motor coach, understanding that the government will reimburse grant recipients for equipment purchases.
  • You serve a busy metropolitan area that's already well-served by buses, trains and planes.

Deadlines are fast approaching, so you must act soon. For more detailed information, MCI's stimulus funding webinar — our best-attended, ever — is available in its entirety on the MCI website at www.mcicoach.com. If you still have questions, call your MCI sales representative today. He'll make sure you get connected to a member of our public sector team. And you'll see how you can benefit your community while boosting your bottom line.

The MCI Advantage

MCI is the market leading seller of intercity coaches that are Altoona-tested and Buy-America compliant in both clean-diesel and Hybrid configurations. Thousands of MCI coaches operate in transit service daily, and they have proven that they're built to last with advantageous life-cycle costs. Our Hybrid, launched with a 102-coach order from Houston METRO, is quieter and uses less fuel in park-and-ride applications.

The FYI from MCI editorial staff values your feedback. Please e-mail any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future articles to fyi@mcicoach.com.

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