Provide one year of operating assistance to assist COT-starmetro in its fixed route and paratransit operations during the period of 10/01/2023 to 09/30/2025 as well as capital assistance

The Federal Transit Administration awarded $421,506 to the City of Tallahassee on June 30, 2026, under the Buses and Bus Facilities Formula, Competitive, and Low or No Emissions Programs (CFDA 20.526) to provide operating and capital assistance to COT-StarMetro's fixed-route and paratransit transit operations.

Funds cover eligible preventative maintenance and operating expenses including driver salaries, contracted services, fuel, security, capitalized parts, and ADA paratransit contractual services. Items having a useful life of one year or less are funded as operating expenses; longer-lived assets qualify as capital assistance. The funding enables COT-StarMetro to maintain preventive maintenance standards, sustain transit operations, and keep rolling stock in a state of good repair, benefiting both the transit agency and riders who depend on service for work and other destinations.

Performance runs from October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2025, with ultimate completion by March 30, 2034. Place of performance is Florida. The assistance type is a formula grant. No sub-recipients are involved. The City of Tallahassee's Grants & Enterprise Resources Division is the awardee.

Purpose

The purpose of this award is to provide one year of operating assistance to assist COT-starmetro in its fixed route and paratransit operations during the period of 10/01/2023 to 09/30/2025 as well as capital assistance.

Activities

Funds will be used to cover all eligible preventative maintenance and operating expenses such as driver salaries contracted services fuel items having a useful life of one year or less security capitalized parts and non-fixed route ADA paratransit contractual services.

Expected outcomes

Funding will permit COT-starmetro to meet preventable maintenance standards continue to provide operations and keep rolling stock vehicles in a state of good repair.

Intended beneficiaries

COT-starmetro transit agency and the riders that rely on its services will benefit from continued services permitting workers to get to work and other destinations.