We are requesting to utilized federal FTA 5307 funds (see below funding breakdown)

The Flint Hills Area Transportation Agency Board received a Federal Transit Formula Grant (CFDA 20.507) from the Federal Transit Administration in the amount of $5.77M, obligated on May 15, 2025, for transit-related capital and operational expenditures in the Manhattan, Kansas urbanized area through October 30, 2030. The grant funds a comprehensive range of transit infrastructure and operational activities, including $1.64M for transit operations, $450K for preventative maintenance, $300K for software systems upgrades, $150K for bus stop signage and passenger amenities, $100K for hardware, and $36.4K for management training. These projects align with the Flint Hills Metropolitan Planning Organization's 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Plan and were approved for grant funding on October 2, 2024.

The grant requires a local match of approximately $2.14M, bringing the total project budget to $5.77M. All identified transit capital and operational projects are eligible activities under the Urbanized Area Formula Funding Program (49 U.S.C. 5307), which provides federal resources to local and regional government authorities for developing, improving, maintaining, and operating public transportation systems in urbanized areas. The funding supports the agency's continued delivery of essential shared-ride transportation services to the Manhattan community while enhancing operational capacity and service quality through infrastructure and technology improvements.

Activities

Summary of expenses include:(1)costs associated with operating transit services: include but not limited to...personnel costs for transit operations (bus operators dispatch team operations management payroll taxes and employee benefits) vehicle insurance and registrations advertising materials and supplies for bus operators and dispatch team used in operations person protective equipment uniforms insurance (workmans compensation general liability) bus fuel equipment not included under capital.(2)administration costs include: transit management administration and compliance (wages taxes and benefits) office equipment and supplies employee benefit contracts risk management human resources and workforce planning and recruitment insurance (general liability do insurance) general and administrative facilities usage(3)preventative maintenance on fleet vehicles and transit facilities are costs that are related to preserving or extending the functionality and serviceability of assets in a cost-effective manner up to and including the current state of the art for maintaining such asset. Includes all expenses that relate to the performance of maintenance activities including (but not limited to): labor (mechanics and facilities taxes and benefits) shop materials and supplies for use in maintenance parts and supplies for in maintaining assets outside services. These capital maintenance expenses are in accordance with the agency preventative maintenance policy.(4)capital related costs: include expenses for planning bus equipment bus amenities software computers and IT equipment as well as employee training program.

Expected outcomes

The agency will be implementing microtransit in the coming years first as a pilot with a goal towards integration of microtransit into the agencys regular services. The agency has taken a HIT coming out of the covid 19 pandemic and ridership has declined. The agency is currently wrapping up system wide transit study to assist the agency in determining the best use of resources and implementation of a mix of fixed routes and microtransit services to better serve the community. To provide a more efficient and effective route system that gets the riders around to areas of the city accessing important and vital services like grocery stores medical services and other community resources. The agency has a goal of providing more than 80% of the residents in the city of manhattan with an opportunity to be within a 5-minute walk to a fixed route bus stop or to be able to utilize microtransit services to connect to a fixed route. We believe the impact to the community will result in increased ridership through improved headways and on-board timing.

Intended beneficiaries

All transit riders of the system will receive benefits from the use of the funds through improved look and comfort on the buses and at the bus stop locations as we seek to improve not only comfort but ADA accessibility on and off the vehicles. Employees also receive the benefit of operating a transit vehicle less hassle of down time for vehicles needing repairs and less breakdowns out on route. Overall improving the appearance of the agencys buses and bus stops will improve the support from the public of having a transit system in the community.

Subrecipient activities

Not applicable there will be no subrecipients for this project.