Sustain and strengthen public transportation services throughout jackson county by combining operating assistance capital investment and fleet expansion initiatives

The Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration awarded the City of Jackson, doing business as Jackson Transportation Authority (JATA), $260,734 on January 20, 2026, under the Buses and Bus Facilities Formula, Competitive, and Low or No Emissions Programs (CFDA 20.526).

JATA will deploy Section 5307 funds for operating assistance covering driver wages, fuel, preventive maintenance, insurance, and daily operational expenses to sustain fixed-route and demand-response transit services throughout Jackson County. One percent of Section 5307 funds will be dedicated to safety and security enhancements aligned with the Public Transit Agency Safety Plan (PTASP). Section 5339 funds will address critical facility rehabilitation to keep passenger infrastructure functional, efficient, and compliant with current safety and accessibility standards. Community Reinvestment Program and Surface Transportation Block Grant Rural Task Force funding will support the purchase of new vans to expand mobility options for residents and improve access to employment, healthcare, education, and other essential services.

The award runs through December 31, 2027, with place of performance in Michigan. Upon completion, JATA will have sustained operational capacity, extended facility useful life, improved safety and compliance, and elevated overall quality and dependability of public transportation for the Jackson community.

Purpose

The purpose of this award is to sustain and strengthen public transportation services throughout jackson county by combining operating assistance capital investment and fleet expansion initiatives. Section 5307 funds will ensure the jackson area transportation authority (jata) can continue providing safe reliable and affordable transit services by covering essential operating expenses and dedicating the required 1% allocation toward safety and security enhancements. Section 5339 funds will address critical facility rehabilitation needs ensuring jatas passenger infrastructure remains functional efficient and compliant with current safety and accessibility standards. CRP and stbg rural task force (RTF) funding will support the purchase of new vans that expand and maintain mobility options for residents improving access to employment healthcare education and other essential services. The goals of this award are to sustain jatas fixed-route and demand-response operations strengthen system-wide safety through targeted initiatives aligned with the public transit agency safety plan (ptasp) and modernize passenger facilities to meet term scale standards. Upon completion jata will have enhanced its operational capacity extended the useful life of key facilities improved safety and compliance and elevated the overall quality and dependability of public transportation for the jackson community.

Activities

The jackson area transportation authority (jata) will utilize federal transit administration (FTA) funds to support operating facility and fleet activities that sustain and expand jatas community transit service. Section 5307 funds will primarily provide operating assistance for fixed-route and demand-response services covering driver wages fuel preventive maintenance insurance and other daily operational expenses essential to service continuity. In accordance with federal requirements one percent (1%) of these funds will be dedicated to safety and security improvements including security and emergency preparedness training and other initiatives consistent with jatas public transit agency safety plan (ptasp).section 5339 funds will support the rehabilitation and replacement of aging bus shelters across the jata service area. This project will include upgrading existing shelters with improved seating lighting and weather protection as well as replacing shelters that are no longer structurally sound. These enhancements will improve passenger comfort accessibility and safety at bus stops throughout the community.section 5339 funds will also be directed toward passenger facility improvements to extend the useful life of jatas assets maintain compliance with transit economic requirements model scale standards and ensure continued operational efficiency. These investments will strengthen jatas infrastructure enhance safety and refresh aging vehicles and facilities to meet growing community needs.additionally carbon reduction program (CRP) and stbg rural task force (RTF) funds will be used to procure replacement vans ensuring that residents in outlying areas maintain dependable access to employment education healthcare and other essential services. Collectively the FY 2024 and 2025 programs will allow jata to maintain safe and efficient service delivery reinforce operational capacity modernize key assets and enhance the overall quality and dependability of public transportation in jackson county. Upon completion jata will have extended the useful life of critical infrastructure improved accessibility advanced safety and security initiatives and ensured sustainable mobility for all riders across its urban and rural service areas.

Expected outcomes

The funds awarded through section 5307 section 5339 CRP and RTF programs will yield a broad range of benefits for both the transit system and the jackson county community. Operating assistance provided under section 5307 will sustain reliable fixed-route and demand-response services by covering essential daily costs such as driver wages fuel preventive maintenance and insurance reducing the risk of service interruptions and improving overall efficiency. In accordance with federal requirements one percent of these funds will be invested in safety and security projects to strengthen passenger and employee protection through upgraded surveillance systems improved lighting and enhanced emergency preparedness training.section 5339 investments will improve the rider experience through the rehabilitation and replacement of aging bus shelters creating safer more accessible and weather-protected waiting areas. These upgrades will promote ADA compliance improve design standards and encourage greater transit use across the community. RTF funding will support the replacement of aging rural demand-response vans improving vehicle reliability reducing maintenance costs and emissions and ensuring that residents in outlying areas maintain dependable access to employment healthcare education and other essential services. Collectively FY 2024 projects will enhance operational efficiency extend the useful life of vehicles and facilities reduce downtime and strengthen community access to mobility.FY 2025 funding will continue to sustain and strengthen jatas operations while advancing system-wide safety facility modernization and fleet renewal. Section 5307 operating assistance will ensure the continued delivery of reliable fixed-route and demand-response transit service maintaining essential connections for jackson county residents. Safety investments consistent with the public transit agency safety plan (ptasp) will enhance preparedness reduce risk and promote a culture of safety across all operations.passenger facility improvements funded through section 5339 will modernize jatas infrastructure improve operational efficiency extend the useful life of critical assets and maintain compliance with transit economic requirements model (term) scale standards. Additionally the procurement of one replacement transit vehicle equipped with a lift will enhance fleet reliability reduce downtime from aging equipment and ensure continued accessibility for passengers with mobility needs.across both fiscal years these projects will strengthen jatas operational foundation modernize passenger facilities and advance safety and accessibility initiatives. The combined benefits will extend the useful life of vehicles and infrastructure improve system reliability enhance rider comfort reduce environmental impact and ensure that residents urban and rural alike have sustained access to affordable efficient and equitable transportation

Intended beneficiaries

The primary beneficiaries of this award will be the commuters and community members who rely on jatas fixed-route and demand-response services for daily transportation. Riders will experience improved reliability accessibility and safety through the replacement bus operating assistance and system-wide safety initiatives. In addition the broader jackson community will benefit from a strengthened public transit system that ensures mobility for residents reduces barriers to access and supports local economic and community development.