There are multiple purposes for this grant including replacement of cutaway paratransit vehicles that have surpassed their useful life purchase of training-related equipment to improve the safety of…

Federal Transit Formula Grant Award Summary

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (CMRTA) $6.52 million under the Federal Transit Formula Grants program (CFDA 20.507) on August 6, 2025, with a completion date of March 30, 2033. This formula grant funds multiple transit capital and operational improvement initiatives designed to enhance service reliability, safety, and efficiency across the Columbia, South Carolina metropolitan area. Primary deliverables include replacement of paratransit and fixed-route vehicles that have exceeded their useful life, procurement of 35-foot buses for fixed-route service, continued subsidization of CMRTA's vanpool program, and acquisition of advanced Automated Data Processing (ADP) hardware and software for scheduling, on-time performance monitoring, and operational management.

Additionally, the award supports targeted safety and employee engagement initiatives, including purchase of specialized training equipment such as stationary wheelchair tiedowns and operator training scooters to enhance passenger safety protocols. Notably, these grant funds will enable CMRTA to implement a new employee incentive program rewarding staff for improvements in safety, efficiency, and cost reduction—a service offering previously unavailable to the organization. No subrecipient activities are associated with this award, with all funding directly supporting CMRTA's transit operations and capital infrastructure improvements.

Activities

There are several cmrta activities to be performed with this grant. ADP hardware and ADP software will include licenses and implementation of various software pertaining to scheduling on time performance and day to day operations. There are funds in this grant for the purchase of replacement paratransit vehicles as well as replacement fixed route vehicles. Much of the cmrta fleet for both fixed route and paratransit have met or exceeded their useful life so the purchase of replacement vehicles is vital to maintaining service for our customers. Funding in grant SC-2020-015 for cmrtas ongoing vanpool program is almost fully expended so funds in this grant will keep that program active. Cmrta wants to use some of the grant funds to purchase a stationery wheelchair tiedown as well as a scooter for more extensive operator training. This grant would also provide something cmrta has never before offered - an employee incentive program. Employees would be eligible to receive an award for improving safety efficiency cost reductions etc.

Expected outcomes

Benefits of the implementation of this grant include improved transit reliability and efficiency the continuation of the very successful vanpool program improved safety of our customers through new training equipment improved morale because of the possibility of incentives etc.

Intended beneficiaries

Cmrtas passengers will be the direct recipients of the benefits of this grant. Staff will also enjoy improved equipment and efficiencies.