FTA 08-05
Contact: Paul Griffo
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Tel.: (202) 366-4043

U.S. Department of Transportation Invests $3.1 Million for Bus and Transportation Enhancements in Kentucky

Residents in communities throughout Kentucky will benefit from improved bus service as a result of two federal grants totaling $3.1 million awarded to the Kentucky Transit Cabinet, Federal Transit Administrator Jennifer L. Dorn announced today.

Kentucky Transit Cabinet, the department of transportation for the state, will distribute the funds to five of the 22 rural transit operators it oversees. Today’s investment will pay for replacement vehicles, equipment and a new maintenance facility in Perry County.

“So many people who live outside urban areas depend on transit to get where they need to go,” Administrator Dorn said. “Today’s investment demonstrates the Administration’s commitment to providing all Americans, not just those who live in the city, with transportation options that improve the way they live, work and travel.”

A $1.2 million grant will be distributed by the state to the following local transit providers:

* $174,000 to Daniel Boone Development Council for seven replacement vans which service Clay, Jackson, Owsley and Lee counties.
* $605,854 to Rural Transit Enterprise Coordinated for maintenance shop equipment, radios, 12 vans and one trolley for service in Rockcastle, Laurel, Knox, Bell, Whitley, Pulaski, McCreary, Wayne, Russell, Clinton, Cumberland and Monroe counties.
* $30,000 to Harlan Community Action for one replacement van for service in Harlan County.
* $200,000 to Sandy Valley Transportation Services for ten bus shelters, radio equipment and six vehicle lifts to retrofit existing vehicles.
* $175,000 to LKLP Community Action for five replacement vans with lifts for service in Leslie, Letcher, Knott and Perry counties.

A second grant for $1.9 million will be used by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to construct a new bus facility in Perry County. The facility will be used by LKLP Community Action Council, Inc. for administrative and bus maintenance operations. The facility will also act as a transfer station for dial-a-ride services provided by LKLP Inc. The grants announced today are funded through the FTA’s capital investment program, which provides money for the purchase of buses and the construction of transit facilities. 

Although some communities throughout Kentucky have access to a regularly scheduled transit system, many individuals still live in areas too remote to be serviced by these systems. Bus grants allow transit systems to customize their services to meet the specific needs of rural communities, such as providing rural residents demand service to get to medical appointments, grocery stores or area community centers.