Section 5310, Elderly & Persons with Disabilities Transportation Program

The Federal Transit Administration provides ADOT in excess of $3.8 million in formula FTA and Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds annually through the capital assistance program. Eligible recipients include private non-profit and public agencies that provide transportation to the elderly and disabled. 80% federal funds and 20% local match funds are used annually for the purchase of 75-80 van type vehicles statewide. The utilization of special transportation includes:

Medical Appointments	Service Appointments such as
Nutrition Appointments	banking, social services, etc.
Adult Day Care Facilities	Shopping Trips
Education and Training	Employment

The 5310 Program has over 150 contractors in the field, most of them private non-profit (PNP) agencies or groups. There are also some public agencies that function as grant recipients where no PNPs exist to provide the service. Moreover, Native American communities have been very active in the Program. At any given time these recipient providers represent over 200 vehicles on ADOT lien (for a "useful life") of four years or 100,000 miles. Examples of Section 5310 providers are senior centers and programs for the physically, mentally (including seriously mental ill or SMI) and developmentally disabled (DD) populations. Successful applications for the grant program are initially adjudicated through a regional application evaluation and screening process, which includes ADOT and non-ADOT transportation professionals. The 5310 Program utilizes the assistance of COG (Council of Government) and MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) planning offices to screen applicants within the state's nine planning regions. ADOT then makes the final decision regarding awards based on this input and available budget. Reviewers look at the proposals from the perspective of a number of evaluation factors including expressed need for service and/or equipment, population served, financial capability to support funding, existing fleet inventories, and previous performance.

• Section 5310 Handbook and Application
• Section 5310 Master Contract
• Map of 5310 Service Locations
• 5310 FTA Circular

The following link is a U.S. Department of Transportation web site containing information to help ensure safe and secure transportation for persons with disabilities in the event of a disaster or emergency.

The site includes advice on emergency preparedness, transportation accessibility, and evacuation methods for rail and transit systems. Disabled individuals and transportation providers can learn how to respond during disasters or emergency situations ranging from evacuations of mass transit systems to being trapped in a car during a blizzard or hurricane.

The site also includes links to Department of Homeland Security web pages that provide information on preparing for specific emergencies, including natural disasters such as severe weather, fire and earthquakes, as well as man-made disasters such as spills of hazardous materials.

USDOT Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities

The Section 5310 Program manager is Mr. Gregg Kiely.