Program Goal and Description

The Specialized Transportation Program, as authorized by the Federal Transit Administration, 49 USC Section 5310, is intended to enhance mobility for seniors and persons with disabilities by providing Federal Transit Administration funds for programs in small urbanized and rural areas that serve the special needs of transit-dependent populations beyond traditional public transportation services and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complementary paratransit services. The program provides 80% of the cost of capital projects; the remaining 20% must be provided by local funding, which may be derived from other federal (non-U.S. DOT) transportation sources or the Federal Lands Highway Program.

Who Can Apply?

Nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organizations, local public agencies identified by the state as lead agencies in a coordination project, or local public agencies certifying that no nonprofit organizations exist within their jurisdiction to carry out public transportation projects to meet the special needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities.

Application Process

Funds are available each Federal Fiscal Year and are distributed through a competitive application process. There are two types of applicants - those from small urbanized areas and those from rural areas. Certain responsibilities are assigned to the eight small urban Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). ODOT has established the eligibility requirements to be used for all applicants. Each small urban MPO may establish additional eligibility requirements and deadlines to fit its urbanized area's needs so long as such requirements and deadlines are not less restrictive than ODOT's.

Download 5310 Program Guidance & Application Instructions.

Projects Primarily Serving Residents of Large Urban Areas

​Each large urban area receives its own apportionment of Section 5310 funding from the Federal Transit Administration. Therefore, projects primarily serving residents of one or more large urban areas are not eligible for ODOT's Specialized Transportation Program unless officials in that large urban area have delegated the ODOT Office of Transit as the administrator of the 5310 program in a particular area.

The Governor designates one or more recipients of Section 5310 funding in each large urban area, and each Designated Recipient operates its own program for awarding Section 5310 funds.

Although urban area boundaries do not follow county boundaries, ODOT considers the entirety of each county listed below to be "large urban". Applicants with projects primarily serving the residents of one or more of these counties should contact the Designated Recipient of Section 5310 funds in these counties for more information on how to apply for funding.

• Butler: see Hamilton

• Clermont: see Hamilton

• Cuyahoga: contact the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA)

• Delaware: see Franklin

• Franklin: contact the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC)

• Greene: see Montgomery

• Hamilton: contact the OKI Regional Council of Governments

• Lake: see Cuyahoga

• Lawrence: contact the ODOT Office of Transit

• Lucas: contact the ODOT Office of Transit

• Mahoning: contact the ODOT Office of Transit

• Medina: see Cuyahoga 

• Miami: see Montgomery

• Montgomery: contact the ODOT Office of Transit

• Portage: contact the ODOT Office of Transit

• Stark: contact the ODOT Office of Transit

• Summit: contact the ODOT Office of Transit

• Trumbull: contact the ODOT Office of Transit

• Warren: see Hamilton

Awards

SFY 2021 State General Revenue Fund & Federal Award Project Listing