Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
SEPTEMBER 17, 2025
Subject
SUBJECT: FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION SECTION 5310 PROGRAM
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
A. ALLOCATING $11,619,572 in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 - Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program funds to Access Services, as identified by the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2024 and 2025 Funding Allocation Process (Attachment A), for the purchase of replacement vehicles that meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements; and
B. APPROVING the 2025 Solicitation for Proposals (Attachment B) for up to $10,752,739 in FTA Section 5310 competitive funds.
Issue
ISSUE
The FTA apportions Section 5310 formula funding to Urbanized Areas (UZAs) defined by the United States Census Bureau. As the designated recipient for the UZAs in Los Angeles County, Metro administers these funds. Staff are requesting Board approval to both allocate available Section 5310 program funds and issue a competitive funding opportunity for the recommended purposes above.
Background
BACKGROUND
The goal of the Section 5310 program is to enhance mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities by removing barriers to transportation services and expanding the transportation mobility options available. In California, the Governor designates a public entity to serve as the recipient of federal transportation formula funds. For Los Angeles County, Metro serves as the Designated Recipient of FTA Section 5310 funds apportioned to the UZAs of Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Santa Clarita, and Lancaster-Palmdale. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim UZA funds are split among Metro, the Orange County Transportation Authority, and Omnitrans, with each administering the share for its service area. This UZA includes portions of Los Angeles County, Orange County, and a small area of San Bernardino County, and funds are apportioned accordingly.
Every two to three years, Metro allocates Section 5310 funds made available to Los Angeles County through a combination of a competitive funding opportunity for eligible applicants, a formula-based allocation to Access Services, and funding for Metro’s program administrative expenses. As the Designated Recipient of these funds, Metro is responsible for the planning, programming, distribution, management, and oversight of the funds.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The FTA Section 5310 program provides capital and operating assistance to support public transportation projects that; a) are planned, designed and carried out to meet the special needs of seniors (age 65 and older) and individuals with disabilities when public transportation is insufficient, inappropriate, or unavailable; b) exceed the requirements of the ADA; c) improve access to fixed route service and decrease reliance on ADA-complementary paratransit service, and/or d) provide alternatives to public transportation projects for seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Per federal requirements, all projects funded through this solicitation must align with the priorities identified in the 2025–2028 Coordinated Public Transit–Human Services Transportation Plan (Coordinated Plan), which was adopted by the Metro Board in July 2025.
Section 5310 funds are available for Traditional Capital, Other Capital, and Operating projects that support the delivery of transportation services designed to meet the specific needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities, as outlined in the solicitation. Eligible applicants include: (1) private non-profit organizations recognized under 26 U.S.C. 501(c) and exempt from taxation under 26 U.S.C. 501(a) or recognized as nonprofit under State law with proper documentation; (2) state or local governmental authorities; and (3) operators of public transportation.
Funds Availability
A total of $23,549,802 in Section 5310 funds is currently available for allocation, based on apportionments under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117-58). Of this amount, $22,213,657 is allocated to the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim UZA, $779,170 to the Lancaster–Palmdale UZA, and $556,975 to the Santa Clarita UZA. These funds include two years of FTA Section 5310 apportionments (FFY 2024 and 2025).
Allocation Process
As the Designated Recipient, Metro is responsible for allocating Section 5310 funds to subrecipients fairly and equitably to ensure resources are directed toward projects with the greatest mobility needs and potential for impact. This approach enhances the effectiveness of Section 5310 investments and ensures compliance with federal requirements. Consistent with prior practices, the recommended allocation strategy is outlined below.
The proposed allocation (Attachment A) dedicates $11,619,572 of the total available funding to Access Services. This includes $10,884,692 of the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim UZA, $428,544 of the Lancaster–Palmdale UZA, and $306,336 of the Santa Clarita UZA funds from the Traditional Capital category. These funds will support the replacement of many ADA-accessible vehicles that have exceeded their minimum useful life.
Historically, Metro has allocated 49% of Section 5310 funds to Access Services across all UZAs. However, to comply with federal requirements (pointed out by the FFY 24 Triennial Review) at least 55% of each UZA’s apportionment is to be used for Traditional Capital Section 5310 projects. Due to challenges in obligating these funds in the Lancaster-Palmdale and Santa Clarita UZAs, the allocation for Access Services has been increased to 55% in those two areas for FFY 2024 and 2025. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim UZA will remain at 49%, as Metro consistently receives a sufficient number of eligible Traditional Capital project applications to meet the 55% requirement without adjusting the allocation.
These funds must support Traditional Capital Section 5310 projects, such as vehicle replacements or expansions, facility and equipment upgrades, and mobility management. The increased allocation is further justified by Access Services’ regional scope and operational needs. As Access Services does not receive local return funds, Section 5310 funds remain critical for maintaining and replacing its aging ADA-accessible vehicle fleet.
Metro will be allocated $1,177,491 (5%) for program administrative expenses. These funds will continue to support grant administration, oversight, compliance activities, and technical assistance for awarded projects. This amount is consistent with previous allocations and is sufficient to meet program administration needs and represents half of the maximum allowable administrative cost under FTA guidelines, thereby allowing a greater share of funding to be directed toward projects.
The remaining $10,752,739, representing 45.66% of Section 5310 funds across all three UZAs, will be made available through the competitive solicitation process.
To promote transparency and encourage stakeholder engagement, the proposed allocation process was presented during Metro’s monthly advisory subcommittee meetings in September. These included the Bus Operators Subcommittee, Local Transportation Services Subcommittee, Streets and Freeways Subcommittee, the Aging and Disability Transportation Network, and the Accessibility Advisory Committee. Metro staff shared the allocation strategy, accepted feedback and comments, and used the opportunity to promote the upcoming release of the competitive solicitation.
Competitive Solicitation and Application
The 2025 Solicitation for Proposals and Application (Attachment B) is largely based on the materials used for the 2023 Solicitation for Proposals, with updates to the evaluation scoring structure and the incorporation of the 2025–2028 Coordinated Plan priorities and Metro’s Equity Focus Communities (EFCs) into the scoring criteria.
Applicants may submit one or more applications across eligible funding categories. However, the total funding requested by any single applicant may not exceed $800,000.
Metro will host an Applicant Webinar, to support potential applicants following the release of the solicitation. The webinar will be advertised alongside the solicitation and will provide an overview of the application process, review eligibility requirements, summarize post-award compliance expectations, and offer an opportunity for questions and answers.
Evaluation Criteria
Eligible applications will be evaluated and scored based on their alignment with the Board approved 2025–2028 Coordinated Plan, program eligibility, and the evaluation criteria outlined in the solicitation. Scoring elements that involve technical program data will be reviewed and scored by Section 5310 program administrators. All other sections will be reviewed and scored by a review panel of internal and external members, with final scores reflecting the average of all panel member evaluations.
Applications receiving a minimum score of 70 points (out of 100) will be considered for funding. Projects will be ranked in order of final score, and awards will be made from highest to lowest until all available funds are allocated. Projects scoring 70 or higher may be partially funded or not recommended for funding based on the availability of funds. Metro may request modifications to the project’s scope or budget prior to final awards.
Applicants with proposals scoring 70 or higher that are partially funded or not selected may submit an appeal. Appeals must be based solely on the content of the original application and will be heard by the Metro Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) members. Appeal instructions will be provided with the funding recommendation notices.
Final funding decisions are subject to approval by the Metro Board of Directors and the FTA.
Outreach
Upon Board approval of the 2025 solicitation, Metro will implement a comprehensive outreach and engagement strategy to ensure broad awareness of the competitive funding opportunity and to promote participation across Los Angeles County. The goal is to encourage the submission of project proposals that expand and enhance transportation mobility options for seniors and individuals with disabilities throughout the region.
To accomplish this, Metro will build upon outreach efforts conducted during the development of the 2025–2028 Coordinated Plan. Planned activities include e-blasts to more than 5,700 active stakeholders, notices posted on the Section 5310 page of Metro’s website, promotion through Metro’s social media channels, inclusion in Metro’s Community Relations Regional Weekly Newsletters, and coverage in Metro’s The Source and El Pasajero blogs.
In addition, solicitation notices will be shared with Metro’s advisory subcommittees and the 11 Community Based Organizations engaged during the Coordinated Plan process. These include Move LA, Service Center for Independent Life, Advanced Healthcare Administrators, Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, Bike LA, Streets Are For Everyone, Public Matters, Designated Exceptional Services for Independence, the YMCA, Global Green, and Long Beach Forward. This outreach will help further publicize the opportunity through their members and networks.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
Approval of the recommendations will have no impact on the safety of Metro’s customers and employees.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact for FY 2026. As these are multi-year projects, the Cost Center Manager for 0441 (Subsidies to Others) and the Chief Planning Officer will be responsible for including the necessary budget in future years. The Section 5310 funds must be obligated by the end of FY 2026 to avoid lapsing.
Impact to Budget
All recommended actions will be fully funded by FTA Section 5310 program funds. No other Metro funds will be required. FTA Section 5310 funds are not eligible for Metro’s bus and rail operating and capital expenditures.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The 2025 Section 5310 Solicitation aligns with and advances Metro’s Equity Platform through the application of three of its core pillars, including Define and Measure, Listen and Learn, and Focus and Deliver. The planning and implementation of this funding opportunity reflects Metro’s continued commitment to equitable access to mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities.
In alignment with Define and Measure, the Section 5310 program incorporates equity-based analyses, such as ZIP Code level demographic mapping and prioritization of designated EFCs, to identify areas with the greatest unmet transportation needs. These areas often include low-income neighborhoods and communities of color with high concentrations of seniors and individuals with disabilities, where mobility challenges are most critical. The application evaluation criteria explicitly reward projects that propose services in EFCs, reinforcing Metro’s commitment to targeting resources where they will have the most impact.
Consistent with Listen and Learn, the solicitation outreach strategy builds upon the community engagement conducted during the development of the 2025–2028 Coordinated Plan. Metro will issue targeted outreach through multiple channels, including email blasts to more than 5,700 active stakeholders, social media promotion, Metro’s regional newsletters, and notices on Metro’s Section 5310 webpage. The solicitation will also be shared with Metro’s advisory subcommittees and 11 CBOs that helped engage the public during the Coordinated Plan process. These CBOs, serving a wide range of equity priority populations and areas, will help spread the word and encourage broader participation.
Through Focus and Deliver, Metro’s Section 5310 solicitation uses a prioritized project framework that directs funding toward services with the greatest potential to close mobility gaps for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Evaluation criteria emphasize projects that increase geographic coverage, service quality, and access to opportunities, particularly in underserved areas. By focusing on projects that align with community identified priorities in the Coordinated Plan, Metro is advancing the goal of reducing transportation disparities and improving quality of life for underserved communities.
By supporting these core pillars, the Section 5310 program and solicitation process not only fulfills federal compliance requirements but also supports Metro’s commitment to a transparent and community driven approach to transportation planning and investments.
Vehicle_Miles_Traveled_Outcome
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OUTCOME
VMT and VMT per capita in Los Angeles County are lower than national averages, the lowest in the SCAG region, and on the lower end of VMT per capita statewide, with these declining VMT trends due in part to Metro’s significant investment in rail and bus transit.* Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets align with California’s statewide climate goals, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. To ensure continued progress, all Board items are assessed for their potential impact on VMT.
While the agency remains committed to reducing VMT through transit and multimodal investments, some projects may induce or increase personal vehicle travel. However, these individual projects aim to ensure the efficient and safe movement of people and goods.
This Board item will likely increase VMT in Los Angeles County, as it includes funding opportunities for projects that implement new, expanded, and enhanced on-demand, door-to-door, and other demand-responsive transportation services for seniors and individuals with disabilities. These specialized transportation services often involve individualized routing and vehicle trips that may increase VMT. However, they provide critical mobility for populations who are not effectively served by fixed-route transit and fill essential transportation gaps. These services are vital for enhancing mobility, safety, and independence among some of the County’s most underserved residents.
Although this item may not directly contribute to the achievement of the Board-adopted VMT Reduction Targets, the VMT Targets were developed to account for the cumulative effect of a suite of programs and projects within the Metro region, which individually may induce or increase VMT. Additionally, Metro has a voter-approved mandate to deliver multimodal projects that enhance mobility while ensuring the efficient and safe movement of people and goods. The FTA Section 5310 program and solicitation process reflects Metro’s responsibility to deliver projects and programs that balance the goal of reducing VMT with the necessity to provide transportation options that effectively serve all Los Angeles County residents.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The recommendation supports the following goals of the Vision 2028 Strategic Plan:
Goal 1: Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling by developing goals and strategies to address gaps in existing transportation services.
Goal 3: Enhance communities and lives through mobility and access to opportunity by prioritizing projects and programs that will improve mobility for target populations.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board could choose not to approve some or all of the recommended actions. However, this alternative is not recommended. Failure to allocate the available Section 5310 funds would jeopardize specialized transportation services for seniors and individuals with disabilities and prevent Access Services from accessing critical funding needed to maintain and replace its aging ADA-accessible vehicle fleet. It would also place Metro in non-compliance with federal transit law under the FTA Section 5310 Program and prevent the agency from fulfilling its responsibilities as the designated recipient of Section 5310 funds for the urbanized areas within Los Angeles County. As a result, Metro could become ineligible to receive future Section 5310 funding. Additionally, the agency risks forfeiting currently available funds due to lapsing if they are not obligated in a timely manner.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval, staff will initiate the necessary actions to allocate funds to Access Services and release Metro’s 2025 FTA Section 5310 Solicitation for Proposals. The solicitation is scheduled for release on September 26, 2025, with applications due by November 14, 2025. Staff will return to the Board in Spring 2026 to seek approval of final funding award recommendations.
Attachment
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A – 2025 Section 5310 Funding Allocation Process
Attachment B – 2025 Section 5310 Solicitation for Proposals and Application
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Ruben Cervantes, Senior Manager, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 547-4323
Dustin Sifford, Principal Transportation Planner, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-4817
Anne Flores, Senior Director, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-4894
Isidro Panuco, Deputy Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 547-4372
Fanny Pan, Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 418-3433
Laurie Lombardi, Senior Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 418-3251
Nicole Ferrara, Deputy Chief Planning Officer, (213) 547-4322
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Ray Sosa, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 547-4274
Digitally approved by Stephanie Wiggins, Chief Executive Officer