Rural Public Transit Team

UDOT’s Rural Public Transit Team promotes, safe, sustainable, and barrier-free public transit throughout the rural parts of Utah. Aligning with UDOT’s mission to enhance quality of life through transportation the team:
- Promotes and advocates for public transit by raising awareness, building partnerships, and improving customer service.
- Supports and promotes new technologies and information to leverage the effectiveness of public transit resources.
- Further leverages transit resources by building relationships with stakeholder groups and by effectively sharing information.
- Increases responsiveness as a team to changing public transit and public demands by emphasizing planning efforts and increasing awareness of trends affecting public transit.
- Implements policies and procedures that support the equitable distribution of transit funds throughout the state.
Public Transit Team Staff Contact Information
Alana Spendlove, Rural Public Transit Program Manager
Phone: 801-910-2095
aspendlove@utah.gov
Rebecca Collins, Program Specialist, Section 5310
Phone: 801-965-4133
rebeccacollins@utah.gov
LeAnn Abegglen, Program Specialist, Sections 5311 and 5339
Phone: 801-965-4119
labegglen@utah.gov
Jordan Hess, Program Specialist, Financial
Phone: 801-875-0065
jordanhess1@utah.gov
Ray Earl, Compliance
Phone: 385-209-3776
rearl@utah.gov
Current Events & Announcements
Availability of Federal Transit Administration Funds
Funding is available for the following programs:
For additional information on the above federal FTA programs, please go to FTA’s website.
Advertisement for Funding for Eligible Projects*
*Program amounts are approximate amounts and subject to change
*Small Urban: Logan & City of St. George
*Statewide: Outside of MPO Regions & Small Urban
- Section 5310 – Enhanced Mobility for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities
- Section 5311 – Formula Grants for Rural Areas
- Section 5339 – Bus and Bus Facilities
For additional information on the above federal FTA programs, please go to FTA’s website.
Federal Transit Administration
Utah Department of Transportation
STIP Program Years 2024
Utah Department of Transportation
STIP Program Years 2024
Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Program | Year | Program Amount | Program Area |
5310 | 2024 | $276,500 $349,000 |
Statewide* Small Urban* |
5311 | 2024 | $7,684,350 | Statewide |
5339 | 2024 | $3,500,000 $372,325 |
Statewide Small Urban |
*Small Urban: Logan & City of St. George
*Statewide: Outside of MPO Regions & Small Urban
Certifications & Assurances
FTA Funding Programs
FTA Section 5304 - Statewide Planning
FTA 5304 funds are used by UDOT staff to take care of the statewide transit planning needs for areas outside the urbanized MPO boundaries; to conduct transit feasibility studies; to provide five-year transit development plans on a regional basis, as needed; and to conduct special transit research studies. These funds are also used to identify transit program needs, and to develop solutions short and long range transportation plans.
5304 Statewide Planning Funds
Awarded Projects
State may authorize a portion of these funds to be used to supplement and administer Metropolitan Planning funds allocated by the State to its urbanized areas, as the State deems appropriate. The objective is to assist in the development of cost effective multimodal transportation improvement programs, which include the planning, engineering, and design of Federal Transit projects and other technical studies, in a program for a unified and officially coordinated Statewide Transportation system.
An applicant for Section 5304 funds must comply with all the following threshold criteria:
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a. State and local public bodies
b. Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO’s)
c. Other public agencies and instrumentalities of one or more municipalities
d. Public corporations
e. Boards and commissions established under State law
f. Publicly owned transit operators.
FTA Program 5310 - Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities
This Program is intended to enhance mobility for seniors and persons with disabilities by providing funds for programs to serve the special needs of transit-dependent populations beyond traditional public transportation services and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complementary paratransit services.
FTA 5310 Program Circular
The UDOT goal for administration of the Section 5310 Program for the State of Utah is to provide supplemental assistance to State-approved private non-profit corporations or eligible public governmental agencies in meeting the special transportation needs of seniors and persons with disabilities.
Eligible entities include:
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a. Private, non-profit organizations
b. Public bodies that certify to the Governor that no non-profit corporations or associations are readily available in an area to provide the service.
c. Public bodies approved by the State to coordinate services for seniors and persons with disabilities.
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a. Buses
b. Vans
c. Vehicle rehabilitation to include drive train, seating and cosmetic procedures
d. Computer hardware and software
FTA Program 5311 - Rural Public Transportation
This program provides capital, planning and operating assistance to states to support public transportation in rural areas with populations less than 50,000 where many residents often rely on public transit to reach their destinations. Federal law requires states to spend 15 percent of their Section 5311 apportionment “to carry out a program for the development and support of intercity bus transportation” unless the Governor certifies that the intercity bus service needs of the state are being adequately met relative to other rural transportation needs.
FTA 5311 Program Circular
The goal of the Section 5311 program (not including Intercity Bus) is to provide the following services to communities with population less than 50,000:
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a. Enhance the access of people in non-urbanized areas to health care, shopping, education, employment, public services, and recreation.
b. Assist in the maintenance, development, improvement, and use of public transportation systems in non-urbanized areas.
c. Encourage and facilitate the most efficient use of all transportation funds used to provide passenger transportation in non-urbanized areas through the coordination of programs and services.
d. Assist in the development and support of intercity bus transportation.
e. Provide for the participation of private transportation providers in non-urbanized transportation.
Intercity bus service is a vital link between rural communities and the urban areas within the State as well as the rest of the nation. The goals of the Section 5311(f) Intercity Bus program are to:
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a. Support the connection between non-urbanized areas and the larger regional or national system of intercity bus service.
b. Support the services to meet the intercity travel needs of residents in non-urbanized areas.
c. Support the infrastructure of the intercity bus network through planning and marketing assistance and capital investment in facilities.
For purposes of Section 5311(f) only, FTA permits states to pass through funds to local public bodies and private nonprofit and for profit intercity bus providers. UDOT uses a merit based selection process to ensure that the private operator is qualified, will provide eligible service, can comply with Federal and State requirements, and is the best, or only, provider available to offer service at a fair and reasonable cost.
FTA Section 5329 - Public Transportation Safety and Oversight
FTA Section 5329 provides funds for safety and oversight of rail transit safety.
Fact Sheet for Section 5329 (FAST Act)
The goal of the Section 5329 program is to implement and maintain a national public transportation safety program to improve the safety of all public transportation systems that receive federal funding.
FTA Section 5339 - Bus and Bus Facilities
FTA Section 5339 provides capital funding to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities.
FTA 5339 Program Circular
The goal of the Section 5339 program is to improve bus and bus facilities by funding capital projects to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses, vans, and related equipment, and to construct bus-related facilities.
Application Guidance and Awarded Projects
Civil Rights
Title VI Complaint Procedures
Title VI Training Resources
Agency Title VI Sample Document
Fixed Route and MPO Title VI Guidance
FTA Title VI Circular 4702.1B
FTA Title VI Overview 4702.1B
FTA Title VI Public Board Outreach
UDOT Title VI 2013 Presentation
UDOT FTA Title VI Program
UDOT LEP Plan from UDOT Title VI Plan
UDOT LEP Tools Compiled Documents
UDOT Non-Discrimination Title VI Poster
UDOT Non-Discrimination Poster (Spanish)
UDOT Title VI Brochure
UDOT Public Involvement Sign in Sheet
Title VI Resources for Subrecipients
UDOT Title VI Public Meeting Hearing Form
Title VI Region Demographic Data
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
Compliance
Compliance Forms and Information
The program compliance forms are provided for your convenience.
Alcohol Testing Data Collections Form
Daily Pre-Trip Inspection Form
Drug Testing Data Collections Form
Vehicle Surveillance Inspection Form
Title VI Compliance Requirements
Preventive Maintenance Schedule and Vehicle Surveillance Forms
Public Transit Training Resources
Resources
Public Transit Plans and Studies
State Management Plan
Transit Asset Management Plan
Agency Transit Plans
- Bear River Coordinated Human Service Transportation Plan – May 2017
- Dixie MPO Transportation Plan – August 2009
- Six County Coordinated Service Transportation Plan – 2016
- Southwest Utah Coordinated Human Service Transportation Plan – July 2015
- Wasatch Front Mobility Management Project (Regional Coordinated Plan) – 2015
- Uintah Basin Coordinated Human Service Transportation Plan – August 2018
- Tooele Coordinated Transportation Plan – 2015
- Bear River Region Mobility Management Business Plan – September 2012
- Southeastern Utah Coordinated Human Service Public Transportation Plan – September 2017
Transit Studies
- Improving Transportation Services for DSPD Consumers – August 2012
- Utah Department of Transportation Public Transit Team Annual Report for 2010
- 2011-2013 Rural Intercity Transit Workshop Presentation – January 2011 (1.9 MB)
- 2011-2013 Rural Intercity Transit Workshop Summary – January 2011 (2.9 MB)
- Hurricane to Zion Canyon Transit Study – August 2010
- Intercity Bus Study – February 2010 (3.1 MB)
- Summit County Regional Transit Study – December 1999 (6.7 MB)
- Dixie Transit Feasibility Study – May 1999 (8.1 MB)
- Six County Rural Transit Feasibility Study – October 1998 (13.6 MB)
- Brian Head Feasibility Study – January 2011 (2.9 MB)
- Bear River Mobility Management Business Plan