Unmet Transit Needs

As the Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) for Madera County, MCTC is responsible for the administration of the Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds. TDA funds, which are funded through ¼ percent of the statewide sales tax, are the primary funding source for most transit systems. The administration of TDA funds includes the annual unmet transit needs process, which has three key components: soliciting testimony on unmet transit needs; analyzing needs in accordance to adopted definitions of unmet transit need and reasonable to meet; and adoption of a finding regarding unmet transit needs that may exist for the upcoming fiscal year. These tasks are to be performed in consultation with the Social Service Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC).

UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS: An unmet transit need is an expressed or identified need that is not currently being met through existing public transportation services.  An unmet transit need also is a need required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

REASONABLE TO MEET: The term “reasonable to meet” shall apply to public or specialized transportation services that meet the following minimum criteria:

Feasibility

• The proposed service can be provided with available Transportation Development Act (TDA) funding and/or other funding sources (per State law, the lack of available resources shall not be the sole reason for finding that a transit need is not reasonable to meet per PUC § 99401.5 (c).
• Sufficient ridership potential exists for new expanded, or revisited transit services.
• The proposed transit service will be safe and comply with local, State, and federal law.

Community Acceptance

• The proposed transit service has community support from the general public, community groups, and /or community leaders.

Benefit to Population

• The proposed transit service serves a significant number of residents where it is needed and would benefit the general public and/or senior and disabled persons as a whole.

Cost-Effective

• The proposed transit service will not affect the ability of the overall system of the implementing agency or agencies to meet applicable transit system performance objectives or the State TDA farebox ratio requirement after any exemption(s) period(s) if the service is eligible for an exemption(s) per CCR 6633.2.
• The proposed transit service, if implemented or funded, would not cause the responsible operator to incur expenditures in excess of the maximum amount of LTF, STA, FTA funds, and fare revenues and local support.

Consistent with Intent of Existing Transit Service(s) and Plans

• Once established, the proposed transit service will not abuse or obscure the intent of existing transit service(s).
• The proposed transit need should be in conformance with the goals included in the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, and consistent with the intent of the goals of the adopted Short Range Transit Plan.

Tell us about your Unmet Transit Need!

Prior to allocating TDA funds for local streets and roads in individual jurisdictions, MCTC must identify any unmet transit needs that may exist in that jurisdiction that are reasonable to meet. The Annual Unmet Transit Needs Assessment is conducted to identify any unmet transit needs and make any related findings. For this assessment, MCTC is required to establish and implement a process of citizen participation, utilizing the SSTAC to hear the transit needs of transit dependent or disadvantaged persons. This year, the opportunities for citizen participation consists of an online survey, six in-person events, one virtual event, and a public hearing. Dates and locations for the outreach events and the public hearing are listed in the table below:

Share your thoughts by filling out the online survey. Please click here. For a paper copy, print the comment form below and send to the contact listed on the form.