(a) The Commissioner of Transportation shall establish a state matching grant program, in accordance with the provisions of this section, which shall be available to any municipality upon application of such municipality. Such grants shall be expended by such municipalities for elderly and disabled demand responsive transportation programs that shall be available to persons age sixty or older.

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(b) Not later than thirty days after the commissioner determines an allocation amount, the commissioner shall notify municipalities of the availability of such amount.

(c) Municipalities shall apply to the state through a designated regional planning organization or transit district for funding allocations. The regional planning organization or transit district and municipalities interested in applying for the funds shall collaborate on service design to determine how to use the funding most effectively in that municipality and its surrounding region. The commissioner shall have the authority to approve or disapprove the method for delivery of service.

(d) The maximum amount allocated to a municipality shall be determined by the commissioner in accordance with the following formula: Fifty per cent of such funds shall be apportioned on the basis of the share of the population of persons age sixty or older in the municipality relative to the state’s total population of persons age sixty or older, as defined in the most recent federal decennial census or in estimates provided in the five-year interim by the Office of Policy and Management. Fifty per cent of such funds shall be apportioned on the basis of a municipality’s square mileage relative to the state’s total square mileage.

(e) Each municipality applying for such grant funds shall provide a fifty per cent match to such funds. If a municipality chooses not to apply for such funds, its portion shall revert to the Special Transportation Fund.

(f) A municipality, receiving a grant provided pursuant to this section, shall annually submit to the Commissioner of Transportation, on forms provided by said commissioner, the following data on such transportation programs: (1) The number of unduplicated riders; (2) the number of one-way trips; (3) the number of miles traveled; (4) the number of trip denials; (5) the number of hours vehicles are in use annually; (6) all federal, state, municipal and other revenues received and expenditures incurred in the provision of dial-a-ride services; and (7) any other information determined to be necessary by the commissioner.

(g) A municipality receiving a grant pursuant to this section shall annually submit to the Commissioner of Transportation a certification that any state grant shall be in addition to current municipality levels of spending on such programs.

(h) Any funds shall only be expended for grants and administrative costs and shall not be expended for any other purpose.