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4 PROJECT OBJECTIVES The objective of this research project is to provide useful data and information on the changes in rural public and intercity bus transportation that have resulted from the increases in funding made available through the SAFETEA-LU. The project research has been aimed at answering the following questions: 1. How has federal funding for passenger transportation in rural areas grown since SAFETEA-LU was passed? What funding levels have been authorized? What funds have been obligated? What federal funds actually have been spent on existing and new passenger services in rural areas? 2. How has the increased funding in SAFETEA-LU affected rural public and intercity bus transportation? How have services improved? 3. What has been the impact on local communities? 4. What do States and local transit agencies identify as the major barriers to development of new or expanded transit services in rural areas? These preliminary results were presented during a Town Hall at the 18th National Conference on Rural Public and Intercity Transportation. The outcomes of the Town Hall discussion, together with key findings and conclusions, will be included in the project Final Report. The answers to these questions draw upon the work completed in Tasks 1-3 of the project. In these tasks, we: ⢠Task 1 - compiled and analyzed available national data on increased service levels in rural and intercity service since authorization of SAFETEA-LU, with particular emphasis on the programmatic increases attributable to the reauthorization. These included national data on funding levels, as well as a review of service levels for 2006 and 2007 from available rural National Transit Database (NTD) data. ⢠Task 2 - canvassed the states about their programs, including changes to their state programs attributable to SAFETEA-LU, funding levels, and service levels before and after authorization. A copy of the survey used is attached as Appendix A. ⢠Task 3 - contacted local transit agencies to tell their stories.
