2016/10/26 Council Agenda Packet

2 Proposed FTA C 5010.1E Page I-1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1. THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION(FTA).FTA is one of ten operating administrations within the U.S.Department of Transportation(DOT). Headed by an administrator appointed by the President of the United States,FTA functions through a Washington,DC,headquarters office,ten regional offices,and five metropolitan offices that assist transit agencies in all 50 States,the District of Columbia,Puerto Rico,the U.S.Virgin Islands, Guam,Northern Mariana Islands,and American Samoa and federally recognized Indian tribes. As defined in 49 U.S.C. § 5302,"public transportation,"means regular,continuing shared- ride surface transportation services that are open to the general public or open to a segment of the general public defined by age,disability, or low income.Public transportation does not include intercity passenger rail transportation provided by AMTRAK, intercity bus service, charter bus service, school bus service, sightseeing service,courtesy shuttle service for patrons of one or more specific establishments,intra-terminal or intra-facility shuttle services.The terms"transit"and"mass transportation"are used interchangeably with"public transportation." The Federal Government,through FTA,provides financial assistance to develop new transit systems and improve,maintain, and operate existing systems. FTA oversees thousands of awards with hundreds of state and local transit providers,primarily through its ten regional offices. Recipients and subrecipients of federal assistance for these projects are responsible for managing their programs in accordance with federal requirements.FTA is responsible for ensuring that recipients and subrecipients follow federal statutory and administrative requirements. 2. AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE.Most federal transit laws are codified in 49 U.S.C. chapter 53. Authorizing legislation is substantive legislation enacted by Congress that establishes or continues the legal operation of a federal program or agency. Congress typically amends FTA's authorizing legislation every four to six years. PTA's most recent authorizing legislation is the Fixing America's Surface Transportation(FAST) Act programs,Public Law 114-94, signed into law on December 4,2015,with an effective date of October 1,2015. The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act(MAP-21) authorized FTA programs for FY 2013 through FY 2015,the Safe,Accountable,Flexible,Efficient Transportation Equity Act:A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) authorized FTA programs from FY 2005 through FY 2012. Changes have been added to this circular to reflect FAST and MAP-2I changes to federal transit law and changes required by other laws that have become effective since the circular was last published in 2012. 15