LeFleur Transportation of Texas, affiliated with Mississippi-based LeFleur Transportation, appear to be having some difficulty with Texas state medicaid program administrators in the form of fraud allegations.
Download: 101202 LeFleur.doc (22.5 KB).
The T in Fort Worth, the city’s metropolitan transit authority, accepted a suggestion by the Fort Worth TxDOT District Office to locally manage the FTA Sec. 5310 Ederly and Persons with Disabilities grant program in those areas of Tarrant County where no current public transit services exists.
Twenty small cities within Tarrant County are underserved when it comes to transit services. Azle, Benbrook, Crowley, Dalworthington Gardens, Edgecliff Village, Everman, Forest Hills, Kennedale, Lakeside, Mansfield, Pantego, Pelican Bay, River Oaks, Saginaw, Sansom Park, Watauga, Westlake, Westover Hills, Westworth Village and White Settlement were identified as areas where improvements were needed for elderly and disabled transportation.
The T agreed to provide service to these unserved areas of Tarrant County by means of a “purchase of service” contract. Grant funds would be used to actually pay for the service. To date, seven cities have elected to participate financially and have signed interlocal agreements.
American Public Transportation Association reports that last Wednesday, Oct. 16, Congress sent the President another continuing resolution, which provides funding at the FY 2002 level for federal programs including the federal transit program through November 22. Congress is now on break for the November 5 elections, and will return for a lame duck session. Absent passage of a regular appropriations bill, the FTA cannot distribute funding under the new starts, bus and bus facilities program or job access and reverse commute programs that have been earmarked by Congressional Appropriations Committees, and it is unlikely that FTA will apportion formula funds if there is a chance that Congress will complete the regular appropriations process in November.
The American Public Transportation Association reports that last week legislation was signed allowing communities in urban areas that for the first time exceeded a population of 200,000 according to the 2000 Census, to retain flexibility in the use of federal transit formula grants for FY 2003. Previously, only transit agencies serving urbanized areas of less than 200,000 had the flexibility to use federal transit formula grants for operating expenses. The new law gives 52 cities affected one year to continue using the funds for both operating and capital expenses. Lubbock was the single city in Texas to move over that census threshold.
Texas Department of Transportation plans update for Texas Transportation Plan (TTP) and a new component, the Texas Rail System Plan (TRSP), which adds a new mode into the TTP. The Rail plan would include freight, passenger and intermodal rail projects. Drafts of both plans will be available after October 18 and will include public meetings around the State. Watch this website for more information after Oct. 18.
The US House of Representatives and the Senate have each passed the Fiscal Year 2003 Transportation Appropriations Bill. A Conference Committee will work out any differences and is expected to meet after General Election Day and be finally passed in a lame duck Session of Congress.
Download: FFY03Approps H-S.pdf (91.36 KB).
