Chapter Trans 6

Trans 6.04(1)(a) (a) Up to 10% will be reserved by the department for administrative and technical assistance purposes. Such technical assistance may include project planning, program development, management development, coordination of public transportation programs and research the department deems appropriate to promote effective means of delivering public transportation services in rural and small urban areas. Any uncommitted balance of the state’s apportionment of administrative funds from a preceding project year may be used during subsequent years until the balance is depleted.

Trans 6.04(1)(b) (b) Apportionments are initially available for operating assistance grants to eligible applicants, but when combined with state s. 85.20, Stats., operating assistance funds are limited to the lesser of either the operating deficit or 65% of the total eligible operating project costs. No city, village, or town may receive federal section 5311 funds to operate a municipal bus transportation system unless the system is approved by action of its governing body and by referendum vote of its electorate pursuant to s. 66.0803 (2) (a), Stats.

Trans 6.04(1)(c) (c) Any balance remaining in the apportionment referred to in par. (b) after operating assistance limits are met under par. (b) shall be available to all eligible applicants for capital grants awarded in accordance with criteria set forth under s. Trans 6.06.

Trans 6.04(1)(d) (d) Any balance remaining in the apportionment after capital assistance needs are met under par. (c) shall be available to all eligible applicants for operating assistance beyond the 65% limitation initially imposed in par. (b), not to exceed allowable limits under 49 USC 5311.

Trans 6.04(1)(e) (e) Not less than 15% of the apportionment made available to the state shall be used for the development and support of intercity bus service. Eligible activities under this program may include planning and marketing, capital grants for intercity bus shelters, joint-use stops and depots, operating grants through purchase-of-service agreements, user-side subsidies and demonstration projects, and coordination of rural connections between small transit operations and intercity bus carriers. This requirement is effective unless the governor certifies that the intercity bus service needs of the state are adequately being met.

Trans 6.04(2) (2) Any uncommitted balances of the state’s apportionments or any unexpended balances from previous obligations shall be carried forward to the following year.

Trans 6.04 History History: Cr. Register, April, 1984, No. 340, eff. 5-1-84; emerg., am. (1) (c), eff. 2-12-85; emerg. am. (1) (c), eff. 6-5-85; am. (2), Register, November, 1985, No. 359, eff. 12-1-85; am. (1) (c), cr. (1) (d), Register, December, 1989, No. 408, eff. 1-1-90; emerg. r. (1) (b), renum. (1) (c) and (d) to be (1) (b) and (c) and am., cr. (1) (d), eff. 2-20-92; r. (1) (b), renum. (1) (c) and (d) to be (1) (b) and (c) and am., cr. (1) (d), Register, June, 1992, No. 438, eff. 7-1-92; cr. (1) (e) Register, January, 1993, No. 445, eff. 2-1-93; am. (1) (e), Register, July, 1996, No. 487, eff. 8-1-96; correction in (1) (b) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register March 2012 No. 675; CR 18-065: am. (1) (intro.), (a), (b), (d), (e) Register October 2020 No. 778, eff. 11-1-20.

Trans 6.05 Trans 6.05 Operating grants to rural and small urban areas. Subject to the limitations set forth in s. Trans 6.03 (1), the operating assistance funds available in s. Trans 6.04 (1) (b) and (d) shall be allocated among eligible applicants in proportion to each applicant’s share of the projected operating project costs of all applications.

Trans 6.05 History History: Cr. Register, April, 1984, No. 340, eff. 5-1-84; emerg. am. eff. 2-20-92; am. Register, June, 1992, No. 438, eff. 7-1-92; CR 18-065: am. (title) Register October 2020 No. 778, eff. 11-1-20.

Trans 6.06 Trans 6.06 Capital grants.

Trans 6.06(1) (1) When awarding capital assistance funds under s. Trans 6.04 (1) (c), the department shall consider the age and condition of items for which eligible applicants request funding, and the following funding hierarchy:

Trans 6.06(1)(a) (a) Urgent capital needs that, based on available information, the department deems critical to transportation safety, operations, or asset management;

Trans 6.06(1)(b) (b) Replacement of vehicles operated by existing systems;

Trans 6.06(1)(c) (c) Projects to initiate a public transportation service;

Trans 6.06(1)(d) (d) Replacement of maintenance and storage facilities of existing systems;

Trans 6.06(1)(e) (e) Purchase of vehicles by existing systems for expansion of transit services;

Trans 6.06(1)(f) (f) Expansion and rehabilitation of maintenance and storage facilities of existing systems;

Trans 6.06(1)(g) (g) Purchase and installation of passenger amenities for existing systems such as shelters and bus stop signs;

Trans 6.06(1)(h) (h) Capitalized maintenance projects for existing transit systems;

Trans 6.06(1)(i) (i) Mobility management projects;

Trans 6.06(1)(j) (j) Job access and reverse commute projects, except where the department evaluates these projects through a stand-alone process using a set-aside of section 5311 funds; and

Trans 6.06(1)(k) (k) Other capital projects for which the use of section 5311 is permitted under 49 USC chapter 53.

Trans 6.06(2) (2) The department shall make awards until all allocated funds are committed. If available funds are not sufficient to fund all capital requests, then the department may, after consulting with applicants, reduce the scope or modify the timing of proposed projects to fit available funding.

Trans 6.06 History History: Cr. Register, April, 1984, No. 340, eff. 5-1-84; r. (1) (a), renum. (1) (b) to (g) to be (1) (a) to (f) and am. (1) (b), Register, November, 1985, No. 359, eff. 12-1-85; emerg. am. (1) (intro.), eff. 2-20-92; am. (1) (intro.), Register, June, 1992, No. 438, eff. 7-1-92; CR 18-065: r. and recr. Register October 2020 No. 778, eff. 11-1-20; correction in (1) (a) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register October 2020 No. 778.

Trans 6.07 Trans 6.07 Application for federal aids.

Trans 6.07(1) (1) Eligible applicants may apply to the department for federal section 5311 funds. If more than one local public body will financially participate in the project, one body shall submit a single application on behalf of all. In those cases, the federal aids received shall be allocated among all local public bodies in proportion to each one’s share of eligible project costs.

Trans 6.07(2) (2) Applications shall be submitted to the department no later than December 15 of the year immediately preceding the project year. The department may accept revisions to a submitted application during the application review period. No application for operating assistance or capital assistance received after December 15 of the year immediately preceding the project year may be funded unless the department secretary determines that a later date is appropriate in order to properly respond to an emergency.

Trans 6.07(3) (3) The transit services receiving financial assistance may be operated for less than a calendar year.

Trans 6.07(4) (4) Applications shall be made in a manner and form prescribed by the department in accordance with governing federal regulations.

Trans 6.07(5) (5) All applicants shall submit their applications to the department’s bureau of transit, local roads, railroads and harbors.

Trans 6.07(7) (7) The department reserves the right to reject applications for any of the following reasons:

Trans 6.07(7)(a) (a) The proposed project is not consistent with the intent of the federal section 5311 program;

Trans 6.07(7)(b) (b) Insufficient federal funds are available;

Trans 6.07(7)(c) (c) The application is incomplete;

Trans 6.07(7)(d) (d) The proposed project is not effective and efficient when compared to projects of a similar type. Such measures as the ratio of operating revenues to operating expenses, passengers per mile of service, operating expenses per passenger, and passengers per population served may be used to determine effectiveness and efficiency.

Trans 6.07 History History: Cr. Register, April, 1984, No. 340, eff. 5-1-84; emerg. am. (2) eff. 6-5-85; am. (2), Register, November, 1985, No. 359, eff. 12-1-85; am. (2), Register, December, 1987, No. 384, eff. 1-1-88; am. (2) and (5), Register, January, 1993, No. 445, eff. 2-1-93; correction in (6) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats., Register March 2012 No. 675; corrections in (5), (6) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats., Register February 2013 No. 686; CR 18-065: am. (1) to (3), (5), r. (6), am. (7) (a), (b) Register October 2020 No. 778, eff. 11-1-20.

Trans 6.08 Trans 6.08 Reporting requirements. All grant recipients shall maintain books and records in the manner required by the department and shall make periodic and special reports as required by the department or by governing federal regulations. If the reports are not filed as required, the department may withhold grant payments due the recipient until the recipient’s reports are filed as required.

Trans 6.08 History History: Cr. Register, April, 1984, No. 340, eff. 5-1-84; am. Register, January, 1993, No. 445, eff. 2-1-93.

Trans 6.09 Trans 6.09 Labor protection requirements. Each eligible applicant, through formal resolution by its governing body, shall assume all responsibility and liability for all labor protection requirements imposed by the federal government to implement section 13 (c) of the urban mass transportation act of 1964, as amended. The department shall not fund any applicant that fails to comply with this section.

Trans 6.09 History History: Cr. Register, April, 1984, No. 340, eff. 5-1-84.

Trans 6.10 Trans 6.10 Property management and disposition.

Trans 6.10(1) (1) Grant recipients shall retain ownership of, and exercise continuing control over, equipment and facilities purchased with federal section 5311 funds throughout their useful life. Grant recipients shall ensure that equipment and facilities so purchased are maintained consistent with manufacturer instructions, sound asset management practices, and the terms of their grant agreements with the department.

Trans 6.10(2) (2) Grant recipients shall report on equipment and facilities purchased with federal section 5311 funds in a manner, format, and timeframe that the department specifies.

Trans 6.10(3) (3) Grant recipients shall request disposal instructions from the department when they are ready to dispose of any equipment or facilities purchased with federal section 5311 funds.

Trans 6.10(4) (4) Proceeds received from the disposition of equipment and facilities may be retained by the grant recipient subject to the provision of sub. (4m) below but shall be used for public transit purposes consistent with applicable federal transit administration guidelines, such as the following:

Trans 6.10(4)(a) (a) To purchase additional capital equipment.

Trans 6.10(4)(b) (b) To pay expenses of the operating assistance project.

Trans 6.10(4)(c) (c) To pay the local share of capital assistance projects.

Trans 6.10(4)(d) (d) To pay the local share of operating assistance projects.

Trans 6.10(4m) (4m) For each disposition of a federally funded asset that generates proceeds in excess of $5,000, the federal transit administration is due the federal share of the proceeds.

Trans 6.10(5) (5) Any use by the grant recipient of proceeds from the disposal of equipment or facilities requires prior approval of the department. Records shall be maintained by the grant recipient to permit tracking of the use made of the disposal proceeds.

Trans 6.10 History History: Cr. Register, December, 1987, No. 384, eff. 1-1-88; r. and recr. Register, October, 1989, No. 406, eff. 11-1-89; CR 18-065: r. and recr. (1), (2), am. (3), (4) (intro.), cr. (4m), am. (5), r. (6) Register October 2020 No. 778, eff. 11-1-20.

Trans 6.11 Trans 6.11 Federal aid grant agreements. No eligible applicant shall receive federal section 5311 funds without full execution of a grant agreement with the department, and continuing adherence to the terms therein.

Trans 6.11 History History: Cr. Register, December, 1987, No. 384, eff. 1-1-88; CR 18-065: r. and recr. Register October 2020 No. 778, eff. 11-1-20.