98-32898. Request for Participation in the Bus Rapid Transit Demonstration Program

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 237 (Thursday, December 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68348-68352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32898]



[[Page 68347]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part III





Department of Transportation





_______________________________________________________________________



Request for Participation in the Bus Rapid Transit Demonstration 
Program; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 237 / Thursday, December 10, 1998 / 
Notices

[[Page 68348]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION


Request for Participation in the Bus Rapid Transit Demonstration 
Program

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In this Notice, FTA announces it is soliciting Requests for 
Participation in its Bus Rapid Transit Demonstration Program. This 
solicitation is extended to public agencies responsible for developing, 
implementing, operating and maintaining public transportation in the 
U.S. The Federal Transit Administration encourages partnerships with 
other local and state stakeholders and private companies involved in 
public transportation.

DATES: Responses to this solicitation must be submitted by 4 p.m., 
Eastern Time, on or before February 8, 1999. Requests for Participation 
shall not exceed thirty (30) pages in length, including title, index, 
tables, maps, and exclusive of appendices, abstracts, resumes and other 
supporting materials. A page is defined as one side of an 8\1/2\ by 11-
inch paper, line spacing no smaller than 1.5 with a type font 12 pt. 
The transmittal letter shall include the name, address and telephone 
number of the individual to whom correspondence and questions may be 
directed.
    A conference for prospective participants in the Bus Rapid Transit 
Demonstration Program will be held on January 8, 1999 from 1:00 PM to 
5:00 PM at the Federal Transit Administration, 400 7th Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20590. The purpose of this conference is to answer 
questions about the Federal Transit Administration's Bus Rapid Transit 
Demonstration Program and the statement of participation in the 
program. Persons and organizations planning to attend this conference 
should register their intentions with Joseph Goodman, Office of 
Mobility Innovations at [phone] or [e-mail]. 
Teleconference capabilities will be available for those unable to 
attend in person. Please indicate your desire to participate by 
telephone to Joseph Goodman.

ADDRESSES: Three copies of the Requests for Participation shall be 
submitted to the appropriate FTA Regional Office listed below, and five 
copies shall be submitted to Edward L. Thomas, Associate Administrator 
for Research, Demonstration and Innovation, Federal Transit 
Administration, 400 7th Street SW, Room 9401, Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bert Arrillagea, Chief, Service Innovation Division, Office of Mobility 
Innovation (TRI-12) at [phone] and e-mail address at 
[e-mail].

SUPPLEMANTARY INFORMATION:

Contents:

I. Introduction
II. Background
III. Goals and Objectives
IV. Definitions
V. Program Elements
VI. Planning and Project Development
VII. Funding
VIII. Request for Participation Content
IX. Demonstration Project Selection
X. Schedule
XI. Y2K Compliance
XII. FTA Regional Offices

I. Introduction

    The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces a Request for 
Participation in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Demonstration Program. 
Today, advancements in bus vehilce technology, simulation systems, 
traffic engineering, intelligent transportation systems (ITS) [fleet 
management, electronic fare payment and passenger information systems] 
and other customer service innovations provide major opportunities to 
improve bus transit service across the United States similar to model 
bus systems in Curitiba, Brazil; Adelaide, Australia; and Ottawa, 
Canada. Bus service is now, more than ever, capable of performing like 
rapid tranist. Some communities are considering BRT as an incremental 
improvement to rail transit. Given these opportunities, the primary 
goal of a BRT Program is to work with a group of localities in 
demonstrating approaches for increasing the level and quality of bus 
service in major investment corridors comparable to rapid tranist.
    The program is designed to encourage transit agencies, local and 
State governments and metropolitan planning organizations engaged in 
coordinating infrastructure improvements, technology deployment and 
operations to consider the benefits of BRT. Consistent with the 
Department of Transportation and FTA Strategic Plans, the outcome of 
the BRT Program is to improve mobility and accessibility, advance 
econmic growth and trade, and enhance environmental quality. Bus Rapid 
Transit promises to improve travel time, service reliability and 
customer convenience, foster livable communities and introduce cost-
effective, environmentally friendly technology. Regarding the mobility 
goal, for example, research already shows that expediting the movement 
of transit vehicles on local arterials can produce improved traffic 
flow for all vehicles.
    The FTA will select multiple projects to participate in a multi-
year national demonstration program to be completed within the six year 
life of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). 
The sponsors of selected projects will form a consortium of transit 
agencies and other local and State partners to share experiences and to 
receive expert assistance in expediting project implementation in areas 
such as design technology, vehicle technology, ITS architecture, 
procurement, project financing, and operating strategies. A 
demonstration project would highlight the situations, problems, and 
opportunities that might occur while implementing the BRT concept in 
the United States (U.S.).

II. Background

    Bus systems provide a versatile form of public transportation with 
the flexibility to serve a variety of access needs and an unlimited 
range of locations throughout an area. Bus service can be implemented 
cost-effectively on routes where ridership may not be sufficient or 
where the capital investment may not be available to implement rail 
transit systems.
    Traffic congestion, urban sprawl, central city decline, and air 
pollution are all problems associated with excessive dependence on 
automobiles. Increasing recognition of the need for high-quality 
transit service to alleviate these conditions has fueled growing demand 
for new rail services throughout the U.S. However, in numerous cities 
buses also provide an attractive and effective alternative to 
automobiles, reaching into central cities, local neighborhoods, suburbs 
and rural areas to meet the mobility needs of millions of people.
    Despite the inherent advantages of bus service, the traveling 
public frequently finds the quality of bus service provided in urban 
centers to be wanting. Conventional urban bus operations often are 
characterized by sluggish vehicles inching their way through congested 
streets, delayed not only by other vehicles and traffic signals, but 
also by frequent and time-consuming stops to pick up and discharge 
passengers. Buses travel on average at only around 60 percent of the 
speeds of automobiles and other private vehicles using the same streets 
due to the cummulative effects of traffic congestion, traffic signals, 
and passenger boarding. Moreover, the advantageous flexibility and

[[Page 68349]]

decentralization of bus operations also result in a lack of system 
visibility and permanence that contributes to public perceptions of 
unreliability and disorganization.
    Low-cost investments in infrastructure, equipment, operational 
improvements, advanced bus technologies, and ITS can provide the 
foundation for Bus Rapid Transit systems that substantially upgrade bus 
system performance. Conceived as an integrated, well-defined system, 
Bus Rapid Transit would provide for significantly lower bus travel 
time, greater service reliability, and increased convenience, matching 
the quality of rail transit when implemented in appropriate settings. A 
decrease of bus travel time would reduce operating costs and improve 
bus operating efficiency by allowing more trips per platform hour. 
Advanced bus technologies and other intelligent technologies could 
further reduce operating and maintenance costs, improve safety, and 
enhance intermodal transfers.

III. Goals and Objectives

    The goals for the Bus Rapid Transit Demonstration Program are 
designed to achieve the strategic goals of the DOT and FTA Strategic 
Plans addressing safety and security, mobility and accessibility, 
economic growth and trade, and the human and natural environment. The 
specific goals are as follows:
    1. Increase intermodal physical, informational and service 
connectivity.
    2. Ensure that all transit systems are accessible.
    3. Reduce bus travel times through deployment of new technology and 
other innovations.
    4. Improve the reliability of the delivery of people, goods, and 
services to their destinations.
    5. Encourage regional and local economic development through joint 
development.
    6. Build professional capacity and promote the education of 
individuals in transportation related fields.
    7. Expand opportunities and promote economic growth for all 
businesses.
    8. Improve the sustainability and livability of communities.
    9. Reduce the amount of transportation-related pollutants released 
into the environment.
    10. Integrate consideration of BRT and advanced bus systems in 
corridor analysis for major transportation investments.
    There are four primary objectives of the demonstration program. 
They are to: (1) identify and address the issues involved in 
implementing a Bus Rapid Transit system; (2) show how the integration 
of advanced bus technologies, ITS and services can contribute to a bus 
rapid transit system; (3) provide data on derived benefits and costs, 
particularly whether improved service and increased visibility due to 
Bus Rapid Transit can increase transit ridership, and (4) transfer 
lessons learned to other areas evaluating major investment options or 
implementing bus rapid transit projects.

IV. Definitions

    Bus Rapid Transit refers to coordinated improvements in a transit 
system's infrastructure, equipment, operations, and technology that 
give preferential treatment to buses on urban roadways. The intention 
of Bus Rapid Transit is to reduce bus travel time, improve service 
reliability, increase the convenience of users, and ultimately, 
increase bus ridership. BRT typically contains the following features:
    {time}  Exclusivity: Exclusivity occurs when buses and stations are 
physically separated from non-exclusive traffic lanes or where the 
level and quality of service are comparable to that achieved on a 
wholly exclusive facility.
    {time}  Advanced Bus Technology: A variety of vehicle technologies 
available for improving access, maneuverability, operating efficiency 
of transit buses, and reduces the emissions and the weight of transit 
buses. These technologies include clean fuels propulsion systems 
powered by natural gas, batteries, hybrid electricity, alcohol fuels, 
and fuel cells; highly durable light weight composite materials; low-
floor configurations; on-board vehicle computer management systems and 
advanced communication systems.
    {time}  Fleet management improvements: Comprises infrastructure and 
ITS technology elements to improve travel time and reliability of bus 
service. Some of these elements may also improve traffic flow for other 
vehicles. These measures may include: (1) bus turnouts or curb 
realignments; (2) use of automated vehicle location systems for 
improved real time management and dispatching; and (3) traffic signal 
priority for preferential treatment of buses at signalized 
intersections.
    {time}  Faster fare collection and boarding: The objective is to 
speed the boarding process through the use of (1) fare collection 
innovations, such as prepayment methods and smart cards; and (2) 
changes in bus and platform design for easier and faster access by the 
elderly, persons with disabilities, shoppers, parents with children in 
strollers or passengers with baggage.
    {time}  Integration of transit development with land use policy: 
Bus Rapid Transit and high density Transit-oriented development (TOD) 
can be mutually reinforcing. TODs may include areas or corridors 
developed with building site and street designs favoring transit and 
pedestrian usage.
    {time}  Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies 
refers to hardware and software systems, such as, computer-assisted 
dispatching software, wireless communications, mobile data terminals, 
map displays, transit fleet management, maintenance management 
software, geographical information displays, computerized voice 
recognition, automated voice response, emergency management, freeway 
management systems, electronic fare payment systems, automated traveler 
information, reservation and billing systems. TEA-21 requires 
conformity with the ITS National Architecture and Critical Standards, 
and FTA and FHWA have issued Interim Guidance on these requirements. 
The ITS National Architecture is a framework for integrating various 
user service systems and for ensuring interoperability between systems. 
Critical standards ensure inter-operability or ``plug and play'' 
between hardware and software systems. ITS technologies are designed to 
improve customer service and the operating efficiency and safety of the 
transportation infrastructure and vehicle systems.
    {time}  Project Delivery Methods refers to various innovative 
approaches for procuring, designing, constructing, operating, and 
maintaining transit systems. These approaches might include various 
types of turnkey approaches or methods including: design/build, design-
build-operate-maintain, or super turnkey, where the contractor 
participates in project financing.
    A paper entitled ``Issues in Bus Rapid Transit'' gives further 
insight into the Bus Rapid Transit concept and its implementation. It 
can be obtained from Bert Arrillaga, the FTA information source 
identified above.

V. Program Elements

    The FTA will select multiple projects to participate in a multi-
year national demonstration program to be completed within the six 
years of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). 
The selected project sponsors will form a consortium of transit 
agencies and other local and State partners to share experiences and to 
receive expert assistance in expediting project implementation. This 
assistance may occur in such areas as

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virtual reality simulation technology for system design and operations 
planning, vehicle technology, ITS architecture, procurement, project 
financing, and operating strategies. A demonstration project would 
highlight the situations, problems, and opportunities that might occur 
while implementing the BRT concept in the United States. With the 
assistance of an evaluation contractor, the FTA plans to assess the 
effects of the demonstration project through a scientific evaluation of 
the project. A carefully constructed evaluation accomplishes a number 
of purposes: (1) to document what happened and why; (2) to measure 
benefits, costs, and impacts of the demonstration on affected 
populations; (3) to reveal both successful and unsuccessful aspects of 
the demonstration; (4) to determine if the demonstration met the goals 
of its sponsors; and (5) to assess the applicability of the 
demonstration to other sites. An evaluation not only helps others learn 
from the demonstration, but also helps the involved parties to improve 
their own systems.
    In order to help expedite demonstration project implementation, FTA 
will consider requests to waive administrative requirements that are 
not regulatory. The demonstration program is designed to provide the 
rest of the nation with information for considering BRT in the planning 
process and for engineering, designing, and implementing bus rapid 
transit projects. The program will:
    1. Assess technology of common interest to the demonstration 
consortium members;
    2. Provide expert assistance in design and operations, perhaps 
using simulation systems; ITS integration and interoperability; 
advanced bus technology; financing strategy; or project delivery 
methods;
    3. Fund local demonstration project administration including 
project monitoring, data collection, progress reporting and other 
logistical support;
    4. Evaluate and report on best practices; and
    5. Support technology transfer involving a variety of lessons-
learned workshops and an internet website.

A. Technology Assessments

    FTA will assess the state-of-the-art and best practices in transit 
operations, infrastructure design, vehicle technology, system 
integration, or other areas of interest to the demonstration 
consortium.

B. Expert Assistance

    FTA will provide industry peers or other experts to advise 
consortium members on such considerations as the choice of appropriate 
vehicle and ITS technologies, concurrent engineering, exclusive bus 
lane design issues, traffic engineering issues, bus operations and 
planning issues, bus stop and terminal design, innovative financing 
strategies, transit-oriented development, and innovations in project 
delivery such as turnkey procurement. Expert panels will be organized 
at the request of consortium members.

C. Demonstration Project Administration

    The demonstration program will support a project administrator for 
each of the projects. This administrator will coordinate with the FTA 
demonstration program office, provide logistical support for the 
demonstration project sponsors, and conduct quarterly demonstration 
project reviews. A key objective of this position is to permit the 
implementation of the project to proceed unencumbered by the 
requirements of the demonstration program.

D. Documentation and Evaluation

    With the assistance of an evaluation contractor, the FTA plans to 
assess Bus Rapid Transit through an evaluation of the Bus Rapid Transit 
demonstrations. A carefully constructed evaluation accomplishes a 
number of purposes: (1) to document what happened and why; (2) to 
measure benefits, costs, and impacts of the demonstration on affected 
populations; (3) to reveal both successful and unsuccessful aspects of 
the demonstration; (4) to determine if the demonstration met the goals 
and objectives of its sponsors; and (5) to assess the applicability of 
the demonstration to other sites. An evaluation not only helps others 
learn from the demonstration, but also helps the involved parties to 
improve their own systems. Specifically, FTA would like to examine the:
    {time}  Degree to which bus travel time, schedule adherence and 
service integration improve;
    {time}  Degree to which transit efficiency and productivity 
improve;
    {time}  Degree to which ridership increases due to improved bus 
travel time, transfers, schedule adherence, and service coverage;
    {time}  Effect on other traffic;
    {time}  Effect on each of the components of Bus Rapid Transit on 
bus speed and other traffic
    {time}  Benefits of integrated vehicle and ITS technologies to the 
demonstration; and
    {time}  Effect of Bus Rapid Transit on land use.

E. Technology Transfer

    FTA will arrange ``scanning tours,'' where local officials and 
designers visit operational bus rapid transit sites. Periodic workshops 
and seminars will be organized for presentations or discussion about 
technical issues of interest to each of the demonstration project 
sponsors. FTA and consortium members will participate in conferences 
and other meetings sponsored by interested professional organizations 
for mutual sharing of information and ideas. Demonstration results and 
other research technical reports will be produced and made available on 
World Wide Web sites.
    The roles of the demonstration program participants are outlined 
below:
    {time}  The Federal Transit Administration will:
     Provide overall guidance on the conduct of the demonstration 
program.
     Monitor the demonstration program.
     Organize and conduct the expert assistance panels, technology 
transfer workshops, and conference sessions.
     Provide guidance to demonstration sponsors regarding 
resources from other programs listed under Section II General 
Authority.
     Publish and communicate information on the demonstration 
projects.
     Secure and manage contractors conducting the project 
evaluations, and provide program support.
     Provide guidance on the planning and project development 
process.

    {time}  The Project Sponsor will:
     Implement project as proposed.
     Monitor demonstration projects and keep FTA appraised of 
events, issues, and problems.
     Conduct quarterly reviews of the demonstration project.
     Collect data according to evaluation plan and schedule.
     Participate in the technology transfer activities of the 
demonstration program.

    {time}  The Contractors will:
     Develop the evaluation plan and the data collection schedule.
     Guide data collection.
     Analyze evaluation data.
     Write final evaluation reports.
     Provide overall program support.

VI. Planning and Project Development Process

    Bus rapid transit projects selected for participation in this Bus 
Rapid Transit Demonstration Program are expected to be a product of the 
metropolitan planning and programming process. A

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proposed bus rapid transit project should be compatible with existing 
transportation plans or exist in a corridor where extensive planning 
has been performed and a recommendation for a major transit capital 
investment made. If the project proposals contain ITS elements of 
regional significance, the conformity requirements of the National ITS 
Architecture apply. The architecture defines the functions that must be 
performed to implement a given user service, the physical entities or 
subsystems where these functions reside, the interfaces and information 
flows between the physical subsystems, and the communication 
requirements for the information flows. Interim Guidance on ITS 
Architecture is available from the FTA Regional Offices or the 
Headquarters Office of Research, Demonstration and Innovation.
    Bus Rapid Transit projects are developed in several ways. First, 
transit service planning efforts may produce low-cost operational 
improvements like advanced technology vehicles and ITS user services. 
Such strategies must be consistent with the regional transportation 
plans and are included in a transportation improvement program. In this 
instance, a project may proceed into the design and implementation 
phase. Second, bus rapid transit projects may emerge from the multi-
modal metropolitan transportation planning process as a major capital 
investment. Where FTA New Starts funding is sought, such projects are 
subject to the New Starts and environmental documentation requirements. 
These requirements involve project ratings for a FTA decision to 
advance a project into preliminary engineering. Subsequent to 
completion of preliminary engineering and the environmental process, a 
project receives a rating for a FTA decision on final design and 
construction. Additional information on these requirements is available 
from the FTA Regional Offices or Headquarters Office of Planning at 
[phone].

VII. Funding

    The FTA is supporting the Bus Rapid Transit Demonstration Program 
with approximately $2 million in Fiscal Year 1999. A similar level of 
annual funding is planned over the life of the demonstration program. 
Demonstration project sponsors may seek implementation funding from the 
FTA Capital Investment (Section 5309), Urbanized Area Formula (Section 
5307), Clean Fuels Formula Grant (Section 5308), Federal-Aid Highway 
flexible funding programs in accordance with the requirements of those 
programs, and other funding programs identified in the General 
Authority Section such as Title I, Subtitle E, Chapter 1, 
Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation and Chapter 2, 
State Infrastructure Bank Pilot Program.

VIII. Requests for Participation Contents

    A Request for Participation (proposal) shall not exceed thirty (30) 
pages in length including title, index, tables, maps, and exclusive of 
appendices, abstracts, resumes and other supporting materials. A page 
is defined as one (1) side of an 8\1/2\ by 11-inch paper, line spacing 
no smaller than 1.5 with a type font of 12 pt. Three (3) copies of the 
Request fore Participation (proposal) should be sent to the respective 
Regional Office listed in Section XII of this Notice. Five (5) copies 
of the Request for Participation (proposal) plus an unbound 
reproducible copy of the proposal shall be forwarded to Edward Thomas, 
Associate Administrator for Research, Demonstration and Innovation, 
FTA, 400 7th Street, S.W., Room 9401, Washington, DC 20590. The 
transmittal letter shall include the name, address and phone number of 
an individual to whom correspondence and questions about the 
application may be directed. The proposals shall include Technical, 
Management and Financial Plans as described below.

A. Technical Plan

General Requirements
    1. Describe the proposed Bus Rapid Transit corridor, including such 
things as cost, location, service frequency and ridership, roadways, 
bus stops and terminals, traffic management practices, vehicles, 
dispatching and operating systems, and use of ITS technologies.
    2. Describe the land use policies and any transit-oriented 
development that exist in the proposed corridor, and plans to change 
them to capitalize on Bus Rapid Transit.
    3. Describe the proposed project's service area including its size, 
population density, demographics, and regional transportation 
environment.
    4. Also describe what ``problems'' the Bus Rapid Transit project 
will address, prior and ongoing planning in support of BRT, and 
consistency with the regional transportation plan.
Technical Approach
    1. Describe measurable performance goals of the Bus Rapid Transit 
project. These should at a minimum address the FTA outcome goals. Some 
examples are improved customer service, improved bus travel time, and 
improved operating efficiency.
    2. Describe the Bus Rapid Transit project, its physical systems and 
operational features including designs, service types, service levels, 
fare collection methods, fare transfer policy, and hours of operation.
    3. Describe the anticipated effects, efficiencies, and impacts of 
the proposed project including ridership, service levels, traffic 
impacts, environmental impacts, and land use impacts.
    4. Describe implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit project 
including engineering and design activities, procurement strategy, and 
phasing approach if incremental development is specified.
    5. Describe the approach by which any advanced technologies 
involved in the demonstration project will be refined, tested, and 
documented before deployment.
    6. Document assumptions and technical uncertainties, and propose 
specific approaches to resolve any uncertainties.

B. Management Plan

    1. Identify key management responsibilities for the demonstration 
project sponsor and other participating organizations. Describe all 
necessary arrangements and institutional agreements to support the 
project, and include evidence of agreement among participating 
agencies.
    2. The demonstration project administrator would be expected to 
have full responsibility for the demonstration project throughout its 
duration and to serve as the point of contact for interactions with FTA 
and the rest of the transit industry.
    3. Provide a schedule of work including a time line, key 
milestones, and deliverables for the project.
    4. Provide a preliminary staffing plan. For the staffing plan, FTA 
encourages proposing agencies to work with Universities and Colleges 
under the University Transportation Centers Program (Section 5110 of 
TEA-21) to provide opportunities for student professional development 
and to exchange information on new technology, human factors issues, 
land use planning, travel demand modeling, or simulation of operations.

C. Financial plan

    1. The proposal shall provide a description of the total cost and 
finances for implementing, operating, and maintaining the Bus Rapid 
Transit project. The implementation costs would include the costs for 
system design, project management, vehicle and system acquisition and 
facility

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construction. Provide cost estimates by phase as defined in the 
Technical Plan.
    2. The Financial Plan should break down funding sources by the 
following categories: (1) Local; (2) State; (3) Private; and (4) 
Federal. All financial commitments to the project from both public and 
private sectors should be documented and included in the proposal.

IX. Demonstration Project Selection

    The FTA will select several projects for participation in the 
demonstration program. The evaluation criteria are:
    {time}  The significance of the project in terms of the expected 
improvement in bus travel times and reliability due to Bus Rapid 
Transit;
    {time}  The comprehensiveness of the project--the range of features 
included in the demonstration and the inclusion of plans for 
congestion, signals, boarding and fare collection, delay reduction, and 
land use considerations;
    {time}  The readiness of the applicant to implement the 
demonstration--greater consideration will be given to those agencies 
closer to implementation of Bus Rapid Transit, who have gone through 
the local planning and approval process, and have funds committed;
    {time}  Evidence that adequate planning has been completed, and 
there is local commitment involving the partnering of the transit 
agency, city, county or state governments, and the private sector, if 
appropriate;
    {time}  The identification and commitment of funds for capital-
intensive elements. Significant consideration will be given to those 
projects with greater levels of non-Federal funding; and
    {time}  Degree to which innovation is reflected in the project--
including vehicle technology, ITS technologies, procurement strategy, 
and professional capacity building involving students as reflected in 
the Department of Transportation Garrett A. Morgan Technology and 
Transportation Futures Program.
    Proposals should be forwarded to the appropriate FTA Regional 
Office. Regional offices will screen the proposals and recommend a 
subset for further review by an FTA headquarters' interoffice Working 
Group. The Working Group will recommend projects to the FTA 
Administrator.

X. Schedule

    The Bus Rapid Transit Demonstration Program will last over the six-
year life of TEA-21. The selected demonstration projects are expected 
to be implemented and in operation within this period. Project review 
meetings will be conducted along with quarterly progress review 
meetings held by the FTA regional offices. Expert assistance panels 
will occur as requested by the project sponsors. Scanning tours, 
lessons learned workshops and participation in conferences are 
anticipated each year. The evaluation effort will start with data 
collection from three to six months prior to the demonstration period 
and will continue for a minimum of twelve (12) months from the time 
that the project is put into operation. After a six (6) month period of 
analysis, a Best Practices Report will be completed.

XI. Y2K Compliance

    Any technology containing computer system capabilities, purchased 
with grant program funds and expected to be used for a period of time 
that goes beyond December 31, 1999 must be year 2000 compliant. 
Applicants' Technical Proposal, Management Plan, and Financial Plan 
must provide sound evidence that this requirement can be met.

XII. FTA Regional Offices

Region I: 55 Broadway, Kendall Square, Suite 920, Cambridge, MA 02142-
1093, [phone]
Region II: 26 Federal Plaza, Suite 2940, New York, NY 10278-0194, (212) 
264-8162
Region III: 1760 Market Street, Suite 500, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4124, 
[phone]
Region IV: 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Suite 17T50, Atlanta, GA 30303-
8917, [phone]
Region V: 200 West Adams Street, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, (312) 
353-2789
Region VI: 819 Taylor Street, Room 8A36, Fort Worth, TX 76102, (817) 
978-0550
Region VII: 6301 Rockhill Road, Suite 303, Kansas City, MO 64131-1117, 
[phone]
Region VIII: 216 Sixteenth Street, Suite 650, Denver, CO 80202-5120, 
[phone]
Region IX: 201 Mission Street, Suite 2210, San Francisco, CA 94105-
1831, [phone]
Region X: 915 Second Avenue, Suite 3142, Seattle, WA 98174-1002, (206) 
220-7954

    Issued on December 7, 1998.
Gordon J. Linton,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-32898 Filed 12-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-M