E6-20426. Over-the-Road Bus Accessibility Program Announcement of Project Selections

AGENCY:

Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the selection of projects to be funded under Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 appropriations for the Over-the-Road Bus (OTRB) Accessibility Program, authorized by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The OTRB Accessibility Program makes funds available to private operators of over-the-road buses to help finance the incremental capital and training costs of complying with DOT's over-the-road bus accessibility regulation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

The appropriate FTA Regional Administrator for grant-specific issues; or Blenda Younger, Office of Program Management, 202-366-2053, for general information about the OTRB Program.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A total of $7.4 million was made available for the program in FY 2006: $5.6 million for intercity fixed-route providers and $1.8 million for all other providers, such as commuter, charter, and tour operators. A total of 127 applicants requested $35.1 million: $17.3 million was requested by intercity fixed-route providers, and $17.8 million was requested by all other providers. Project selections were made on a discretionary basis, based on each applicant's responsiveness to statutory project selection criteria, fleet size, and level of funding received in previous years. Because of the high demand for the funds available, most successful applicants received less funding than they requested, and applicants with weaker applications were not selected for funding. The selected projects will provide funding for the incremental cost of adding lifts to 94 new vehicles, retrofitting 118 vehicles, and $70,765 for training. Each of the following 91 awardees, as well as the 36 applicants who were not selected for funding, will receive a letter that explains how funding decisions were made.

Award Amount

Operator	City/state	Intercity fixed-route	Other	Total	Project ID
Region I:
Arrow Line	Springfield, MA		$40,000	$40,000	D2006-OTRB-0001
Bonanza Bus Lines	Springfield, MA			88,381	D2006-OTRB-0002
Concord Coach Lines, Inc	Concord, NH	90,600		90,600	D2006-OTRB-0003
Northeast Charter & Tour Co. Inc	Lewiston, ME		43,599	43,599	D2006-OTRB-0004
Peter Pan Bus Lines	Springfield, MA	144,755		144,755	D2006-OTRB-0005
Plymouth & Brockton	Plymouth, MA	55,620		55,620	D2006-OTRB-0006
Premier Coach Company, Inc	Colchester, VT		28,405	28,405	D2006-OTRB-0007
Region II:
Adirondack Trailways	Hurley, NY	157,500		157,500	D2006-OTRB-0008
Classic Tours	Lakewood, NJ		29,170	29,170	D2006-OTRB-0009
Hampton Jitney, Inc	Southampton, NY	30,137		30,137	D2006-OTRB-0010
J&R Tours, Ltd	Mount Vernon, NY		25,200	25,200	D2006-OTRB-0011
Lion Trailways	Rio Grande, NJ	58,000		58,000	D2006-OTRB-0012
Region III:
Anderson Coach & Travel	Greenville, PA		33,389	33,389	D2006-OTRB-0013
Butler Motor Transit	Butler, PA		39,000	39,000	D2006-OTRB-0014
Capitol Trailways	Harrisburg, PA	110,900		110,900	D2006-OTRB-0015
David Thomas Tours, Inc	Philadelphia, PA	26,200		26,200	D2006-OTRB-0016
Dillon's Bus Service, Inc	Millersville, MD	23,500		23,500	D2006-OTRB-0017
Edenfield Stages	Greensburg, PA	41,000		41,000	D2006-OTRB-0018
Fullington Trailways	Clearfield, PA	86,230		86,230	D2006-OTRB-0019
Fun Tours, Inc	Virginia Beach, VA		33,692	33,692	D2006-OTRB-0020
Gold Line, Inc	Tuxedo, MD	162,000		162,000	D2006-OTRB-0021
Keller Transportation, Inc	Waldorf, MD	97,730		97,730	D2006-OTRB-0022
Lodestar Bus Lines, Inc	Johnstown, PA		28,000	28,000	D2006-OTRB-0023
Martz Trailways	Wilkes-Barre, PA	137,800		137,800	D2006-OTRB-0024
National Coach Works of Virginia	Fredericksburg, VA		40,000	40,000	D2006-OTRB-0025
Sun Coach Lines, LLC	McKeesport, PA		26,499	26,499	D2006-OTRB-0026
Trans-Bridge Lines	Bethlehem, PA	130,950		130,950	D2006-OTRB-0027
Region IV:
American Charters, LTD	Charlotte, NC		23,500	23,500	D2006-OTRB-0028
American Coach of Atlanta	Norcross, GA		23,500	23,500	D2006-OTRB-0029
American Coach Lines Jacksonville	Jacksonville, FL		26,200	26,200	D2006-OTRB-0030
American Coach Lines Orlando	Orlando, FL		22,500	22,500	D2006-OTRB-0031
Angelic Tours and Shuttles	Fayetteville, NC		40,000	40,000	D2006-OTRB-0032
Burke International Tours, Inc	Maiden, NC		25,392	25,392	D2006-OTRB-0033
Capital Trailways	Montgomery, AL		25,492	25,492	D2006-OTRB-0034
First Class Coach Company, Inc	St. Petersburg, FL		32,500	32,500	D2006-OTRB-0035
Florida Cruise Connection, Inc	Sarasota, FL		21,250	21,250	D2006-OTRB-0036
KTC Transportation Co., Inc	Charlotte, NC		41,000	41,000	D2006-OTRB-0037
Magic Carpet Ride	Vero Beach, FL		24,901	24,901	D2006-OTRB-0038
Midnight Sun Tours, Inc	Lake Worth, FL		46,000	46,000	D2006-OTRB-0039
Morgan & Sons Week-End Tours	Greensboro, NC		41,000	41,000	D2006-OTRB-0040
Southern Coach Company	Durham, NC		29,800	29,800	D2006-OTRB-0041
Starkville Trailways, Inc	Starkville, MS		46,856	46,856	D2006-OTRB-0042
Region V:
Able Trek Tours, Inc	Reedsburg, WI		15,007	15,007	D2006-OTRB-0043
Colonial Coach Lines, Inc	Mt. Prospect, IL	146,000		146,000	D2006-OTRB-0044
Indian Trails, Inc	Owosso, MI		26,100	26,100	D2006-OTRB-0045
Jefferson Lines	Minneapolis, MN	77,600		77,600	D2006-OTRB-0046
K&K Bus Lines, Inc	Montgomery, IN		25,000	25,000	D2006-OTRB-0047
Lakefront Lines, Inc	Brook Park, OH	75,600		75,600	D2006-OTRB-0048
Minnesota Coaches, Inc	Hastings, MN		30,760	30,760	D2006-OTRB-0049
Prairie Trailways	Chicago, IL		25,300	25,300	D2006-OTRB-0050
Ready Bus Line	La Crescent, MN		25,962	25,962	D2006-OTRB-0051
Riteway Bus Service, Inc	Richfield, WI	98,577		98,577	D2006-OTRB-0052
Wisconsin Coach Lines	Waukesha, WI	90,000		90,000	D2006-OTRB-0053
Region VI:
All Aboard America	Santa Fe, NM	79,300		79,300	D2006-OTRB-0054
Americanos USA, LLC	Dallas, TX		37,800	37,800	D2006-OTRB-0055
Arrow Trailways of Texas	Killeen, TX		23,462	23,462	D2006-OTRB-0056
Crucero USA, LLC	Dallas, TX	113,400		113,400	D2006-OTRB-0057
El Expreso Bus Company, Inc	Houston, TX	49,600		49,600	D2006-OTRB-0058
El Paso—Los Angeles Limousine Express, Inc	El Paso, TX	107,865		107,865	D2006-OTRB-0059
Greyhound Lines, Inc	Dallas, TX	2,803,950		2,803,950	D2006-OTRB-0060
Gulf Coast Transportation	Houston, TX		42,310	42,310	D2006-OTRB-0061
Kerrville Bus Co.	San Antonio, TX	48,600		48,600	D2006-OTRB-0062
Star Shuttle & Charter	San Antonio, TX		40,118	40,118	D2006-OTRB-0063
TNM&O	Lubbock, TX	83,700		83,700	D2006-OTRB-0064
Region VII:
Arrow Stage Lines	Norfolk, NE		28,000	28,000	D2006-OTRB-0065
B&B Tour & Charter, LLC	Kansas City, MO		35,000	35,000	D2006-OTRB-0066
Burlington Trailways	W. Burlington, IA	83,985		83,985	D2006-OTRB-0067
Region VIII:
Ramblin Express, Inc	Colorado Springs, CO		26,200	26,200	D2006-OTRB-0068
Region IX
Alan Waxler Group, Inc	Las Vegas, NV			40,547	D2006-OTRB-0069
All West Coachlines, LLC	Sacramento, CA		39,155	39,155	D2006-OTRB-0070
Amador Stage Lines	Sacramento, CA	90,020		90,020	D2006-OTRB-0071
Celebrity Coaches of America	Las Vegas, NV		42,990	42,990	D2006-OTRB-0072
Chinese Hosts, Inc	Las Vegas, NV		38,837	38,837	D2006-OTRB-0073
Coach USA Elko, LLC	Elko, NV	40,950		40,950	D2006-OTRB-0074
Coach USA Los Angeles	Long Beach, CA		39,655	39,655	D2006-OTRB-0075
El Camino Charter Lines, Inc	San Francisco, CA		32,500	32,500	D2006-OTRB-0076
Franciscan Lines	San Francisco, CA		36,955	36,955	D2006-OTRB-0077
Grand Tours	Las Vegas, NV		38,500	38,500	D2006-OTRB-0078
H&L Charter Co., Inc	Rancho Cucamonga, CA		26,200	26,200	D2006-OTRB-0079
LD Tours, LLC	Las Vegas, NV		42,000	42,000	D2006-OTRB-0080
Polynesian Adventure Tours, Inc	Honolulu, HI		21,932	21,932	D2006-OTRB-0081
RDH Transportation Services, Inc	Honolulu, HI		18,451	18,451	D2006-OTRB-0082
Ryan's Express Transportation	N. Las Vegas, NV		31,000	31,000	D2006-OTRB-0083
Silverado Stages, Inc	San Luis Obispo, CA	102,300		102,300	D2006-OTRB-0084
Solazteca	Los Angeles, CA		33,400	33,400	D2006-OTRB-0085
Transportes Intercalifornias	Los Angeles, CA		41,000	41,000	D2006-OTRB-0086
Triple J Tours, Inc	Las Vegas, NV		21,995	21,995	D2006-OTRB-0087
Via Adventures, Inc	Merced, CA		28,706	28,706	D2006-OTRB-0088
Region X:
Northwestern Trailways	Spokane, WA	36,000		36,000	D2006-OTRB-0089
Premier Alaska Tours, Inc	Anchorage, AK		25,700	25,700	D2006-OTRB-0090
Wheatland Express, Inc	Pullman, WA		38,863	38,863	D2006-OTRB-0091
Total		5,568,750	1,856,250	7,425,000

Eligible project costs may be incurred by awardees prior to final grant approval. The incremental capital cost for adding wheelchair lift equipment to any new vehicles delivered on or after June 9, 1998, the effective date of Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), is eligible for funding under the OTRB Accessibility Program.

Applicants selected for funding may be contacted by FTA regional offices if additional information is needed before grants are made. Awards are processed through FTA's electronic grants management system, TEAM-WEB, and the project ID listed will be used to track the obligation of funds for the projects selected. The grant applications will be sent to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) for certification under labor protection requirements pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5333(b). After referring applications to affected employees represented by a labor organization, DOL will issue a certification to FTA. Terms and conditions of the certification will be incorporated in the FTA grant agreement under the new guidelines, replacing those in 29 CFR Part 215. Please see Amendment to Section 5333(b), Guidelines to Carry Out New Programs Authorized by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21); Final Rule (64 FR 40990, July 28, 1999).

Issued in Washington, DC, this 28th day of November, 2006.

James S. Simpson,

Administrator.