Levin and Stabenow Announce Over $1 Million in Grants to Help Job Access To the Flint Mass Transportation Authority

WASHINGTON - Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., announced today that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $1,040,204 to the Flint Mass Transportation Authority (MTA) to be used for job access and reverse commute funds. Communities that will benefit from this grant include, Oakland County, Livingston County, Genesee, Davison, Grand Blac, Flushing, Swartz Creek, Clio, Otisville, East Flint, West Flint, Mt. Morris and Burton.

The grant will be used to provide operating assistance services for eligible passengers accessing jobs through the MTA Regional Transportation Services and the Genesee County Project Zero Program.

"Inadequate public transportation puts low-income families at a great disadvantage," said Levin. "These funds will make a tremendous impact in providing better access to jobs and creating increased opportunity and freedom."

"A key element of Michigan's economic revitalization is providing and maintaining the transportation infrastructure that allows individuals to reliably get to work or to training for work, whether they are commuting into a city or out to a suburb," Stabenow said. "This grant will aid that job effort."

Job access projects are intended to develop or expand transportation services to employment sites for persons with disabilities, the elderly, low-income persons and welfare recipients. Services such as shuttles, vanpools, new bus routes, connector services to mass transit, and guaranteed ride home programs are just some of the ways this funding can be used. The program is intended to establish a coordinated regional approach to job access challenges.