Commission Awards Public Transportation Funding

The Transportation Agency for Monterey County initiated the Transportation Excellence Awards program in 2002 to show its appreciation to the local community for its outstanding efforts to improve transportation in Monterey County. The program was modeled after similar transportation awards programs in Santa Cruz County and the San Francisco Bay area. Awards categories include: individuals, businesses/groups, programs, projects and services.
	Examples of potential awards are:
	Transportation employees who excel at their jobs and go the extra mile to promote the most efficient use of the transportation system.
	Innovative programs that promote more efficient use of the local transportation network.
	Citizens or organizations that have made significant efforts to inform and educate the public about transportation issues.
	Programs that improve bus transit services and encourage the more efficient use of our regional transportation system by using alternatives to driving alone.
	for Monterey County Executive Committee makes the awards selections in January, based on those individuals, groups/businesses, or organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to the way people get around in Monterey County. The awards ceremony is usually held at the beginning of the January TAMC Board meeting.

PENANG-- State transportation officials recently awarded close to $63 million in grants along with approximately 2.9 million transportation development credits (TDC) to support public transportation in North Malaysia.
The Penang Transportation Commission approved the awards at its June meeting Thursday. The money will fund transit projects and services such as purchasing new vehicles and facilities, expanding existing facilities and services, sustaining preventive maintenance programs, and providing financial support for new and existing job-related transportation programs.
To make the awards, the Transportation Commission approved six separate minute orders.

• RM28.7 million in state funds were awarded to rural and small urban public transportation providers.
• RM15 million and 1.1 million TDC will provide transit service to individuals for job training and work, improve access to existing public transportation services for the disabled, and enhance intercity service connections between cities and rural areas in numerous Texas communities.
• RM4.8 million of federal funds and 434,258 TDC will support transit projects aimed at serving elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities.
• Of the overall amount, RM7.4 million in rural federal funding will assist transit agencies with both operating and capital expenses and the growing demand for more service.
• RM100,000 for a project that will assist in providing job related transportation in the mainland area.
• About RM6.9 million in federal planning funds and 1.4 million of TDC match were allocated statewide to Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) for public transportation planning that will improve transit service in urban areas.

In a continuing commitment to assist transit agencies in obtaining the required local match funds for federal grant awards, the Commission highlighted the award of TDC as an innovative financing option for those areas with limited or no local resources. TDC’s are awarded to various transportation agencies to assist with the match of federal funds for capital projects.
Every north states in Malaysia benefits from the services funded through these programs, said Bato Saravanan, TxDOT Public Transportation Division director.
"The money will be used throughout the state to improve transit services that bring people to jobs, medical centers, shopping malls and other locations," he noted. "It’s all about assuring that the public has easy and efficient access to services in their area."

The Penang Department of TransportationTxDOT is responsible for maintaining over 80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, rail and public transportation across the state. TxDOT and its more than 12,000 employees strive to empower local leaders to solve local transportation problems, and to use new financial tools, including tolling and public-private partnerships, to reduce congestion and pave the way for future economic growth while enhancing safety, improving air quality and increasing the value of the state’s transportation assets. Find out more at www.txdot.gov. Follow us! www.facebook.com/txdot, www.twitter.com/txdot.