U.S. Code > Title 49 Transportation > SUBTITLE III—GENERAL AND INTERMODAL PROGRAMS (§§ 5101—6109) > CHAPTER 53—PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION (§§ 5301—5340) > § 5314. National research programs

§ 5314. National research programs

(a) Program.—
(1) The amounts made available under section 5338 (d) are available to the Secretary of Transportation for grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or other agreements for the purposes of sections 5312, 5315, and 5322 of this title, as the Secretary considers appropriate.
(2) The Secretary shall provide public transportation-related technical assistance, demonstration programs, research, public education, and other activities the Secretary considers appropriate to help public transportation providers comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall carry out this paragraph through a contract with a national nonprofit organization serving individuals with disabilities that has a demonstrated capacity to carry out the activities.
(3) Not more than 25 percent of the amounts available under paragraph (1) of this subsection is available to the Secretary for special demonstration initiatives, subject to terms the Secretary considers consistent with this chapter, except that section 5333 (b) of this title applies to an operational grant financed in carrying out section 5312 (a) of this title. For a nonrenewable grant of not more than $100,000, the Secretary shall provide expedited procedures on complying with the requirements of this chapter.
(4)
(A) The Secretary may undertake a program of public transportation technology development in coordination with affected entities.
(B) The Secretary shall develop guidelines for cost sharing in technology development projects financed under this paragraph. The guidelines shall be flexible and reflect the extent of technical risk, market risk, and anticipated supplier benefits and payback periods.
(5) The Secretary may use amounts appropriated under this subsection to supplement amounts available under section 5313 (a) of this title, as the Secretary considers appropriate.
(6) Medical transportation demonstration grants.—
(A) Grants authorized.— The Secretary may award demonstration grants, from funds made available under paragraph (1), to eligible entities to provide transportation services to individuals to access dialysis treatments and other medical treatments for renal disease.
(B) Eligible entities.— An entity shall be eligible to receive a grant under this paragraph if the entity—
(i) meets the conditions described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or
(ii) is an agency of a State or unit of local government.
(C) Use of funds.— Grant funds received under this paragraph may be used to provide transportation services to individuals to access dialysis treatments and other medical treatments for renal disease.
(D) Application.—
(i) In general.— Each eligible entity desiring a grant under this paragraph shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, at such place, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
(ii) Selection of grantees.— In awarding grants under this paragraph, the Secretary shall give preference to eligible entities from communities with—
(I) high incidence of renal disease; and
(II) limited access to dialysis facilities.
(E) Rulemaking.— The Secretary shall issue regulations to implement and administer the grant program established under this paragraph.
(F) Report.— The Secretary shall submit a report on the results of the demonstration projects funded under this paragraph to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.
(b) Government’s Share.— When there would be a clear and direct financial benefit to an entity under a grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or other agreement under subsection (a) or section 5312, the Secretary shall establish a United States Government share consistent with the benefit.
(c) National Technical Assistance Center for Senior Transportation.—
(1) Establishment.— The Secretary shall award grants to a national not-for-profit organization for the establishment and maintenance of a national technical assistance center.
(2) Eligibility.— An organization shall be eligible to receive a grant under paragraph (1) if the organization—
(A) focuses significantly on serving the needs of the elderly;
(B) has demonstrated knowledge and expertise in senior transportation policy and planning issues;
(C) has affiliates in a majority of the States;
(D) has the capacity to convene local groups to consult on operation and development of senior transportation programs; and
(E) has established close working relationships with the Federal Transit Administration and the Administration on Aging.
(3) Use of funds.— The national technical assistance center established under this section shall—
(A) gather best practices from throughout the Nation and provide such practices to local communities that are implementing senior transportation programs;
(B) work with teams from local communities to identify how the communities are successfully meeting the transportation needs of senior citizens and any gaps in services in order to create a plan for an integrated senior transportation program;
(C) provide resources on ways to pay for senior transportation services;
(D) create a web site to publicize and circulate information on senior transportation programs;
(E) establish a clearinghouse for print, video, and audio resources on senior mobility; and
(F) administer the demonstration grant program established under paragraph (4).
(4) Grants authorized.—
(A) In general.— The national technical assistance center established under this section, in consultation with the Federal Transit Administration, shall award senior transportation demonstration grants to—
(i) local transportation organizations;
(ii) State agencies;
(iii) units of local government; and
(iv) nonprofit organizations.
(B) Use of funds.— Grant funds received under this paragraph may be used to—
(i) evaluate the state of transportation services for senior citizens;
(ii) recognize barriers to mobility that senior citizens encounter in their communities;
(iii) establish partnerships and promote coordination among community stakeholders, including public, not-for-profit, and for-profit providers of transportation services for senior citizens;
(iv) identify future transportation needs of senior citizens within local communities; and
(v) establish strategies to meet the unique needs of healthy and frail senior citizens.
(C) Selection of grantees.— The Secretary shall select grantees under this paragraph based on a fair representation of various geographical locations throughout the United States.