FACT awarded grant money for disabled riders
Area residents who need a little extra help getting around Fayette County will get a financial boost after the state allocated money for the rural shared-ride transit program. According to Gov. Edward G. Rendell, about 15,000 people with disabilities will benefit from the $1.4 million slated for the shared-ride programs across the state.
Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation (FACT) was awarded $131,000 of the grant money.
The state Department of Transportation said the rural shared-ride transit program provides accessible transportation for people with disabilities in rural parts of the state.
The program began in 2001 and now operates in 43 counties and serves about 67,000 people.
The Washington County Transportation Authority received $536,000 for riders with disabilities and Greene County Transportation received $84,000 in the latest round of transportation funding.
“People with disabilities in rural areas have a harder time finding ways to get to the doctor’s office, work or the grocery store,” Rendell stated in a press release. “We cannot turn our backs on them. These funds will help thousands of people with disabilities get to where they need to go.”
Recently, the state Department of Transportation also awarded more than $2 million to 35 counties for further assistance for transportation for people with disabilities.
FACT general manager George Hardy could not be reached for comment.