News

Twelve n4a Members Awarded Federal Transportation Funding!

Earlier this week the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the awarding of $10 million to help American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments initiate, improve and enhance transit service on Tribal Lands through the Tribal Transit Program

Funding was awarded to 55 tribes for 65 projects across 18 states, and we are thrilled that 12 of the winners are Tribes that also hold n4a Title VI membership.

These projects are crucial to connect tribal members with jobs, education, healthcare, and other services. For tribal elders, reliable and accessible transportation can be key to a more independent and self-sufficient life and ensure their ability to age in place in the community. We are excited to profile the projects of the 12 n4a members who received Tribal Transit funding!

The Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma will purchase new buses that will replace aging buses and provide reliable and safe transportation for residents to access jobs, healthcare, education and social services in 8 counties.

The Citizen Potawatomi Nation in Oklahoma will replace vehicles and purchase an efficient scheduling system to respond to the tribe's growing transportation demands and maintain a state of good repair for the tribe's bus fleet.

The Craig Tribal Association will purchase new buses to provide the tribal community access to health facilities, jobs, education and job training in the towns of Craig and Klawock, Alaska.

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe in Washington will initiate transit operations to serve tribal members and area residents and provide access to jobs, education, and healthcare.

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation will replace compressed natural gas (CNG) buses that bring riders from the rural areas to work in Okmulgee and veterans to the VA Hospital in Muskogee as part of its Workers/ Veterans Avenue to Independence Project in Oklahoma. 

The Native Village of Eyak will conduct a comprehensive planning study to identify ways to improve transit options for area residents who need year-round access to essential services in the community.

The Pueblo of Jemez will receive funding for 2 projects: The first project will purchase a wheelchair accessible van and radio-communication equipment to improve access to transit and increase mobility options for tribal members and other residents in the community. The second project will enhance transit system services, allowing tribal members and other residents of the surrounding community improved access to jobs and services in a 5-county region.

The Seldovia Village Tribe will receive funding to continue to provide transit services connecting tribal members to health care and job opportunities between the communities of Seldovia and Homer in Alaska.

The Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation will initiate a public shuttle service between the Community of Sisseton and Agency Village to increase mobility options for tribal members and the surrounding communities in Northeast South Dakota, including bus stops built to shelter passengers from extreme weather conditions.

The Skokomish Indian Tribe will expand services from the winter months to year-round transit services, providing residents with reliable transportation options to education, employment, and medical appointments.

The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee will increase the tribe's ability to use compressed natural gas and convert transit vehicles to CNG, allowing a more economically and environmentally sound transit system with improved service and reliability in Muskogee and Stilwell Counties, Oklahoma.

The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska will purchase a van to expand the tribe's fleet and accommodate increased ridership, allowing tribal members to access jobs, education and medical appointments in Thurston County and Sioux City.           
 

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USAging Fact: Learn about your peers’ work—and how it can fit into your agency’s goals! The AIA Awards recognizes successful and innovative programs that USAging members have developed to serve older adults. Get inspiration from our 2023 winners!