FTA Section 5310 – Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 – Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program, authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5310, is managed in California by Caltrans. This program is designed to support the mobility needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities by addressing gaps in transportation services and enhancing access to mobility options. By funding projects that remove barriers to public transit and create more accessible alternatives, the program fulfills its mission to offer vital transportation assistance to communities across the state. The funding through FTA Section 5310 is available for several types of projects. These include capital investments such as ADA-accessible vehicles and associated equipment like cameras, mobile radios, and scheduling software. Funding also covers mobility management initiatives like travel training and one-stop call centers, and it supports operating assistance for eligible agencies. Projects must be tailored to address specific gaps in transportation where standard public transit is unavailable, insufficient, or inappropriate for the targeted populations. Eligible applicants include private nonprofit organizations for all project types. Certain public agencies may also qualify, including those that coordinate transportation services (designated as Consolidated Transportation Service Agencies or CTSAs), or public agencies where no nonprofit service provider exists. Public agencies are additionally eligible for operating assistance and mobility management projects. These parameters ensure that the program targets service providers who are best positioned to deliver or coordinate specialized transit solutions. Caltrans oversees the FTA 5310 program in California’s rural and small urban areas, as well as in several large urban areas including the San Francisco/Bay Area, Riverside/San Bernardino, Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, and Bakersfield. Other large urbanized areas not listed manage their FTA 5310 programs locally and independently of Caltrans. Applicants in eligible areas must apply through the BlackCat Transit Data Management System. The next Call for Projects will be released by Caltrans on June 30, 2025. Applications will be due by September 3, 2025, at 1:00 PM. Interested applicants can gain access to the BlackCat system and should contact Mark Barry at Mark.Barry@dot.ca.gov to join the program’s email interest list. Additional resources including program guidance documents, templates, and reporting forms are available within the BlackCat system. Recent funding cycles, including those for 2022 and 2023, were approved by the FTA in late September of their respective years. For general program inquiries, applicants may call the FTA 5310 Hotline at 1-888-472-6816 or contact their district liaison. District contacts are designated geographically, with individual liaisons assigned to different combinations of California’s 12 Caltrans districts. Special project questions and BlackCat system access requests should be directed to Magdalena Saldana. Mark Barry serves as the program’s Branch Chief and main point of contact.