Show Me the Funding
This federal agency provides the majority of public transit funding in Illinois.
What is the FTA?
This federally defined term refers to the expected lifespan of a transit vehicle.
What is useful life?
This informal purchase method is allowed for small-dollar items without competitive quotes, provided prices are reasonable.
What is a micro-purchase?
This Illinois county is the largest by land area in the state.
What is McLean County?
The average city bus weighs about this much.
What is roughly 30,000 pounds?
This is calculated by dividing total operating cost by total passenger trips.
What is cost per trip?
This federal formula program provides capital, planning, and operating assistance to urbanized areas.
What is Section 5307?
This federally required plan outlines how transit agencies will maintain vehicles and equipment to keep them in a state of good repair.
What is a Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plan?
This type of procurement is used when price is not the only evaluation factor.
What is a Request for Proposals (RFP)?
This city, located near the junction of I-57 and I-70, is often referred to as the “Crossroads of Opportunity.”
What is Effingham?
This is the most common color for public buses in the U.S.
What is white?
This is calculated by dividing total miles driven by gallons of fuel used.
What is fuel efficiency?
This document outlines how grant funds will be spent and must be approved before reimbursement.
What is a budget?
This vehicle feature is required to serve passengers with mobility devices.
What is a wheelchair lift or ramp?
This ensures vendors are not suspended or debarred from federal contracts.
What is SAM verification?
This major city sits at the southern tip of Illinois.
What is Cairo?
This vehicle feature is touched by more hands than anything else.
What are handrails?
This measures the percentage of operating costs covered by fares.
What is farebox recovery ratio?
This type of funding requires local or state dollars to unlock federal funds.
What is matching funds?
This documentation must be maintained to demonstrate that preventive maintenance is being performed on federally funded vehicles.
What are maintenance records (or preventive maintenance logs)?
This clause prohibits contractors from influencing the award process unfairly.
What is conflict of interest?
This natural forest in southern Illinois is known for Garden of the Gods and dramatic rock formations.
What is Shawnee National Forest?
This is the average lifespan of a heavy-duty transit bus.
What is 12 years?
This occurs when expenses exceed revenue.
What is a deficit?
This painful process happens when funds are spent on something that wasn’t approved.
What is a disallowed cost?
When a federally funded vehicle reaches the end of its minimum useful life, this calculation determines whether federal funds must be returned upon its sale or disposition.
What is fair market value (or remaining federal interest)?
Awarding a contract without proper competition and without written justification could result in this financial consequence.
What is repayment of federal funds?
This region of Illinois is known as “Little Egypt.”
What is Southern Illinois?
This word appears in more transit documents than anyone would like.
What is “shall”?
This financial term describes the remaining federal share of an asset’s value.
What is remaining federal interest?