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COTA awarded $678,228 DOT grant
The Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority under the Office of the Governor announced that its application for the fiscal year 2015 Rural Area Formula Grant has been approved and awarded $678,228 through the Federal Transit Administration Region IX Office, U.S. Department of Transportation. These funds will be used to provide the operating assistance and program administration funds for COTA to continue to develop the Fixed-Flex Route and Para-transit service, which the program currently operates.
The Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority successfully procured four mobility-equipped vans in the first part of August this year. (Contributed Photo)
Alfreda P. Camacho, special assistant for public transportation, is currently restructuring the agency to revitalize the organizational outlay and project goals and objectives to be able to serve the CNMI community.
“My priority is to ensure that [COTA] moves forward with purpose and the drive to improve on the current services while actively securing other resources to help expand and develop this program,” she said. “It is apparent that public transportation is a need for our people to connect into the community. One of our goals here at COTA is work closely with our legislators, the private sector, and community members so we can unite toward developing a practical and sustainable public transportation system for our islands to benefit from. This is somewhat a new concept which will not happen overnight but I am hopeful because of the outpour[ing] of support we have been shown thus far.”
With just under three months at her post, Camacho and her team have been able to successfully procure four mobility-equipped vans in the first part of August of this year.
“These vans could not have come in at a better time without the guidance from Gov. [Eloy S.] Inos and Lt. Gov. [Ralph DLG] Torres. COTA has been able to serve and collaborate with government agencies, FEMA, and the Commonwealth Advocates for Recovery Efforts to assist with transportation needs during the disaster relief recovery efforts caused by Typhoon Soudelor,” said Camacho. (COTA)
