• By Daphne Taylor
• Posted Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Notification of Possible Transportation Funds

The NC Department of Transportation has notified Forsyth County of the availability of funds for FY 2010 - 2011 from the Rural Operating Assistance Program. Part of the funds are available to meet the transportation needs of the elderly and disabled. The Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program (E&DTAP), originally enacted by legislation in the 1989 session of the North Carolina General Assembly, provides operating assistance funds for the transportation of the state’s elderly and disabled citizens. This transportation assistance allows these individuals to reside for longer period in their homes, thereby enhancing their quality of life.

For the purpose of E&DTAP, an elderly person is defined as one who has reached the age of 60 or more years. A disabled person is defined as one who has physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity, an individual who has a record of such impairment, or an individual who is regarded as having such impairment.

The Board of County Commissioners has the final approval vote on the distribution of funds. It is the Trans-AID Advisory Committee’s responsibility to provide the recommendation of the distribution of funds to the County Commissioners.

An application for funds to assist the elderly and/or disabled, can be requested by calling Jackie Settle at 336-748-3259. The completed applications are due no later than Tuesday, July 20th, by 5:00 pm. Please send completed applications to WSTA – Attention Jackie Settle, 1060 North Trade St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.

The Trans-Aid Advisory Committee will meet to review applications & make recommendations for allocated funds to the Winston-Salem Transit Authority Board. The meeting will be held at the Hampton Haith Building located at 1060 North Trade Street. All applicants and other interested parties are encouraged to attend this meeting.

Funds are also available through the Rural Operating Assistance Program to serve recipients of the Workforce Development programs or the Work First programs to support employment. However, funds for these services will go directly to the Department of Social Services and Workforce Development program. For further information about these programs, please contact Daphne Taylor at 336-703-3403.