Coweta County commissioners last week approved the submission of an application for a federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus grant totaling $42,000 to be used to purchase routing software for the county’s transit system. Commissioners also approved the execution of a grant contract with the Georgia Dept. of Transportation (GDOT) and ARRA for a $20,800 no-match transportation grant awarded earlier this year.

The county earlier in the year was awarded $20,800 in ARRA funds through GDOT for the purchase of dispatching equipment for the new county transit system. The funds are to be used to purchase a computer, printer and approved dispatching software. County Transportation Planner Tavores Edwards said the funds bolster an effort to ensure that all public transit providers are using similar software to improve consistency in dispatching and reporting.

The $20,800 grant with its contract now approved by commissioners is 100 percent federally-funded with no matching funds required by the county, Edwards said.

Pertaining to the submission of an application for the $42,000 ARRA grant, Edwards told commissioners the county is working with Three Rivers Regional Commission to secure a 100 percent reimbursable grant for routing software for the transit system. Combined with the new dispatching software, the routing software will allow for establishing a client database, trip reservation, scheduling, Geographic Information System mapping, management of information, client billing, trip reminders and enhanced trip reporting, Edwards said in an Oct. 27 memo.

If awarded the grant, the routing software will be used by operator Quality Trans, Inc. and will be the property of Coweta County, said Edwards.

In his report to commissioners, Edwards said ridership is increasing, adding that November will be the first month with all five vehicles in service.

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