Oneida County Executive Ralph Eannace today said that due to the efforts of community officials and transportation providers in Herkimer and Oneida Counties, a coordinated transportation brokerage system to serve the two County Region is closer to becoming a reality. Eannace said combined efforts have put the region in a position to begin the transportation program with an early goal of improving the Welfare to Work Program.

The County Executive said " Funds obtained from both the Federal and State governments will be used to help address the needs of people moving from welfare to work, and other low income residents. The funds will be used to coordinate existing transit and other services designed to help welfare recipients commute to work and achieve independence. Another objective of the welfare to work transit program is to lay the groundwork for future improvements to the two county transportation system that will benefit the overall workforce and the general public."

Eannace said, " Consultant studies have determined the best way to provide the brokerage system is to better use the transportation services that already exist in the region." The County Executive says it is the intent of Oneida County, subject to the approval of the Oneida County Board of Legislators, to contract with the Utica Transit Authority (UTA) to set up and maintain a brokerage office to assist in providing transportation services to TANF and low income persons in Oneida and Herkimer Counties. Planned initial services would include a Transit Token System, Guaranteed Ride Program, a Rideshare Program and eventually a Call Center.

Oneida County, acting as an applicant on behalf of both Herkimer and Oneida Counties, was successful in obtaining a grant from New York State under Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and a grant from the Federal Transit Administration under the Job Access program (JARC). The TANF grant is in the amount of $575,353 and is 100% state funded, while the Job Access grant is in the amount of $248,000, and is a 50% - 50% matching grant totaling $496,000 with the match ,which consists of funds from TANF and State Dedicated Funds. Jointly, the counties also applied for additional funding under the Job Access and Community Solutions for Transportation programs for continued and expanded services.