On March 5, 2021, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced a new mandatory reporting requirement for the Transit COVID-19 Recovery Program.
Beginning in April 2021, FTA recipients and subrecipients must report about the impacts of COVID-19. A baseline form will be submitted once, containing data about service reductions and suspensions between March 13, 2020 and February 28, 2021. A monthly form, which will collect cumulative data, then will be required, starting with March 2021 data. Reporting will continue through December 31, 2021.
Tribal transit agencies and agencies that submit National Transit Database (NTD) reports directly to FTA as urban reporters will report directly to FTA. Agencies that submit NTD reports through ODOT’s Public Transportation Division (PTD) will continue to submit data through PTD.
FTA estimates the forms will take minimal time to complete.
FTA will offer several training webinars in March to ensure respondents understand how to report. More information on these webinars and the online application will be available on the COVID-19 Transit Response Program Information Collection web page. FTA has posted resources on its website, including fact sheets for Section 5311 Recipients and Urban and Tribal Transit Providers.
PTD is working on specific guidance for this new requirement and will publish it as soon as possible.