Erie County Times

Gov. Tom Wolf (D-PA) announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Transit (PennDOT) and Department of Human Services was awarded $750,000 in Federal Transit Administration grant money to expand the state’s Find My Ride (FMR) program.

The program is a “one-stop-shop” for human services transportation access, according to a release by Wolf on June 28. Pennsylvania was one of 17 states that received funding for the program from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The funding was through the FTA Innovative coordinated Access and Mobility pilot program.

“Since taking office I have committed to expanding access to health care to ensure that Pennsylvanians have the opportunity to lead healthier lives,” said Wolf. “This grant through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law builds upon my commitment and will help some of the commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens get to and from their health care appointments by reducing transportation barriers they would experience otherwise.”

FMR Apply is a program for streamlining applications for the five largest transportation assistance programs in Pennsylvania. This includes the Senior Shared Ride program, the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP), ADA complementary paratransit, the Persons with Disabilities program and the Free Transit program. The program also allows for family members, health care providers and other third parties to apply for a rider.

The FMR Apply program was praised by PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian in the release. She said that public transportation is something Pennsylvania residents in every county rely on daily, and that she was thankful for the funds.

“Often, the folks who rely most heavily on the human services transportation system are the most vulnerable among us, and I’m proud that Find My Ride has made it easier than ever to access these services,” Gramian said. “We’re grateful that these funds will help us make it even better, for both the people who help administer these critical programs as well as those who rely on them.”

The funds will be used for upgrades of the FMR by allowing customers to request fixed route and mileage reimbursement; creating an interface between FMR and the DHS PROMISe system that allows for MATP administrators to very eligibility easily; allow for MATP administrators to issue fixed route tickets and passes for a mobile ticketing app; and give a health care provider a way to verify a visit.

“DHS is committed to do everything we can to make sure people have the assistance and resources they need to be able to live safely with dignity and independence in their communities,” said Acting DHS Secretary Meg Snead. “The Find My Ride tool is one way we can make this possible, and we’re grateful for these funds to help support these efforts. Nobody should let a lack of transportation keep you from getting to a doctor’s appointment or filling your prescription, so I encourage anyone who might need assistance with transportation to reach out today.”

The FMR Apply program was created in May 2021, and assistance program applications have been processed for around 8,000 Pennsylvania residents.