I am pleased to give an update on the status of our Mobility Manager project. We began a pilot project in the ten county region of Alabama Tombigbee Regional Commission this fiscal year. This gives us two pilot projects in the state which include a pilot project in Lee Russell that has been very successful. This project received an award for excellence in regional transportation. We are working to expand the mobility management program in the future.

Mobility management is a program assisting people with disabilities, older people, youth and people with low incomes with transportation services to get where they need to go so they can live fruitful lives in their communities. Mobility managers typically focus on mobility management activities. They seek to understand the individualized needs of customers and design service strategies to effectively meet those needs. They help communities develop transportation coordination plans, programs, and policies, and build local partnerships. They coordinate transportation services among all customer groups, service providers, and funding agencies and work with human service agencies and/or workforce centers that coordinate the travel and trip planning needs of individuals who receive human service program assistance.

We submitted grant applications for the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom programs to the Federal Transit Administration for approval. We are requesting federal funding for fourteen JARC projects and two New Freedom projects for FY 2011. We are anticipating funding approval before the next fiscal year begins.

         - Mrs. Irene Collins, Commissioner