Macomb, IL – A regional group is being formed to bring rural transit to counties that do not have it yet.
Sarah Campbell is the regional coordinator for the eight counties that are working on a federally-mandated Human Services Transportation Plan.
Campbell says several counties do not yet have transit systems for senior citizens or the disabled.
In addition, the federal government wants all counties to cooperate in a regional organization that will coordinate grant requests to the state.
She says the idea is that the counties will prioritize their requests and make it easier for the state to determine what's needed most.
She says meetings will become more frequent during the rest of the year. The region must have its first plan filed with the state by January.
Counties involved in the western Illinois region include Adams, Brown, Hancock, Henderson, Pike, Schuyler Warren and McDonough.
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Brown and Adams counties have already formed transportation task forces.
Transportation plans will usually involve matching funds on the part of local agencies.
Among programs that the regional group is likely to begin with are a system to take low-income people to and from work, and ways of expanding on services offered in connection with the Americans With Disabilities Act.