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Item 1 – Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS)

This is an intelligent transportation system (ITS) approach using advanced technology


tools such as closed-circuit television cameras, radar detectors and communication
devices to monitor traffic, optimize signal timing and control traffic flow Advanced traffic
management systems (ATMS) seek to reduce, or at least contain, traffic congestion in
urban environments by improving the efficiency of utilization of existing infrastructures.
These systems typically seek solutions to congestion problems occurring on urban
freeways and surface streets through the deployment of state-of-the-art sensing,
communications, and data-processing technologies. Problems considered include both
congestion caused by regular traffic patterns (congestion management systems) and
traffic problems caused by stalled vehicles or other unpredictable incidents (incident
management systems).

Item 2 - Average Daily Traffic (ADT)

The number of vehicles passing a fixed point in a day, averaged over a number of days.
The number of count days included in the average varies with the intended use of the
data. Average daily traffic or ADT, and sometimes also mean daily traffic, is the average
number of vehicles two-way passing a specific point in a 24-hour period, normally
measured throughout a year. ADT is not as highly referred to as the engineering standard

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of AADT which is the standard measurement for vehicle traffic load on a section of road,
and the basis for most decisions regarding transport planning, or to the environmental
hazards of pollution related to road transport.

Item 3 - Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)

An MPO appointed committee comprised of representatives of various government


agencies, law enforcement officials and private citizens interested in bicycle and
pedestrian issues. The BAC advises the MPO in the process of planning and developing
bicycle and pedestrian facilities and promoting bicycling and walking in Pinellas County.
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) was assembled
to provide technical expertise, public outreach support, review of regional
bicycle and pedestrian planning, and assistance in the selection of bicycle
and pedestrian projects funded by the Regional Transportation Council and

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the Executive Board of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) on
an as-needed basis.

Item 4 - Bridges Management System (BMS)

Process for analyzing existing conditions and identifying future needs with respect to
bridges designated as part of the National 2 Highway System (NHS). The extent to which
other public bridges are included in the process is left to the discretion of state and local
officials. A Bridge Management System or BMS Is a means for managing bridges
throughout design, construction, operation and maintenance of the bridges. As funds
available become tighter, road authorities around the world are facing challenges related
to bridge management and the escalating maintenance requirements of large
infrastructure assets. Bridge management systems help agencies to meet their
objectives, such as building inventories and inspection databases, planning for
maintenance, repair and rehabilitation (MR&R) interventions in a systematic way,
optimizing the allocation of financial resources, and increasing the safety of bridge users.
The major tasks in bridge management are: collection of inventory data; inspection;
assessment of condition and strength; repair, strengthening or replacement of
components; and prioritizing the allocation of funds. A BMS is a means of managing
bridge information to formulate maintenance programs within cost limitations. A BMS
includes four basic components: data storage, cost and deterioration models, optimization
and analysis models, and updating functions.

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Item 5 - Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

A flexible high performance mode of travel that combines the features of rail transit with
those of over-the-road vehicles and that operates within special purpose lanes or city
streets. Service is frequent enough that passengers do not need a schedule. Moreover,
service is integrated with other regional transportation systems, enhancing mobility and
promoting intermodal connectivity. ITS technology is used to keep track of the vehicles
while providing passengers with updated travel information and improved safety. Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) is a bus-based public transport system designed to
improve capacity and reliability relative to a conventional bus system. Typically, a BRT
system includes roadway that is dedicated to buses, and gives priority to
buses at intersections where buses may interact with other traffic; alongside design
features to reduce delays caused by passengers boarding or leaving buses, or
purchasing fares. BRT aims to combine the capacity and speed of a metro with the
flexibility, lower cost and simplicity of a bus system.

The first BRT system was the Rede Integrada de Transporte ('Integrated Transportation
Network') in Curitiba, Brazil, which entered service in 1974. This inspired many similar

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systems around Brazil and the world, such as TransMilenio in Bogotá, Colombia, which
opened in 2000. As of November 2016, a total of 207 cities in six continents have
implemented BRT systems, accounting for 5,468 km (3,398 mi) of BRT lanes. As of
November 2016, about 34.3 million passengers use BRT worldwide every day, of which
about 21.1 million passengers ride daily in Latin America, which has the most cities with
BRT systems, with 69, led by Brazil with 34 cities. The Latin American countries with the
most daily ridership are Brazil (11.9M), Colombia (3.1M), and Mexico (2.4M). In the other
regions, China (4.4M) and Iran (2.1M) also stand out. Currently, Trans
Jakarta considered as the longest BRT route in the world with approximately 210
kilometers (130 mi) length connecting the Indonesian capital city.

Item 6 - Capital Improvements Element (CIE)

A required element of local comprehensive plans which evaluates the need for public
facilities and associated costs and construction schedules. The required content of CIEs
is stipulated in Rule 9J-5.016 of the Florida Administrative Code and Chapter
163.3177(3), Florida Statutes. The Capital Improvements Element (CIE) functions as an
executive summary of the short range public facility needs identified in the other elements
of the Comprehensive Plan. It serves as the public sector's development plan by
scheduling the construction of major capital projects. The CIE also tabulates the
estimated cost of major capital projects and analyzes the capability of Manatee County
to finance and construct these improvements. Therefore, the CIE contains important

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financial policies which will be used to guide the funding of capital improvements. The
intent of the CIE is to ensure the public sector's implementation of the Comprehensive
Plan, just as the entire development review process, described in the Future Land Use
Element and in other plan elements, is intended to guide private sector development in a
manner consistent with Manatee County's Comprehensive Plan.

Item 7 - Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR)

A legislatively created research center located at the University of South Florida whose
purpose is to conduct and facilitate research and serve as an information exchange on
issues and ideas related to urban transportation problems in Florida. The Center for
Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) was established in 1988 in the College of
Engineering at the University of South Florida, located in Tampa, Florida. CUTR is an
internationally recognized resource for policymakers, transportation professionals, and
the public. CUTR provides high quality, objective expertise in the form of insightful
research, in-depth policy analysis, comprehensive training and education, and effective
technical assistance that translates directly into benefits for CUTR’s project
sponsors. CUTR’s faculty of 37 full-time researchers, and 57 students, combines
academic knowledge and extensive “real world” experience in developing innovative,
implementable solutions for all modes of transportation. The multidisciplinary research
faculty includes experts in economics, planning, engineering, public policy, and
geography. CUTR logs over $19 million per year in expenditures through contracts and

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grants to support its research, education, training and technical assistance missions.
CUTR also is the home of the National Center for Transit Research and the National Bus
Rapid Transit Institute.

Item 8 - Community Traffic Safety Teams (CTST)

Community Traffic Safety Teams are locally based groups of highway safety advocates
who are committed to solving traffic safety problems through a comprehensive, multi-
jurisdictional, multi-disciplinary approach. Members include local city, county, state, and
occasionally federal agencies, as well as private industry representatives and local
citizens. The goal of the Community Traffic Safety Teams (CTST) is to reduce the number
of traffic crashes, the number of traffic-related fatalities, and the number and severity of
injuries that result from traffic crashes. The teams utilize a multidisciplinary approach that
incorporates the 4 E's of traffic safety:

• Engineering
• Enforcement
• Education
• Emergency Services

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Item 9 - Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC)
Agency responsible for delivering coordinated transportation services to the
transportation disadvantaged population in the designated service area. In Pinellas
County, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) is the CTC. It is the purpose of
the annual evaluation to ensure that the most cost-effective, efficient, and appropriate
transportation services are provided to the entire transportation disadvantaged population
of Hillsborough County. The Hillsborough County MPO’s Transportation Disadvantaged
Coordinating Board is tasked with the annual evaluation of the services provided by
Hillsborough County’s Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) operator and its
contractors. A series of five evaluation criteria is used to evaluate the performance of the
CTC: Reliability, Service Effectiveness, Service Efficiency, Service Availability, and
Safety.

Item 10 - Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ)

A program born out of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act that
provides funding for projects which contribute to the attainment of the National Ambient
Air Quality Standards. In Pinellas County, CMAQ funds have been used for
constructing bicycle/pedestrian facilities, intersection improvements, transportation
management organization operations, transit vehicle acquisition, traffic signal system
upgrades and the funding of studies that lead to the reduction of traffic congestion.
With passage of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, the Congress made great
strides in America's efforts to attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS). The 1990 amendments required further reduction in the amount of allowable

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vehicle tailpipe emissions, initiated more stringent control measures in areas that still
failed to meet the NAAQS-known as nonattainment areas-and provided for a stronger,
more rigorous link between transportation and air quality planning. Further establishing
this link, one year later, the Congress passed the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act-the ISTEA of 1991. This far-reaching legislation brought transportation
into the multi-modal arena and also set the stage for an unprecedented focus on
environmental programs. Part of this approach was the newly authorized Congestion
Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program. The CMAQ program was
implemented to support surface transportation projects and other related efforts that
contribute air quality improvements and provide congestion relief. Administered by
FHWA, the CMAQ program has been reauthorized under every successive
Transportation Bill up to and including the FAST Act in 2015. Through the close of the
MAP-21 period in 2015, the CMAQ program has provided more than $30 billion to fund
over 30,000 transportation related environmental projects for State DOTs, metropolitan
planning organizations, and other sponsors throughout the US. As with its predecessor
legislation, the FAST Act provides funding to areas in nonattainment or maintenance
for ozone, carbon monoxide, and/or particulate matter. In addition, those States that
have no nonattainment or maintenance areas still receive a minimum apportionment
of CMAQ funding for either air quality projects or other elements of flexible federal aid
highway spending.

Item 11 - Congestion Management Process (CMP)

A federally mandated program within metropolitan planning areas to address and manage
congestion through the implementation of strategies not calling for major capital
investments. The CMP was formerly known as Congestion Management System (CMS).

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The Congestion Management Process (CMP) provides for the effective management of
new and existing transportation facilities through development and implementation of
operational and travel demand management strategies, and by providing information to
decision-makers on system performance and the effectiveness of implemented
strategies. Although major capital investments are still needed to meet the growing travel
demand, the CMP also develops lower cost strategies that complement capital
investment recommendations. The result is more efficient and effective transportation
systems, increased mobility, and a leveraging of resources.

Item 12 - Dial A Ride Transit (DART)

Demand response transportation service provided by the Pinellas Suncoast Transit


Authority (PSTA) under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for people who,
because of their disability, are unable to use the fixed route bus system. DART (Dial-A-
Ride-Transportation) is designed for people whose disability or health condition prevents
them from using regular fixed-route bus service. DART's courteous, friendly, well-trained
drivers are able to safely assist guests aboard clean, air-conditioned, wheelchair
equipped vehicles. Trips can be made for any reason, such as health care, employment,
shopping, senior centers, schools, recreation, social activities and more. DART also

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assists people with transportation needs outside the area by making travel plans with
other transportation providers including ACCESS Paratransit (in King County), Everett
Paratransit, the Transportation Assistance Program (TAP), Community Transit, King
County Metro, Sound Transit and Washington State Ferries.

Item 13 - Efficient Transportation Decision Making (ETDM)

A FDOT initiative to improve and streamline the environmental review and permitting
process of transportation projects by providing resource protection agencies and
concerned citizens opportunities to comment on them during the initial planning phase.
This is intended to improve the coordination of transportation decisions with social, land
use and ecosystem preservation concerns. The ETDM process connects the Planning
and PD&E phases by carrying forward planning products, previous analyses, and
decisions supporting transportation project implementation during subsequent project
development phases. Furthermore, the ETDM process is fully consistent with the
streamlining objectives of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-
21). The ETDM process is composed of two project-screening events: Planning and
Programming. During the Planning Screen, comments received from the ETAT members
and the public help FDOT and MPOs/TPOs to identify environmental considerations that
assist in assessing projects for inclusion or advancement in Long Range Transportation
Plans (LRTPs) and further into the Cost Feasible Plan. During the Programming Screen,
qualifying projects are reviewed when being considered for funding in the FDOT Five

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Year Work Program or MPO Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), or if already
funded, before advancing to the PD&E phase. It should be noted that priority projects in
non-MPO areas and qualifying bridge projects do not typically complete a Planning
Screen; however, a Planning Screen may be conducted at the discretion of the FDOT
District depending on the nature the project.

Item 14 - Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

The federal agency that develops regulations, policies and guidelines to achieve safety,
economic development, and other goals of FHWA programs through the construction and
improvement of the nation's transportation infrastructure and highway system. The
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of
Transportation that supports State and local governments in the design, construction, and
maintenance of the Nation’s highway system (Federal Aid Highway Program) and various
federally and tribal owned lands (Federal Lands Highway Program). Through financial
and technical assistance to State and local governments, the Federal Highway
Administration is responsible for ensuring that America’s roads and highways continue to
be among the safest and most technologically sound in the world.

Item 15 - High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)

Vehicles carrying two or more people. Freeways, expressways and other limited access
roads may have lanes designated for HOV use by carpoolers, vanpools and buses.
A high-occupancy vehicle lane (also known as an HOV lane, carpool lane, diamond
lane, 2+ lane, and transit lane or T2 or T3 lanes in Australia and New Zealand) is a

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restricted traffic lane reserved at peak travel times or longer for the exclusive use of
vehicles with a driver and one or more passengers, including carpools, vanpools,
and transit buses. The normal minimum occupancy level is 2 or 3 occupants. Many
jurisdictions exempt other vehicles, including motorcycles, charter buses, emergency and
law enforcement vehicles, low-emission and other green vehicles, and/or single-
occupancy vehicles paying a toll. HOV lanes are normally created to increase average
vehicle occupancy and persons traveling with the goal of reducing traffic
congestion and air pollution, although their effectiveness is questionable.

Item 16 - High Speed Rail (HSR)

A railway system that can transport people and goods at speeds in excess of 125 miles
per hour.

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Item 17 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)

An international society of professionals in transportation and traffic engineering. The


organization publishes the Trip Generation Manual, which provides trip generation data.
The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) is an international membership
association of transportation professionals who work to improve mobility and safety for all
transportation system users and help build smart and livable communities. Through its
products and services, ITE promotes professional development and career advancement
for its members, supports and encourages education, identifies necessary research,
develops technical resources including standards and recommended practices, develops
public awareness programs, and serves as a conduit for the exchange of professional
information.

tem 18 - Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

An umbrella term for a range of advanced technologies that monitor and manage traffic
flow, reduce congestion, provide alternate routes to travelers, enhance productivity,
respond to incidents, adverse weather or other road capacity constricting events. The ITS
Joint Program Office (ITS JPO), within the Office of the Assistance Secretary for
Research and Technology (OST-R), is charged with executing Subtitle C- Intelligent

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Transportation System Research of Public Law 109-59 Safe Accountable, Flexible,
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, enacted August 10, 2005.

Item 19 - Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council (MPOAC)

An advisory council consisting of one member from each MPO that serves as the principal
forum for collective policy discussion in urban areas. The MPOAC was created by law to
assist Florida MPOs in carrying out the urbanized area transportation planning process.
The Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council is a statewide
transportation planning and policy organization created by the Florida
Legislature pursuant to Section 339.175(11), Florida Statutes, to augment the role of
individual MPOs in the cooperative transportation planning process. The MPOAC assists
MPOs in carrying out the urbanized area transportation planning process by serving as
the principal forum for collective policy discussion.

Item 20 - Pavement Management System (PMS)

A systematic process utilized by state agencies and MPOs to analyze and summarize
pavement information for use in selecting and implementing cost effective pavement
construction, rehabilitation and maintenance programs. It is required for roads in the
National Highway System. Pavement management incorporates life cycle costs into a
more systematic approach to minor and major road maintenance and reconstruction

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projects. The needs of the entire network as well as budget projections are considered
before projects are executed. Pavement management encompasses the many aspects
and tasks needed to maintain a quality pavement inventory, and ensure that the overall
condition of the road network can be sustained at desired levels. The introduction of the
Governmental Accounting Standards Board’s (GASB’s) Statement 34 is having a
dramatic impact on the financial reporting requirements of state and local governments.
Introduced in June 1999, this provision recommends that governmental agencies report
the value of their infrastructure assets in their financial statements. GASB recommends
that government agencies use a historical cost approach for capitalizing long-lived capital
assets; however, if historical information is not available, guidance is provided for an
alternate approach based on the current replacement cost of the assets. A method of
representing the costs associated with the use of the assets must also be selected, and
two methods are allowed by GASB. One approach is to depreciate the assets over time.
The modified approach, on the other hand, provides an agency more flexibility in reporting
the value of its assets based upon the use of a systematic, defensible approach that
accounts for the preservation of the asset Pavement management and pavement
management systems provide agencies with the tools necessary to evaluate their
pavement assets and meet the GASB34 requirements under the modified depreciation
approach.

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Item 21 - Safe Routes to School Program (SRSP)

The SRTS Program helps communities address school transportation needs while
encouraging more students to walk or bicycle to school. The SRTS Program funds
projects such as the construction and installation of sidewalks, shared-use paths, flashing
beacons, and median refuge islands. SRTS guidelines require that proposed projects
meet an identified need that is preventing children from walking or biking safely to and
from school. The SRTS Program became part of the Transportation Alternatives (TA)
Program under MAP-21 in October, 2012. Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is an
international movement—and now a federal program—to make it safe, convenient, and
fun for children, including those with disabilities, to bicycle and walk to school. When
routes are safe, walking or biking to and from school is an easy way to get the regular
physical activity children need for good health. Safe Routes to School initiatives also help
ease traffic jams and air pollution, unite neighborhoods, and contribute to students’
readiness to learn in school.

Item 22 - State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP)

A staged, multi-year, statewide, intermodal program that is consistent with the state and
MPO transportation plans and TIPs. It identifies the priority transportation projects to be
constructed over the next three years and is developed by the Florida Department of
Transportation. It must be approved by the Federal Highway Administration and the
Federal Transit Administration at least every two years. The purpose of the State
Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is to provide for a fiscally sound, set (1-4

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years) capital improvement plan for the state’s surface transportation program. The STIP
is not just a document, but is part of a fully integrated process for transportation planning
and transportation project selection. The STIP is updated as needed to document the
results of the project selection process. The STIP has been developed through a
coordinated and cooperative process by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and
Development (LADOTD) involving citizens, elected officials, Tribal governments, other
state and federal agencies, each of Louisiana’s ten metropolitan planning organizations
(MPO), and other interested organizations.

Item 23 - Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ)

A traffic analysis zone is a spatial area used in the transportation modeling process to
tabulate socioeconomic and traffic simulation data. A TAZ usually consists of one or more
census blocks, block groups, or census tracts. A traffic analysis zone (TAZ) is the unit
of geography most commonly used in conventional transportation planning models. The
size of a zone varies, but for a typical metropolitan planning software, a zone of under
3000 people is common. The spatial extent of zones typically varies in models, ranging
from very large areas in the exurb to as small as city blocks or buildings in central
business districts. There is no technical reason zones cannot be as small as single
buildings, however additional zones add to the computational burden. Zones are
constructed by census block information. Typically these blocks are used in transportation
models by providing socio-economic data. States differ in the socio-economic data that
they attribute to the zones. Most often the critical information is the number of automobiles

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per household, household income, and employment within these zones. This information
helps to further the understanding of trips that are produced and attracted within the zone.
Again these zones can change or be altered as mentioned in the first paragraph. This is
done typically to eliminate unneeded area to limit the "computational burden."

Item 24 - Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)

Allows for up to two percent of Surface Transportation Program funds to be allocated for
non-roadway improvements/expenditures, including pedestrian/bicycle facilities,
acquisition of scenic easements and scenic historic sites, scenic or historic highway
programs, scenic beautification, historic preservation, rehabilitation/operation of historic
transportation structures, railway corridor preservation, control/removal of outdoor
advertising, archeological planning/research and mitigation of highway runoff water

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pollution. Under MAP-21, the Transportation Enhancement Program was renamed the
Transportation Alternatives (TA) Program, which now includes Transportation
Enhancements, Recreational Trails and Safe Routes to Schools programs.

Item 25 - Transit Development Plan (TDP)

PSTA’s ten-year planning, development and operational guidance document required for
Florida Public Transit Block Grant funding. The TDP is used in creating the mass transit
elements of the MPO Long Range Transportation Plan, TIP and FDOT Work Program. A
Transit Development Plan (TDP) is an FDOT required; 10-year horizon plan intended to
support the development of an effective multi-modal transportation system for the State
of Florida. Public transit means the transporting of people by conveyances, or systems of
conveyances, traveling on land or water, local or regional in nature and available for use
by the public. TDPs serve a number of purposes for transit agencies; however, the State
interest in TDPs is governed by Sections 339.135, and 339.155, Florida Statutes, as
described in Chapter 14-73, (See Appendix 1-A, Florida Administrative Code: Rule 14-
73.001 or https://www.flrules.org/gateway/RuleNo.asp?id=14-73.001). The TDP serves
as the basis for defining public transit needs which is a prerequisite to receipt of state
funds. The rule requires that the TDP be the provider’s planning, development and
operational guidance document.

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Item 26 - Transportation Disadvantaged (TD)

Those persons who, because of physical or mental disability, income status or age are
unable to transport themselves or to purchase transportation and are, therefore,
dependent on others to obtain access to health care, employment, education, shopping,
social activities or other life-sustaining activities. These persons also include children who
are handicapped or high-risk or at risk as defined in Ch. 411, F.S. The Transportation
Disadvantaged Program is a coordinated state-wide effort which groups riders together
for a shared ride service. Transportation services are available in all 67 Florida counties
for those who are eligible and have no access to transportation. Federal, State and Local
agencies join together to provide necessary transportation to medical appointments,
employment, educational and other life sustaining services. Learn more about Your
Community Transportation System.

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