In July 2012, Congress authorized a new federal transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), which consolidated two transit programs under previous legislation (Section 5310: “Transportation for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities” and Section 5317: “New Freedom Program”) into a single: “Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities” (Section 5310). The purpose of this consolidated program is to provide funds for projects that serve the special needs of transit-dependent populations when traditional public transportation services are insufficient, unavailable, or inappropriate and programs that expand the transportation options beyond those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
