During a meeting Wednesday, the Schuylkill County Commissioners filed a consolidated application for grants on behalf of the Schuylkill County Transportation Authority for operating and capital improvements costs.

The county will have to contribute $169,170 toward operating costs and $64,144 toward capital improvements as matching funds for the grants. STS Executive Director David A. Bekisz said the county contributions are the same as last year.

According to the consolidated application, the capital improvement funds will be a combination of $428,684 in federal dollars, $107,172 in state funds, and the $64,144 from the county. The funds will be used to purchase six shared-ride vehicles at a cost of $600,000.

The operating assistance grant monies include assistance for both the fixed route and shared ride programs. The fixed route program will be funded with $637,000 federal funds and $1,656,291 state funds, plus $182,300 in other project revenue, and the county’s $164,144. The shared ride for older adults program will be funded with $795,000, and the shared ride for people with disabilities program will be funded with $106,000.

Bekisz said that the federal, state and local funding mix will allow STS to provide 18,000 hours of bus service with an estimated 200,000 passenger trips; and the shared ride program provides approximately 75,000 trips for the period of July 2019 through June 30, 2020.

STS will hold a public meeting at 1 p.m. April 18 to obtain input and comment from the public. The meeting will be held at the STS conference room, which is on the third level of the Union Station, 300 S. Centre St., Pottsville.

In other business the commissioners Awarded M&J Excavation, Bloomsburg, a $77,659 contract for an ADA ramp installation on Pine Street in Port Carbon. The monies come from Community Development Block Grant funds.