---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 3032e"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "3032e"
heading: "Technical assistance and innovation to improve transportation for older individuals"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/3032e"
units:
  - "Chapter 35 — Programs for Older Americans"
  - "Subchapter IV — Activities for Health, Independence, and Longevity"
  - "Part A — Grant Programs"
---

# §3032e. Technical assistance and innovation to improve transportation for older individuals

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/3002.md?p=46) may award grants or contracts to [nonprofit](/usc/42/3002.md?p=39) organizations to improve transportation services for [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40).
- (b) **Use of funds—**
  - (1) **In general—** A [nonprofit](/usc/42/3002.md?p=39) organization receiving a grant or contract under [subsection (a)](#a) shall use the [funds](/usc/42/12854.md?p=3) received through such grant or contract to carry out a [demonstration project](/usc/42/16281.md?p=d-2), or to provide technical assistance to assist local transit providers, area agencies on aging, senior centers, and local senior support groups, to encourage and facilitate coordination of Federal, [State](/usc/42/3002.md?p=51), and local transportation services and resources for [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40). The organization may use the [funds](/usc/42/12854.md?p=3) to develop and carry out an innovative transportation [demonstration project](/usc/42/16281.md?p=d-2) to create transportation services for [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40).
  - (2) **Specific activities—** In carrying out a [demonstration project](/usc/42/16281.md?p=d-2) or providing technical assistance under [paragraph (1)](#b-1) the organization may carry out activities that include—
    - (A) developing innovative approaches for improving access by [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40) to transportation services, including volunteer driver [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), [economically sustainable transportation](#c) [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), and [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) that allow [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40) to transfer their automobiles to a provider of transportation services in [exchange](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-21) for the services;
    - (B) preparing information on transportation options and resources for [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40) and organizations serving such individuals, and disseminating the information by establishing and operating a toll-free telephone number, call center, website or Internet-based portal, mobile application, or other technological tools;
    - (C) developing models and best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) for providing comprehensive integrated transportation services for [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40), including services administered by the [Secretary](/usc/42/3002.md?p=46) of Transportation, by providing ongoing technical assistance to agencies providing services under subchapter III and by assisting in coordination of public and community transportation services;
    - (D)
      - (i) improving the aggregation, availability, and accessibility of information on options for transportation services for [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40), including information on public transit, on-demand transportation services, volunteer-based transportation services, and other private transportation providers; and
      - (ii) providing [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40) with the ability to schedule trips both in advance and on demand, as appropriate;
    - (E) identifying opportunities to share resources and reduce costs of transportation services for [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40);
    - (F) coordinating individualized trip planning responses to requests from [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40) for transportation services; and
    - (G) providing special services to link [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40) to transportation services not provided under subchapter III.
- (c) **Economically sustainable transportation—** In this section, the term “economically sustainable transportation” means demand responsive transportation for [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40)—
  - (1) that may be provided through volunteers; and
  - (2) that the provider will provide without receiving Federal or other public financial assistance, after a period of not more than 5 years of providing the services under this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–73, title IV, § 416, as added Pub. L. 106–501, title IV, § 401, Nov. 13, 2000, 114 Stat. 2261; amended Pub. L. 109–365, title IV, § 405, Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2554; Pub. L. 116–131, title III, § 305, Mar. 25, 2020, 134 Stat. 263.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2020—Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 116–131, § 305(1), inserted “, call center, website or Internet-based portal, mobile application, or other technological tools” before semicolon at end.

Subsec. (b)(2)(D) to (G). Pub. L. 116–131, § 305(2)–(4), added subpars. (D) to (F) and redesignated former subpar. (D) as (G).

2006—Pub. L. 109–365 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text consisted of subsecs. (a) and (b) relating to grants and contracts to provide technical assistance to improve transportation for seniors.