Staff recommends that the City Council approve the updated MET Transit Public Participation and Title VI Plan.

As a recipient of Federal funding, MET Transit is required by Federal regulations to have a Title VI Plan in place that includes public participation components. In addition to the requirement to submit an updated Title VI Plan every three years, this plan must be approved by the transit agency's governing body. To meet these requirements, MET Transit is submitting an updated Public Participation and Title VI Plan for Council approval. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states, "No person shall be excluded from participation, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal assistance based on race, color, or national origin." Updates to the plan include organizational charts, Limited English Proficiency population data, demographics, fleet and amenity inventory, passenger load factor data, route headways, bus stop data, and public participation and outreach activities. 

City Council may:

• Approve the updated Public Participation and Title VI Plan; or
• Not Approve the updated Public Participation and Title VI Plan and advise staff on how to proceed without jeopardizing future Federal Transit Administration grant funding.

As a recipient of Federal Transit Administration funding, MET must have a Public Participation and Title VI Plan in place. Failure to submit an updated plan may jeopardize or delay award of the annual Federal operating funds accounting for over $2.8 million of MET's proposed FY 26 budget, and nearly $1 million in capital grants.