On Aug. 11, the city of Las Cruces announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has completed a triennial review of its Transit Program with no identified deficiencies. According to a press release from the city, during the review of RoadRUNNER Transit and Dial-A-Ride programs, the FTA conveyed its findings to the city, marking the first instance in over 21 years that RoadRUNNER Transit has undergone an FTA assessment without any noted deficiencies.

“Thanks to the great work of Transit staff and all of the City departments and sections that support RoadRUNNER Transit, the FTA triennial review was a great success,” said Mike Bartholomew, Transit Director, according to the press release. “It takes a City to make this a success.”

According to the press release, the FTA performs a compliance review of the city's RoadRUNNER Transit program every three years. Due to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, this latest review covered four fiscal years, from Fiscal Year 2019 to Fiscal Year 2022. The reviews seek to assess whether grant recipients are effectively managing FTA-funded programs according to the provisions of the Federal transit law, 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53. 

The RoadRUNNER Transit team, in collaboration with various city departments and divisions, compiled and submitted comprehensive documentation for the initial assessment of various compliance aspects. These aspects encompass a range of areas such as legal authorization for conducting transit programs, financial and technical management capabilities, asset management, maintenance of facilities and vehicles, civil rights programs (including ADA, Equal Employment Opportunity, Title VI, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises), drug and alcohol programs, planning initiatives, and safety protocols according to a press release

RoadRUNNER Transit relies heavily on FTA funding, accounting for up to 40 percent of the program's annual budget and up to 83 percent for capital purchases.