The Travel Options Program (TOP): Moving Better, Together

Complete each section of the budget proposal tab. The file will auto populate calculations and totals.

1. A maximum of $250,000 is available for any single project submitted by a respondent and/or partner respondents. A minimum budget of $75,000 is required for submission.
2. The budget must include an estimated division of labor vs. non-labor costs, as well as the submitting agency’s current overhead rate.
3. The purchase and estimated cost of any activities necessary to complete the project must be specified and explained.
4. Projects should be developed to be scalable, if necessary. For instance, the Regional TDM Advisory Committee may find an estimated budget of a preferred project excessive for the amount of funding available, so the submitting agency may be asked to reduce the budget and/or associated tasks. Likewise, only one component of a proposal may be selected, so the original scope and budget would have to be adjusted accordingly.
5. Consideration will also be given to whether a project can be implemented elsewhere in the region where a similar challenge or issue exists. One of the purposes of these projects is to help determine TDM Best Practices for the DVRPC region.

An Excel template budget sheet is available for download under the Applicant and Sponsor Resources section above.

Yes, previous or existing TOP grant recipients can apply again. All applications are competitive.

Yes, use these links to access the presentation slides and information session recording.

The number of projects invited to complete a full application is based upon the total program budget and the budgets of the EOIs received that are a good fit for the program.

Research projects are eligible if there is intention to implement the idea. The EOI application should include how the project applicant plans to implement the research with other funds.

While the total program budget is unchanged, the construction projects selected during the FY23-24 application round are drawing down a considerable portion of the FY25-26 grant round's funding "off the top." By deferring a portion of FY23-24 construction project funds to the FY25-26 round, DVRPC was able award more non-construction projects than we would otherwise have been able to fund . This decision was made by the Regional TDM Advisory Committee and approved by the DVRPC Board during the selection of last round's projects.

A project can have a cap of $250,000 in New Jersey in the case that the project scope crosses state lines.

Learning about travel habits with the intent to implement a solution from the results of the research would be eligible for TOP funds. The application should include how the project applicant plans to implement the research with other funds.

For any proposed concept development project the application must include an intent to implement. For instance, perhaps the applicant wants to use TOP funds for planning, concept development, or research components of a construction project. Another example would be if the applicant is planning to fund their project with multiple different funding streams and wants to use TOP funds to start that process.

New Jersey: Both CMAQ and STBGP funding are available in New Jersey. Therefore, if a project isn’t fully eligible for CMAQ funding, CMAQ and STBGP funding can be combined according to which elements of the projects are eligible for each funding source.

Pennsylvania: Only STBGP funding is available in Pennsylvania. Therefore, all projects in the state must be STBGP-eligible. STBGP funds tend to be more flexible than CMAQ, which is why all PA funds were transitioned to this source after the pilot round of TOP.

A digital transportation wallet could potentially be an eligible project within the Operational Solutions Focus Area, but TOP staff would need to learn more about the specific aspects/project phases for which the applicant would like to use the funds. The EOI application should provide evidence of buy-in from the transit agency, as well as specifics regarding whether the project would be supplementing an existing technology or generating something new. Funds could also be used to advertise an existing travel wallet.

TOP cannot use federal dollars to fund food, stipends, or gift cards. However, donations for expenses associated with the TDM issue the project is aiming to address would be acceptable. (ex: fare cards from a transit agency).

Awards will be announced April-May, 2024, as soon as they are approved by the DVRPC RTC and Board. We hope there will be future funding rounds for this program, but there is never a guarantee. Future rounds are dependent upon TOP project outcomes and the support of DVRPC’s partners.

TOP can fund projects that may have been done before in other service areas, build upon a past or existing project in the current service area, or change or adapt elements of a previous project. However, TOP cannot fund projects that support maintenance or continuation of an existing or past project in the service area.

Yes, the project timeline is July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2026.

For a subsidy to be eligible, but it must be specifically related to the TDM issue the project is trying to address. A SEPTA Key Card would be eligible because it can only be used for transportation expenses. Gas cards can present challenges because in some cases balances can be used towards purchases that are not related to the project goals (ex: convenience store associated with a gas station).

Selected projects for the FY 2023 and FY 2024 TOP funding round were awarded grants in July 2022. A chart that lists each project's name, sponsor(s), budget in federal funds*, and a brief description of the project can be found using this here.

Please note that there were three construction projects selected during this round of applications and approvals, but due to the timing of the process to properly prepare for construction, these projects will be funded during the next round of TOP.

_{*The budgets shown are the federal funds supporting each project; selected non-construction projects required a 20 percent match by the sponsor(s).}

• Pennsylvania Projects
• Philadelphia Safe and Sustainable Return to Work- The Clean Air Council, the City of Philadelphia's OTIS, and Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC) were awarded $128,000 for a project that aims to reduce carbon emissions and congestion in Philadelphia by directly increasing bicycling and carpooling mode share.
• Automated Vehicle Shuttle in South Philadelphia- PIDC was awarded $347,000 for a project that aims to accommodate non-SOV trips within the Navy Yard to reduce conflicts with vehicle traffic, by creating an automated vehicle shuttle service loop that will take passengers throughout the Navy Yard.
• New Jersey Projects
• PATCO Station Complete Streets Demonstration Pilot- The Cross County Connection TMA, PATCO, Camden County, and the Borough of Collingswood were awarded $50,000 for a project that will help educate local residents driving to and living near the Collingswood PATCO station about multimodal alternatives to the station and around the community.
• Light Rail to Trails: Connecting the River Line & the Circuit- The Tri-State Transportation Campaign and New Jersey Transit were awarded $50,000 for a project that aims to encourage mode shifting among current RiverLINE users with first-and-last mile connections, mostly utilizing easy access to the nearby Circuit trail system.