FACT transportation center to be completed by end of August Author: Mark Hofmann Source: Daily Courier Date: July 9, 2010 Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation officials said Thursday the $1.53 million transportation center that is being constructed in the Fayette County Business Park in Uniontown is expected to be completed Aug. 20 with hopes of being operational on Sept. 1. Construction of the single-story 1,072-square-foot facility began in February. Lori Groover-Smith, FACT director, said because of the opening of the new facility, some changes may be made to the FACT bus schedule. The transportation center will strictly be a full-service transfer and park-and-ride facility that will allow riders to purchase tickets, obtain local tourism information, access a waiting area, rest-rooms, vending machines and reception area and office space. The new facility will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The transportation center was needed because of the increase in services from FACT, said Smith.  Smith said the bus scheduled will be changed because FACT buses will be travelling through the transportation center to offer more expedient service. While the schedule changes won't be approved until early August, the changes will include the Uniontown B Bus, which will start an hour early at 8:15 a.m. and will include routes to West Leisenring four times a day and to the Holiday Mobile Home Park.  The Brownsville Express and Republic buses will offer different trip times to the ASI methadone clinic. The Saturday and Sunday routes will remain the same.  The revised bus schedule will be on the FACT website at www.factbus.com. In financial matters, Smith said for fiscal 2010-11, FACT will receive $661,099 in federal funds, $530,537 in state funds and $360,599 in local funds.  This will help support of operation of FACT's seven local fixed routes and its Pittsburgh route. FACT will also receive in its Capital Assistance Fund, $232,970 in federal funding, $8,921 in state funding and $1,788 in local funding. This funding will go to upgrading the facility at the Fayette County Airport and will include new parking spaces to be in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. If there's any money left over in the Capital Assistance Fund, Smith said it will be used for equipment upgrades. FACT has applied for a Community Transportation Grant through PennDOT for $225,000.  If approved, the money would go toward replacing three of the oldest share-ride vehicles.