New Funding Formula, Service Updates Ahead for CamTran

Changes could be on the horizon for CamTran as Cambria County officials work to update how municipalities contribute to bus service and meet the local funding requirements tied to state transit support.

County commissioners and the Cambria County Planning Commission say ongoing discussions about municipal contributions have sparked closer collaboration between local government, the planning commission, and CamTran leadership.

At the center of the issue is the state-mandated local match — a required annual contribution from Cambria County that allows access to state transit funding. While municipalities help cover that cost, officials say concerns have grown over how contributions are calculated, with some communities questioning disparities in what they are asked to pay.

Planning Commission Executive Director Mark Lazzari said the current formula used to determine those payments is outdated. The county has brought in a third-party transit consultant to evaluate the system and recommend a more equitable approach for distributing the local share.

Commission President Scott Hunt emphasized that the local match requirement itself will remain in place, as it is necessary to secure state funding. However, he said officials are exploring possible changes at the state level while focusing locally on how costs are divided among municipalities.

Lazzari said the goal is to implement a new funding method by the next fiscal year, rather than delaying changes for several years.

Commissioner Keith Rager noted that the existing formula has been in place for more than four decades and has not been significantly updated during that time. He said the lack of revision has raised concerns about whether the system fairly benefits all communities in the county.

In addition to funding changes, officials are also looking at ways to improve efficiency across the transit system, including potential adjustments to bus routes to better serve riders throughout Cambria County.