State Level Coordination, Taxi Study, Rural Meets Google

NCSL has released the latest in its series of state coordination profiles, this one from the great state of Texas. These profiles examine the statutory, regulatory or executive mandates for coordination, initiatives at the state level, funding and grant management, and the progress of coordination and mobility management. The Texas profile highlights statewide and regional efforts, a website clearinghouse, and funding.

NCSL also releases its first 2012 coordination newsletter. The new issue lists pending and recently-passed state legislation requiring coordination or making changes to human services or Medicaid transportation delivery.

Survey - Statewide Coordination

"NCSL is in the midst of a survey of all the states and territories on state coordination and other activities that facilitate access to transportation mobility for veterans. Planned for release in Aug. 2012, the report will feature a state-by-state comparison, three case studies and a synthesis of best practices from across the nation." Contact Jaime Rall at jaime.rall@ncsl.org to participate in the survey.

[Conductor and passenger during a station stop on Amtrak's Vermonter route.]

The Original Guaranteed Ride Home

By way of introduction to a very good study about taxi service, I cannot resist telling about a recent ride of my own. While making my way to a conference in Vermont, taking the Vermonter train to the Burlington area, I was reminded how a taxi driver can give a visit local flavor. My driver was a taxi advocate and local history buff. How many people do you know who can tell romantic and daring tales about the War of 1812? Probably not too many. Nicholas was so engaging that I contacted him for the ride back for my trek home. Stories of Champlain, for whom Lake Champlain is named, filled that trip. Champlain, according to Nicholas, was a visionary, though somewhat naive about tribal relationships. Nicholas left me with a reminder to read the book Taxi from Hell, written by an immigrant taxi driver with his own tales.

Local and State Partnerships with Taxicab Companies is a TCRP report that offers an in-depth analysis of many different types of taxicab/public partnerships, from subsidized services to a taxi-friendly regulatory environment. Covered are human services transportation programs, guaranteed rides home, accessible taxis and much more. Not only does the report cover a broad swath of programs, but it honestly examines the incentives and some disincentives for taxi owners and drivers to participate in publicly-run transportation programs.

If you want models of types of partnerships with taxi operators, how the public/private divide is handled, and incentives and arrangements that work, this is the study to read. This report will take time to sift through, but the time will be worthwhile. Examples from large cities and rural areas alike seemed amenable to adaptation in different types of places. Adequate compensation for participation is crucial for the taxi companies, with paperwork another concern; whereas the public agencies are concerned with protective practices, such as adequate insurance, drug and alcohol testing, and fraud prevention. The wonderful thing about the report are the examples of how these concerns have been negotiated and resolved.

The only fault I find with the report is the small number of respondents, particularly that only eight taxicab companies responded to the survey. Those respondents cited as obstacles to public/private taxi partnerships "insufficient financial incentives, low demand for service, and lack of government interest or participation." Despite the obstacles, which are examined in detail, there are case studies of partnerships that have discovered ways of navigating barriers and have figured out how to adequately compensate companies and drivers, while satisfying the need of public agencies to maintain records, ensure driver safety and guarantee sufficient insurance coverage.

Google Changes Transit Way Beyond the Big Cities

Evolution of Intelligent Transportation Systems for Mobility Management and Coordination Serving California’s Rural Frontier is an honest account of the barriers to coordination via technology for rural frontier communities. Google comes to the rescue in a sense with new possibilities, but systems designed for urban settings, with frequent service and many passengers, are not easily transferable to this very different setting.

Google Inc. added real- time updates through the same trip planning interface. Riders can see if their particular trip plan will be delayed by traffic, breakdowns or weather. In deploying a real-time interface, there are new standards that allow multiple agencies to communicate on behalf of the rider. Another recent feature offers all lodging options up to a span of time on transit, defined by the rider. These data integration features are the future of ITS projects. Riders will demand that innovative companies push technology solutions to meet their needs.

Yes, this report is about technology making mobility management be truly customer focused, but it is also about expectations, patience, and knowledgeable interaction with consultants on complex projects.

[Old railroad car at a Vermont Amtrak station.]

DOT Agencies Create Joint Webinars

Webinar - (SR500) FHWA FTA TPCB Transportation Planning Information Exchange - May 22, 2012. This webinar will be an introduction to the Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program, particularly its web-based resources, peer exchanges and events, manuals, training, and newsletters. The event kicks off a FHWA and FTA webinar series, the Transportation Planning Information Exchange (T-PIE). T-PIE is a web-based forum to connect the transportation planning community with information on training, technical assistance, and technical support for State, local, regional and Tribal governments, transit operators, and community leaders. The webinars will address issues like scenario planning, land-use modeling, livability, environmental quality, operations, and maintenance. The May 22 webinar airs at noon to 2 p.m. Eastern time.

Upcoming Events

National Transit Institute has courses coming up around the country in mobility management, public involvement in transportation planning, environmental reviews, state and metropolitan land use, bus rapid transit, procurement and asset management, and many aspects of technology.

Easter Seals Project ACTIONhas a webinar on May 16, 2012. Best Practices in Premium Paratransit Service will cover ACCESS Transportation Systems in Pittsburgh, Pa., and its successful premium paratransit services.

DOT Requesting Collegiate Assistance

This is a call to action. The Department of Transportation (DOT) is engaging in a dialogue with the public and requesting assistance. Following the recent announcement of its SaferBus app, DOT is asking the nation's students to submit improved apps that give consumers easily accessible, comprehensible, and navigable safety information about intercity bus services. The Secretary himself made the request in a Fastlane blog post. Submissions are due by August 30, 2012.

You All Work Very Hard

I don't even know where to begin with news,events, and resources because the TA Provider Network is such a busy crew that I am starting to feel like keeping up is about as possible as being on the candy assembly line with Lucy and Ethel. They keep on going because you of the importance of their work and the need to provide assistance to states, communities, regions, human services agencies, and transit and transportation providers, among others.

I therefore sincerely apologize for the long blog post. These are are all indicative and good examples of the work technical assistance staff produce and how they can assist clients with the resources of TA peers.

[Part of the already-realized multi-modal Denver Union Station project. Exciting at day's end to see all of the commuters and ongoing construction. Thank you to MTAP for the tour.]

New Dialogue and Mobility Management

National Center on Senior Transportation
Online dialogue - Nov. 28 to Dec. 16, 2011 - Intended for individuals and organizations from the aging network and transportation industry. "The dialogue will give the aging network, older adults, advocates, volunteers, policy makers, public and private transportation providers, federal, state, and local transportation agencies, human services agencies, and municipal planning organizations the chance to submit, comment on, and rate ideas related to planning for senior-friendly transportation services." NCST is a technical assistance center administered by Easter Seals Inc., in partnership with the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.

NCST also has grant money available for mobility management. It is soliciting proposals for senior transportation projects that demonstrate innovative and effective solutions to enhance the mobility of older adults. Funding may be used to create comprehensive mobility management systems, increase mobility in urban and rural areas, and improve public transit access for older persons. The grants will be $50,000 or less. The NCST anticipates making a total of eight awards. These are the categories:
1. Peer-Mobility Management and Employment
2. Mobility Management in Rural/Frontier Areas
3. Mobility Management Integration within Current Practices
4. Mobility Management Applied to the Family of Senior Transportation Options

All proposals must be submitted by December 23, 2011.

[Chicago's Union Station.]

RTAP Events and New Resource

National Rural Transit Assistance Program
Webinar - Resource Library Overview and Tools - Dec. 5, 2011. The webinar will provide overview of the latest National RTAP web app, the Resource Library. Through National RTAP in the Cloud, this web app can be installed on any transit agency's website and may be used to upload, share and manage resources. You will also learn how you can install the Resource Library web app on your website and use it to upload, share and manage resources. Features of the web app will help you manage, track and report on resources using an easy-to-use web interface.

Conference - Creating Partnerships for Rural Transit Solutions - March 18-21, 2012, Scottsdale, Ariz. The conference will provide technical assistance with RTAP products on four tracks: Tribal, Transit Management, Transit Operations, and RTAP/5311 Program Management.

RTAP releases a new brief, Livable Communities: Tips for Designing Transit Services and Infrastructure that Promote Livability, which explains in simple terms what livability is and what the relationship to and benefits for rural transit are. The brief links to technical assistance resources and federal government information.

What Are the Procurement Rules?

Federal Transit Administration [www.fta.dot.gov]
The FTA has a new page on its site, Third Party Procurement FAQs, which answers questions about a few dozen topics about what procurement rules apply and when. Plus, the sleek look of the FTA site is worth a visit if you have not gone there in a while.

[Galesburg, Ill. train station platform.]

State Coordinating Council Profiles

National Conference of State Legislatures
NCSL has added to its State Human Service Transportation Coordinating Councils: State Profiles. These are in-depth examinations, approximately five to 10 pages, of how the state coordinating councils were created, their goals and evolution, how their objectives are being addressed across the state, and funding details. So far, NCSL's library includes five states.

NCSL also releases a livability brief. Though titled Recent State Livability Initiatives in Minnesota: An Analysis, the brief very much explains the integrated components that comprise livability and the type of projects that fall under its umbrella.

Wayfinding

Easter Seals Project ACTION
ESPA releases a brief about technology to assist people who are visually impaired. Improving Transit Facility Accessibility by Employing Wayfinding Technology discusses tactile maps, detectable warnings, talking signs, smartphone apps and other assistive technology that enables a visually impaired person to navigate streets and transit on his or her own.

Information & Referral Training

National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities
Online training - Basic Training for Aging I&R/A Professionals - This training will give an overview of the broad array of health, social, and long-term services and supports for seniors and individuals with disabilities; tools and strategies to provide culturally appropriate services; and the fundamental phases of the I&R/A process with a focus on learning how to support the decision making of seniors, individuals with disabilities, and their caregivers.

[Photo taken in California from the Coast Starlight train. I was mesmerized by the landscape.]

Local Story

The transit authority in Wichita, KS, is serving a reduced ridership following a 50-cent fare increase. The authority, in response, is soliciting feedback via an

interactive website to learn more about the public’s needs. The virtual town hall seeks community input about public services. The site provides a convenient way for residents to share ideas, offer opinions and make recommendations on a broad variety of Transit subjects including routes, services and possible expansion plans.

The fare increase was due to a budget shortfall.

Webinars and Events

Partnership for Mobility Management  

Community Transportation Association of America

Performing For Individual, Organizational and Collective Impact - webinar - Sept. 14, 2011 at 2 p.m. Eastern time. The Partnership for Mobility Management and CTAA jointly present this webinar to explore the fundamentals of performance measurement. The webinar will cover results-based accountability to support quality of life, and mobility management measures that gauge success of programs and outcomes for customers. 

National Consortium on the Coordination of Human Services Transportation  

Creative Solutions to Reduced Funding for Public and Human Services Transportation - webinar - Sept. 20, 2011 at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Webinar speakers are representatives of communities that have taken different approaches to solving or alleviating the problem of cutbacks as well as a panel representing national organizations.  

Department of Transportation  

Digital Transportation Exchange (DTE) - Stakeholder meeting in-person or via webcast or phone - Sept. 16, 2011 at 9 a.m. Eastern time. DTE is being created by DOT as an online platform for transportation solutions. The stakeholder meeting is taking place during the platform's formation to give DOT feedback from stakeholder groups and subject matter experts. Respond by tomorrow, September 2, by email to open@dot.gov and indicate how you intend to participate. Thank you to Easter Seals Project ACTION for this news. 

[Angel's Flight railway in downtown Los Angeles.]

Federal Transit Administration 

Office of Civil Rights Workshop - Sept. 22-23, 2011, Berkeley, CA. FTA Staff will be available to review DBE Goals and Title VI & Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Programs. There will also be trainings covering Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program requirements, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations, Title VI Requirements for FTA recipients, and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) rules. (This workshop will be hosted in conjunction with the California Association of Coordinated Transportation (CalACT) Autumn Conference. It is not required to attend the CalACT Autumn Conference in order to attend the FTA Office of Civil Rights workshop.)  

National Transit Institute 

NTI has upcoming webinars and classes around the country on many topics, including the National Transit Database, reporting to the rural transit database, mobility management, funding for transit maintenance, and small systems waivers. 

Transportation Technical Assistance Resources: Seniors

Community Transportation Association of America
CTAA has a senior mobility page with resources about issues that are important to, elders.
* Volunteer driver programs as an in-kind match;
* Maintaining quality transportation in economically difficult times;
* The cost of living at home and using transit versus relocating to an assisted living facility; and
* How long-term care and independent living residents can benefit from community transportation services.

The last resource has information about technical assistance that CTAA and the National Center on Senior Transportation provide. NCST is a technical assistance center administered by Easter Seals Inc., in partnership with the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.

National Center on Senior Transportation
Many of the resources that NCST is currently featuring have been covered recently here and in the Express Stop. These include reports and events concerning taxis, Indian country, and, noted above, the resource about transportation aspects of the decision about whether to relocate in old age.

NCST has also posted links to:
* Maturing of America Survey by N4A;
* Aging in Place report by Transportation for America; and;
* Toolkit for One-Call/One-Click Transportation Services and related resources produced by CTAA.

Aug. 3 NCST webinar: Ride or Relocate? Transportation and Housing Options for Senior Adults - Speakers will address results from a study in North Dakota that quantified the cost of living at home and riding transit versus relocating to an assisted living facility and will provide strategies for reaching out to older adults living at home.

Community Transportation Association of America
CTAA's Joblinks program has an older worker page with issue briefs that describe the needs of older workers and suggested solutions.

[My aunt walked up the subway steps by this mosaic in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, during her years commuting, which continued until she was 87.]

Connectivity

Department of Transportation
Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced 22 high-speed rail projects and inter-city station improvements. The largest investment will be made along the Northeast Corridor, but there are substantial projects in the Midwest and on the West Coast. DOT published a press release with amounts listed by project.

Taxi Possibilities for Senior Citizens

National Center on Senior Transportation
NCST issued Taxis for Senior Transportation, a 16-page publication discussing the opportunities for improving taxi service for those over 65 years old. Topics covered include attitudes of drivers and older people about each other, different models for subsidized service and the taxi advantage of flexible operations. For example, in some places, family, friends or non-profits can purchase a ticket book that enables a person to particular service. A rural program is described as allowing for flexible booking of a ride along a particular route - akin to a deviated route, but operated by a taxi company. Accessible cabs are discussed in detail.

Several factors hamper efforts to improve accessible taxi services. Accessible taxis are more expensive to purchase and operate when compared to sedans, and it may take additional time to serve a customer using a wheelchair. Higher vehicle costs and lower productivity may serve as a disincentive to drivers whose incomes are based on passenger fares.

NCST is a technical assistance center administered by Easter Seals Inc., in partnership with the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Hal Morgan of the Taxi, Limousine, and Paratransit Association contributed to the publication.

ITS Webinar

Department of Transportation
DOT is hosting Public Transit Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Implementations – Lessons Learned, a webinar to be held on June 2, 2011, about the institutional coordination, procurement, implementation, and operation of Transit ITS for fixed route and paratransit systems. There will also be discussion of suggested methods to avoid lengthy technology deployments.

Local Story

Mountain Line Transit in Missoula, MT., added free Wi-Fi to its service. On the inaugural day, riders checked emails and facebook on the bus.

New Tools, Instruction from Our TA Partners

Mobility Management Conference - June 6-7, 2011 in Indianapolis. This conference will have plenary sessions devoted to a variety of types of partnerships and partnering objectives, including financial stability, sustainable communities and mobility for transportation-challenged populations. Breakout sessions will address specific topics, such as one-call/one-click services, statewide perspectives, and employment transportation, among others.

National Transit Institute
NTI recently sent out word of two online classes that look interesting: Attracting Senior Drivers to Public Transportation and Managing Increasing Ridership Demand, which is based on a study of South American transit systems. Please note that even though these are online instructions, there are limited attendance slots and these classes fill up.

National RTAP
RTAP releases Procurement Pro, an online procurement project management tool. There is an introductory video that is very user friendly, which, in my case, means simple and clear. There is also an explanatory webinar and a print document, which, like the video, goes step by step and explains the way Procurement Pro works. Procurement Pro requires that the user, presumably a rural transportation provider or transit agency, establish an account.

According to the site, the application is intended to provide:

the steps needed to determine the Federal clauses and certifications that must be included in procurement documents for a Federally funded project. In return you will receive a document that includes all required Federal clauses and certifications and other supporting documentation, such as checklists and templates, to help you manage the procurement process.

RTAP will be hosting a Website Builder webinar to provide education about its new Cloud web application. The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, April 28, 2011. It will cover using the application to build a transit system presence on the Internet that will be easy to manage. The Website Builder application enables transit systems to post routes, schedules and fare information. The application is a new, free, online tool. More information about Website Builder is available at http://www.nationalrtap.org/WebApps/WebsiteBuilder.aspx.

One-Call Toolikit Debuts, Local Stories and More

The Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) debuts the One-Call - One-Click Toolkit, which gives communities a map, as it were, of the steps to take in starting a one-call or one-click service for transportation that will either add on to an existing service, such as a 211 or Aging and Disability Resource Center, or will be an entirely new community resource. Topics such as functions to consider, the importance of partnerships and leadership, and what successful approaches already exist are explored in guided chapters, fact sheets, case studies and advice from experts.

The Disability Law Handbook, updated for 2011, is released. There is a chapter about transportation that discusses the obligations of transit and other providers as well as an explanation about paratransit. The handbook is written for the lay person.

Public Participation

SeeClickFix is launching a new Facebook application that will make public participation easier and, I suspect, more effective. Facebook users will be able to report on community issues, from pothole problems to transit initiatives, through their Facebook accounts. True, not everyone is totally wired and not everyone uses Facebook, but the expansion of apps, smart phones and Internet tools are heading toward becoming universal. These tools, generally developed for urban environments, are potentially more useful in rural areas without good transit and other means to attend public participation meetings long distances from where people live and work - especially for people who do not get out of their homes easily. SeeClickFix, reportedly mindful of its place as a convener and enabler of recent Mideast revolutionary activity, views this new application as an opportunity to increase community involvement. More details about the new application and how it is being used are available in a post from the CityFix blog.

[Editor's Note: This post was revised due to the incorrect identification of the launching company as Facebook instead of SeeClickFix. The fact that I could not get through Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is readily apparent. Readers kindly pointed out my error. Thank you. I hope I have gotten this right.]

Local Stories of Tough Times for Transit

Trumbull County, Ohio, offers a case study in how a community is handling the fiscal demands of running a transit system and human services transportation. The linked article discusses funding sources and county control to save local dollars. Trumball County is in Northeastern Ohio.

Minnesota's Senate voted to cut funding for transit, particularly passenger rail between the Twin Cities and Duluth, but resisted a bid to eliminate funding entirely for the state's passenger rail office. In a statement that speaks for the benefits of coordination and partnerships, Duluth Senator Roger Reinert urged his counterparts, "Let's keep the coordination of these transit places in place so we're not back to this position of just taking them piecemeal as they come. But we're doing one plan that's good for Minnesota."

Events

National Transit Institute
NTi has upcoming classes in metropolitan planning, statewide planning, transit-oriented development, ADA eligibility, and attracting senior drivers to public transportation. More information is available at http://www.ntionline.com/Courses.asp.

Ambassadors

February's ambassador blogs hold a treasure trove of information about developments across the country. Here are some highlights; visit the NRC website for these informative monthly updates.

Beverly Ward - Region I Ambassador blog
Bev brings news of New Hampshire's regional efforts to create transportation options and to expand and improve opportunities for public involvement in transportation planning.

Barb Singleton - Region X Ambassador blog
Barb writes about statewide coordination in Alaska, specifically the Coordinated Transportation Task Force, its responsibilities and consensus on recommendations for state-level coordination.

James McLary - Region II Ambassador blog
James shares his knowledge about Medicaid and its related transportation program, the difficulty of coordinating that transportation with other transportation services, and an example that demonstrates that coordination is possible.

Margi Ness - Region VII Ambassador blog
Margi announces a Nebraska coordination success story and how federal officials are noticing local livability and coordination efforts. At the other end of the spectrum, Margi discusses the start of a senior transportation coordination effort in Shawnee County.

Events

National Transit Institute (NTI)
NTI has upcoming classes on rural transportation technology. Please note that NTI classes fill up. Courses on mobility management and ADA paratransit eligibility are full well in advance.

Association for Travel Instruction (ATI)
ATI's annual conference - Aug, 12-14, 2011 in Philadelphia. ATI is calling for presentation proposals, including such topics as marketing travel instruction programs, travel training at community colleges, ADA paratransit certification, travel instruction for senior citizens, discussing travel instruction with parents, caretakers, educators, and job coaches, developing and maintaining program partnerships, and funding.