National Academies Press: OpenBook
« Previous: General Overview
Page 5
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 5
Page 6
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 6
Page 7
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 7
Page 8
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 8
Page 9
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 9
Page 10
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 10
Page 11
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 11
Page 12
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 12
Page 13
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 13
Page 14
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 14
Page 15
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 15
Page 16
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 16
Page 17
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 17
Page 18
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 18
Page 19
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 19
Page 20
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 20
Page 21
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 21
Page 22
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 22
Page 23
Suggested Citation:"Case Studies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13722.
×
Page 23

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

ADVANCE TRANSIT WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VERMONT CASE STUDIES 5 one-way trips (a 75% increase in ridership in 4 years). The system is funded by a com- bination of federal grants (from Vermont and New Hampshire), Vermont state funding, and sig- nificant contributions from lo- cal municipalities (tied to ser- vice levels), the college, and DHMC. How Is AT Different? AT is very focused on its mis- sion, while taking a conserva- tive business approach to build- ing transit. The focus is on funding for fixed-route ser- vices. AT prefers to operate what it knows how to operate and therefore focuses on fixed routes. For example, AT is seen as an excellent way to mitigate traffic and parking problems. The town of Hanover chose to fund additional shuttle service rather than build a parking ga- rage downtown. AT is now ex- panding a route, timed to re- duce congestion due to a road construction project. AT is seen as a serious option to reduce traffic, and it has been success- ful in those efforts. AT does not operate any para- transit, preferring to leave that service to other agencies. Since ABOUT AT AT is a nonprofit rural transit system serving communities in New Hampshire and Vermont. The system operates six regular fixed routes and four shuttle services, as well as ridesharing services for the Upper Connecti- cut River Valley. All routes are operated on weekdays only, and the general span of service is from about 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The core routes form a triangle with transfer points in Hanover, Lebanon, and West Lebanon, New Hampshire (also serving White River Junction). Of the shuttle services offered, two are in Hanover and two are at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) on 5-10 minute headways. The shuttle services are highly patronized. AT’s board consists of 14 mem- bers representing towns and planning commissions as well as major employers. Many of the board members have been with the system from the start and have significant levels of expertise that benefit the sys- tem. They have a lot of pride in the system, and there is a high level of trust between the board and management. AT has been in existence since 1984, first primarily as a human service transportation program, and now as a fixed-route public system. AT has experienced tremendous growth over the past 4 years as the shuttle ser- vice has increased. In 2002, there were more than 500,000

ADVANCE TRANSIT WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VERMONT CASE STUDIES 6 AT is a nonprofit corporation, it is exempt from operating Ameri- cans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit to comple- ment its fixed-route services. Management states that a num- ber of agencies provide paratran- sit service to meet the needs of the community. All of AT’s ve- hicles are accessible for persons with disabilities. AT is very careful about seeking out the types of opportunities that will match its mission. First and foremost, management be- lieves that any service that AT takes on should pay for itself. This guiding principle ensures that AT remains financially vi- able. The Progression from the Previous Role AT started out in 1984 as a non- profit transit service for human service agencies. The service was minimal, and the focus was virtually all on human service needs. In 1987, the system, short on funds, hired the current ex- ecutive director, who slowly made changes to all aspects of the organization. The first change was to become involved in the business community and to gain acceptance among com- munity leaders. He began devel- oping a relationship with the Chamber of Commerce, local transit management associations, each of the seven towns, and Vermont’s Transportation Advi- sory Committee (TAC). The ex- ecutive director is currently the chair of the TAC, as well. The first niche that AT identified was the need for shuttle service throughout the college and in the adjacent downtown Hanover. As DHMC was moving to the out- skirts of town, AT entered into negotiations with the medical center to provide a shuttle ser- vice. Shortly after that, AT en- tered into discussions with the town of Hanover and the col- lege. The issue was traffic con- gestion that AT could mitigate. Shuttle service has become a big success, and most of the funding comes from the col- lege, DHMC, and the town of Hanover. The entire system is now fare free (also supported by the college, DHMC, and Hanover), which has also stimulated ridership. DHMC requires all of its employees to park at a remote site and take an AT shuttle that operates on 5- minute headways during peak hours. The results of these efforts have brought in considerable cash for the system, which increases the flexibility of the system to lev- erage federal operating and capital dollars, often a problem for rural transit systems. The cash does not have restrictions on how it can be used, adding to the flexibility of these contri- butions. The next step was to identify capital funding so the system could keep up with its facility and vehicle needs. Management worked a number of years to secure funding for a facility, and in 1995 the facility was built in Vermont, giving AT the space it needed to keep up with the increasing demand for ser- vice. Demand is continuing, and 8 years later, AT finds it necessary to seek funds for ex- panding the facility as the sys- tem expands (8 new 35-foot, heavy-duty transit coaches are currently on order for expan- sion). Why Has AT Changed? In 1987, AT started on its cur- rent path from “hand to mouth” low-ridership paratransit ser- vice to fixed-route public trans- portation with much higher rid- ership. The current executive director initiated this change when he started with the system in 1987. The system coupled the need to change in order to be effective and make a differ- ence in the community with other opportunities that began to present themselves. AT began to address some of the significant public transit needs in • The Hanover/Lebanon area, a community with a sizeable population, a downtown, and a shopping district;

ADVANCE TRANSIT WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VERMONT CASE STUDIES 7 • The college/downtown area that is often congested and in need of shuttle service; and • A large regional medical cen- ter that was near the down- town area, but has since moved about 3 miles away. These needs had not been ad- dressed previously and were identified as opportunities for the system. Over a period of years, management worked with the community to become part of the solution to traffic conges- tion and parking problems. This ultimately led to implementation and expansion over the next 10 years. The community’s needs and the AT solution were a per- fect match. Change was a natu- ral outgrowth of the needs and the opportunities. ADAPTING TO NEW PARADIGMS AT has embraced a number of the new paradigms in its quest to maintain its relevance and effec- tiveness. Their successes in gen- erating nongovernmental fund- ing, expanding service, and making a difference in the com- munity is in large part due to sound business practice and us- ing the new paradigms. The new paradigms include the following. Serving as Community Agents of Change AT is very active in the commu- nity, which is essential to be- coming an agent of change. Over the years, AT has worked hard to ensure success and to become a part of the solution. Once that occurred, AT became a true agent of change, working closely with business, political, and community leaders. AT’s credibility is such that the com- munity leaders turn to AT for solutions to congestion and parking problems. This respect and excellent working relation- ship allows AT to propose and implement new solutions to commuter, congestion, and parking issues in the Upper Connecticut River Valley area. Providing Effective Service AT has found a valuable niche in providing a high-visibility shuttle service that enjoys very high ridership. The service pro- vided by the blue and white buses is well recognized by po- litical, community, and business leaders. The vehicles look good, and the operators are pro- fessional. Persons of every in- come level use the service. The high-quality and very ef- fective services provided by AT bring AT the respect and trust necessary to be able to change as needed. TCRP Report 70 in- dicates that respect and trust are essential elements in being able to make change happen. Acting as Entrepreneurs While AT is always looking for new opportunities, AT manage- ment takes a very cautious busi- nesslike approach to providing service. It will not take on ser- vice unless it is fully compen- sated and the funding is guaran- teed. Management carefully analyzes opportunities and funding to ensure that the plan is viable. AT does not grow for growth’s sake; rather, it takes a measured and patient approach to growth. Maintaining Multiple Functions and Fiscal Diversity AT has a wide variety of ser- vices and funding sources in which to maintain a viable sys- tem. Services include rural pub- lic transit in two states, as well as a series of shuttles funded by Dartmouth College, DHMC, and the town of Hanover. In addition, AT uses job access funding for some of its com- muter service. All services fo- cus on commuters and mitigat- ing congestion and parking problems. AT receives federal rural transit funding from two states, local governmental funding, Conges- tion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) and Job Access fund- ing, and funding from a medical center and a college. In addi- tion, AT applies directly to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan program for low- interest loans to assist with the local match requirement for capital equipment. The diver- sity of funding and loans helps to keep AT financially stable even if funding is reduced in some programs. The USDA loan program has helped finance the local share of capital projects. AT currently goes directly to the USDA for low-interest loans. These loans allow the system to leverage money and spread the payments out over time, rather than attempt to come up with cash all at one time—“smoothing out the bumps”—as explained by the executive director. This has dramatically improved the capital planning process and allows AT to purchase new heavy-duty transit coaches for

ADVANCE TRANSIT WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VERMONT CASE STUDIES 8 the first time. These transit- quality buses are ultimately less expensive to operate. AT has been moving to a fare- free concept for a number of years. At first, the Hanover por- tion of the fare-free zone was underwritten by the town of Hanover, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth Medical School, and DHMC, while the Lebanon por- tion was underwritten by the city of Lebanon and DHMC. Then, using a CMAQ grant from the Vermont Agency of Transporta- tion, all trips that started in Ver- mont were free and Vermont to New Hampshire riders could obtain a token from the driver for a free return ride. This fare- free service also boosted rider- ship. AT’s service is now totally fare free. How Did Change Happen? AT is well adapted to change. The board, management, and staff all expect change on a regular basis. Management moves cautiously, but inevitably toward change in order to meet the demands of the community. AT is looked at to see how it adapts to change according to the following elements of change identified in TCRP Re- port 70: • Quality Service—AT’s buses look good, are clean, and are very often filled with riders. Quality breeds respect, and AT has both, making change that much easier. • Focus on the Mission—AT stays focused on its mission of fixed-route public transporta- tion. It provides only this type of service, focusing on com- muter-oriented service, reliev- ing congestion, and mitigat- ing parking problems. • Dynamic Leadership—The executive director of this nonprofit agency plays a leadership role in the Upper Connecticut River Valley and works closely with other community leaders. He has excellent presentation skills and is always seeking new opportunities. • Organizational Support— The board is very supportive and works well with manage- ment. Their expertise is relied on; however, they are careful not to micromanage. • Community Involvement and Communication—As described in detail, AT man- agement and board are very involved in the community in many ways, including spon- soring the Zamboni at college hockey games. • Staff Development and Motivation—Many of the staff have long tenure with the organization. It is clear from talking to staff that there is a lot of pride in the organi- zation. • Building Resources—AT specializes in building re- sources and generating local cash from a variety of sources. • Seizing the Opportunity and Serendipity—AT al- ways looks for opportunities to address commuter needs, as well as mitigate traffic and parking problems. What Is the Result? The result of AT’s efforts is a financially viable transit system that makes a significant impact on the quality of life in the Up- per Connecticut River Valley. AT partners with towns, a col- lege, a medical center, and other such entities to provide a variety of well-patronized fixed routes and shuttle services. While AT only addresses needs associated with fixed-route types of service, it is very effec- tive in what it does. The system meets many of the needs of the community and continues to look for opportunities for ex- pansion. However, it will con- tinue to accept only those pro- jects that pay for themselves. AT has the full respect and trust of the board, staff, and manage-

ADVANCE TRANSIT WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VERMONT CASE STUDIES 9 ment, as well as the political, business, and civic leaders of the community. AT makes a differ- ence to many people in its ser- vice area. Future Efforts Future efforts include a meas- ured approach toward growth in fixed-route service, possibly serving parts of Vermont for commuters and medical appoint- ments at the medical center. AT is receiving new 35-foot, heavy- duty transit coaches to imple- ment in some of its highly pa- tronized shuttles. AT allows for expansion of that service. Man- agement is also pursuing fund- ing for a facility expansion. AT is planning an expansion of its shopping plaza route using CMAQ funds; headways will be cut from 1 hour to 30 minutes. This expansion is timed to ad- dress construction on that route, attempting to help mitigate traf- fic congestion. AT already has an excellent track record in traf- fic mitigation. AT plans to stay involved in the community and to work with the leadership to continue improving the lives of the residents of the service area. The focus will re- main on the new paradigms. CONTACT INFORMATION Advance Transit P.O. Box 1027 Wilder, VT 05088 Van Chesnut, Executive Director (802) 295-1824 Email: vchesnut@sover.net

11 COAST COLFAX, WASHINGTON CASE STUDIES stresses the importance of the paradigm—building community resources—with a philosophy that it does not matter which agency operates the service, as long as there is a safe effective service for persons in need. Consequently, COAST is in- volved in a number of non- traditional, innovative efforts. Within COAST’s 9-county ser- vice area, 24 communities are served at least 1 day each month, with service into 1 of the 4 small cities and to Spo- kane on a regular schedule. Ad- vance reservations are usually required. In addition, 5-day-per- week, demand-response service is available in one of the small cities—Moscow—where COAST also operates a general public service. COAST spon- sors an extensive volunteer transportation program and serves as a broker for a variety of services, including Medicaid trips. Through its directly oper- ated, contracted, and volunteer service, COAST provided 90,000 one-way trips in 2002, covering 1,000,000 miles. Core Values and Mission One of the factors that drive innovation at COAST is the parent agency’s deeply held core values and goals that have been accepted by the board, management, staff, and con- stituents. COAST, as part of CoA&HS, has a strong mission statement and goals that guide the system. The agency motto is “Enhancing Lives and Strength- ening Communities.” Most of the work done by COAST is geared to building community resources rather than simply ABOUT COAST COAST is a part of the Council on Aging and Human Services (CoA&HS) based in Colfax, Washington, about 60 miles south of Spokane. CoA&HS was formed in 1976 as a not-for- profit corporation, to provide services to persons over age 60. It has expanded its goals twice since its inception to serve other groups of people with needs. CoA&HS provides a wide range of services, including nutrition programs, information and refer- ral services, commodity food distribution, home care, advo- cacy, and transportation. CoA&HS’s transportation pro- gram, known as COAST, serves four counties in Washington state, including CoA&HS’s home county of Whitman, and five counties of Idaho. The very large service area includes four small cities—Lewiston, Clark- ston, Pullman, and Moscow— each the location of a grant uni- versity. COAST receives a vari- ety of funding, including Fed- eral Transit Administration (FTA) funds (Sections 5310 and 5311 and JARC) distrib- uted through the two states. Other major funding sources include Medicaid and the Older Americans Act. Local funding is also available to COAST. COAST provides transit ser- vices for the general public and human service agencies in its two-state service area. In fact, one of the innovative features of COAST is the variety of transit services it provides, only some of which are directly op- erated with the agency’s own 14-vehicle fleet. Some of the service is provided by other lo- cal agencies using COAST ve- hicles, and some is provided through contracts with private and public providers. COAST

COAST COLFAX, WASHINGTON CASE STUDIES 12 providing transit directly. In many cases, innovation centers on COAST, which is finding new ways to build these commu- nity resources. CoA&HS’s motto is included on most of its literature, in reports, and in the office for all staff and visitors to see. In addition to the parent agency’s mission state- ment and goals, there are goals for COAST as well. Staff is well aware of these goals and values, which guide them as well as management and the board. The agency’s core values and mis- sion are clearly understood by all in the organization. The goals and objectives are reviewed an- nually by the board and used as a basis for the board’s evaluation of the executive director. How Is COAST Different? Out of necessity, COAST has a very unconventional approach toward transportation. The agency’s executive director be- lieves that mobility is the foun- dation for participation in a free society. He states that For COAST, it is not a ques- tion of whether or not we will choose to provide service. The question is whether or not we have the will to find a way to provide the service. Working at COAST is not about saying no. Instead, it is about finding a way after we have already said yes. This philosophy means that COAST undertakes a number of different, often innovative ser- vices. Some of these have been difficult to implement, and other transit agencies would likely balk at doing some of the ser- vices. But COAST believes that mobility is too important, and this philosophy pervades much of what COAST does. COAST is a most unusual rural transit system, eschewing the standard operating mode of pro- viding service directly. In some cases, it operates service di- rectly. In some cases, it con- tracts with other entities, such as the postal bus. In a particu- larly innovative arrangement that is a major part of the para- digm—building resources— COAST has agreements with human service agencies where it turns over its used vehicles to these entities, places these vehi- cles on COAST’s insurance pool, and trains the drivers. These agencies in turn support and provide local funds for COAST’s Section 5310 appli- cations for new vehicles. Man- agement has designed these unique arrangements to stretch resources. COAST is part of a multi- function agency and is very closely in tune with community needs because of the activities of its other departments. COAST has a decidedly altruis- tic mission statement, where service is first and worrying about paying for it is second. This model has worked suc- cessfully for many years in this unique environment. The Progression from the Previous Role Like many of the older rural systems, COAST was formed to primarily serve seniors and per- sons with disabilities in support of the agency’s other programs. Over the years, COAST saw the wisdom of expanding and coor- dinating its services and then entering the general public field. Most of its change has been evolutionary. The area has experienced slow growth, so

13 COAST COLFAX, WASHINGTON CASE STUDIES there is little need to make major changes based on demographics. Management and staff continue to make changes to meet the needs of the residents of the ser- vice area. New opportunities exist with COAST’s community van pro- gram, which has just recently begun. In this program, a spon- sor (a town, the 4H club, a rural hospital district, or a Chamber of Commerce, for example) will be given a van to operate for its use. The sponsor supplies the volunteer drivers who must be fully screened and trained by COAST. A local operating com- mittee is formed to determine how the vehicle is used, and the riders pay for operating ex- penses. Typical uses are for sports outings, senior shopping, medical transportation (the vehi- cles can also be used for COAST’s Medicaid program), 4H club outings, and a variety of other programs. COAST moni- tors the vehicle’s use and may assign it to another organization when the vehicle is not being otherwise used. Why Has COAST Changed? For COAST, change is routine and has been for many years. Certainly, COAST adapts as the needs change, but it also changes to provide better service as new ideas are recognized and implemented. COAST recog- nizes its very limited resources and the energy necessary to seek funding from and adhere to the regulations of two states. It is constantly changing as opportu- nities arise. ADAPTING TO NEW PARADIGMS With its unique approach to- ward the provision of transit service, COAST has adapted well to many of the paradigms and has pursued opportunities that the paradigms present. The focus for COAST is on the fol- lowing. Serving as Community Agents of Change The board, management, and staff are all active in the com- munity. The board encourages such involvement by COAST management and staff. The ex- ecutive director is involved with various community activi- ties, believing that one of the best ways to gauge the needs of the community is to be involved in it. All of the senior manage- ment staff serve in elected posi- tions on local, regional, and state boards and commissions. This gives the system a sense of the issues the community is ad- dressing. Since this agency is multi-purpose, it is looking for needs and opportunities in a number of areas, not just trans- portation. The organization is proactive in the community. The board is especially active and guides change in many instances. The organization is recognized and respected by community lead- ers, and the board and the ex- ecutive director are considered community leaders. Optimizing Rural Resources Building resources in the com- munity is one of COAST's guiding principles. COAST has some very innovative approaches to building local resources. Most unique is that COAST provides service di- rectly with only 14 vehicles, but is responsible in some manner for the operation of another 26 in its service area (for a total of 40 vehicles). This is an illustra- tion of its philosophy of build- ing transportation resources in the community. This resource- building effort began with COAST’s involvement with the Washington state Medicaid bro- kerage program, with require- ments that a broker find and/or develop resources that can pro- vide transportation as part of the brokerage. COAST has been operating a Medicaid bro- kerage in its Washington state service area for 17 years. COAST is able to increase its vehicle fleet through innovative approaches to building re- sources. COAST provides well- maintained used vehicles to smaller agencies in its region, with the agencies providing the 20% match to COAST to obtain new vehicles through the fed- eral Section 5310 program. COAST also builds resources through its insurance pool and driver training program for the smaller agencies in the region (see TCRP Report 70). COAST management also worked closely with one for- profit company for over 5 years, through the development of an innovative postal bus ser- vice, where the private provider carried passengers in addition to the packages and mail that were transported under contract to the U.S. Postal Service on a rural intercity route. COAST saw an opportunity to use the private provider’s vehicles to

COAST COLFAX, WASHINGTON CASE STUDIES 14 also provide passenger transpor- tation and realized this would be a more cost-effective strategy than trying to provide the service itself. COAST also made its driver training available to this private provider. Maintaining Multiple Functions and Fiscal Diversity COAST maintains a wide vari- ety of functions: procuring and dispensing vehicles, contracting for service, operating service directly, training drivers, provid- ing insurance for other agencies, and providing a wide range of transportation services in two states. COAST management be- lieves that this diversity of ac- tivities ensures that more needs are met. COAST, by its nature, has diver- sified funding in that it serves two states and receives federal Section 5311 and 5310 funding from those two states as well as state funding from Washington. COAST also takes advantage of human service funding, receiv- ing Title III Older Americans Act funds. Local human service agencies assist by supplying matching funds for new vehi- cles. Again, this diversity en- sures that the system can sur- vive in difficult economic times because it will not have to rely solely on one or two funding sources. How Did Change Happen? As with the other case studies, COAST has adapted to change. From the board, to manage- ment, to staff, change is ex- pected and anticipated. This system was highlighted in TCRP Report 70, and further details can be found there. A summary of the elements of innovation demonstrates how change is able to happen: • Quality Service—Because of the type of services pro- vided, customers may not even know that the service is provided or supported by COAST. Therefore, the quality may not always be evident. However, with COAST’s emphasis on safety and training, quality is ingrained in the system. • Focus on the Mission— COAST’s board, manage- ment, and staff have a very strong identification with COAST’s mission. The executive director uses the mission statement to guide all of COAST’s actions. The agency’s mission is embedded in the agency’s culture. • Dynamic Leadership— The current executive di- rector is a dynamic, risk- taking manager with a fo- cus on the agency’s mis- sion and core values. He believes that innovation and change are 90% per- sistence and dismisses the standard barriers to change and innovation. COAST’s executive director has been with the organization for 18 years and is very active in the communities served. • Organizational Support—COAST’s board strongly supports the agency’s mission and trusts the executive director to carry out that mission. The director describes his board as having vision and tenac- ity. A number of the board members are community activists, and one is the chair of a United Nations commission on children. Many of the members serve on other local boards and committees, spreading COAST’s vision through- out the community. • Community Involvement and Communication—As discussed previously, man- agement considers this ele- ment essential to identify- ing needs and opportunities

15 COAST COLFAX, WASHINGTON CASE STUDIES for change. The board, man- agement, and staff are all actively involved in the community. • Staff Development and Motivation—COAST’s staff is experienced, with an average tenure of 18 years for senior staff, and dedi- cated to the agency and its mission. Management en- sures numerous opportuni- ties for training and atten- dance at state, regional, and national conferences. • Building Resources— Building resources is also one of the hallmarks of this system. COAST has devel- oped some very innovative approaches to building its resources and has managed to maintain a diversity of resources. • Seizing the Opportunity and Serendipity— Sometimes opportunities just arise. The key is to identify them and then act on them. This is something that COAST is able to do through the trust and respect it has earned in the commu- nity. What Is the Result? The result of COAST’s innova- tions and addressing of new paradigms is a system whose importance is measured by more than its own ridership numbers. In fact, due to its unique ap- proaches, ridership numbers tell only part of the story. Future Efforts COAST continues to adapt and change. The new community van program is just another in- novation designed to provide service in very isolated commu- nities. Recently, the system has procured and implemented a modest paratransit software product to help in the reserva- tions, scheduling, dispatch, and recordkeeping functions. The executive director and the board continue to work with the state agencies and the legislatures to influence regulations or legisla- tion. Management places a strong emphasis on working at the state level to make it easier for transit to operate and be flexible to needs. COAST will continue to provide these grass- root types of services because that is the environment of Idaho and eastern Washington. CONTACT INFORMATION Council on Aging and Human Services P.O. Box 107 210 South Main Colfax, WA 99111 Karl Johanson, Executive Director Tel: (509) 397-4611 Fax: (509)397-2917 Email: karlj2@adelphia.net

17 HILL COUNTRY TRANSIT DISTRICT, CENTRAL TEXAS CASE STUDIES HCTD, a political subdivi- sion of the State of Texas, is a public transit system whose mission is to build, refine, and operate a safe, depend- able and effective transpor- tation network that provides mobility, improves the qual- ity of life, and stimulates economic development though the provision of ru- ral, urban fixed-route, and ADA complementary para- transit service for citizens and visitors of the Central Texas area. The system’s goals are • To provide professional, coordinated transportation services for the residents of the nine-county area; • To improve access to needed services; • To promote energy savings through ridership on public transportation; • To positively impact the local economy through pro- vision of jobs and revenues to local business; and ABOUT HCTD HCTD has been providing trans- portation in 9 counties of central Texas for 28 years. During 21 of those years, it has been a coordi- nated public transit/human ser- vice transportation provider, co- ordinating public transit with Medicaid and senior (Title III) transportation. HCTD started as part of a community action agency—a nonprofit agency that provides a wide variety of hu- man service to nine counties in the central Texas region. In 1998, HCTD separated itself from the community action agency. It is now an independent political subdivision of the state of Texas and a rural transit dis- trict. This allows HCTD to act as an interlocal governmental agency for transit purposes, giv- ing the system additional advan- tages in contracting with gov- ernmental agencies. HCTD’s board is composed of elected officals appointed by each county and the municipalities they represent. In 1998, HCTD entered into an interlocal agreement with the cities of Copperas Cove, Harker Heights, and Killeen to develop and operate an urban fixed- route system and ADA para- transit. Three years later, HCTD reached an agreement to operate fixed-route and ADA paratransit for the city of Tem- ple. HCTD currently operates rural and human service transit in nine counties and two sepa- rate urban areas. Subsequent to the new services implemented by HCTD, the budget went from $800,000 in 1998 to $4 million in 2003, a 500% in- crease in 5 years. Ridership jumped from about 168,000 annual one-way trips in 1998 to more than 500,000 trips in 2003, a 300% jump in ridership. HCTD’s mission statement is as follows:

HILL COUNTRY TRANSIT DISTRICT, CENTRAL TEXAS CASE STUDIES 18 • To maximize transportation service per dollar spent. How Is HCTD Different? HCTD is different from many other rural systems because of its size (nine counties) and its combination of rural and two small urban transit systems of Temple and Killeen and its sur- rounding cities. HCTD has been identified as one of the more innovative systems in the state. Staff are used to change and do- ing things differently. For exam- ple, HCTD has had a dedicated safety and training manager for many years, when many larger systems did not even fully train their drivers. It conducts a re- gional bus rodeo every year that includes the participation of many neighboring systems. This rodeo has become a tradition in central Texas. HCTD has also successfully recruited manage- ment from a large urban transit system, which is very unusual for a rural transit system. The fact that HCTD even thought about operating a small urban system (let alone operate two) demonstrates that management and staff are not fearful of change and are willing and able to embrace the new paradigms. The Progression from the Previous Role As part of a community action agency, HCTD was initially formed prior to Section 5311 (Section 18 at the time) to meet the needs of the agency in trans- porting clients to senior centers and to meet medical needs through Older Americans Act Title III funding and Medicaid funding. The agency was reluc- tant at first to apply for rural public transit funding when it became available; when the agency finally decided to delve into public transportation, it started slowly and cautiously, still attempting to emphasize its own needs. The Texas legislature passed legislation in 1995 that desig- nated the existing rural (Section 5311) transit operators as rural transit districts (RTDs). As part of this legislation, HCTD was able to act as an interlocal agency while continuing its nonprofit corporate status, pro- vided that it became a separate corporate entity and not a part of a community action agency. This was the next step for HCTD. In 1998 the system, which had grown to 50 vehi- cles, separated the transit sys- tem from the community action agency while retaining some ties (limited administrative functions). In 1998, HCTD went from a rural nonprofit agency to an RTD. HCTD had its foray into urban transit in 2000 and again in 2002. HCTD has come a long way from be- ing a senior center transporta- tion program to being one of the largest rural transit systems in the state, as well as operating in two urban areas with more than 80 vehicles. The key ele- ment to this change was to en- able HCTD to become an inter- local government agency, al- lowing HCTD to enter into con- tractual relationships with mu- nicipalities and counties. HCTD realized that Bell County (Temple and Killeen) was growing rapidly and was becoming two separate urban- ized areas for transit purposes. Temple had already pursued public transit funding and con- tracted for paratransit service. However, Killeen had not pur- sued any FTA funding. In 1998, HCTD initiated discussions with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the cities of Killeen, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove for the purpose of funding and op- erating public transportation in the Killeen urban area. It should be noted that Killeen is the home to Fort Hood, one of the largest military bases in the world. Through an agreement with the three cities, HCTD re- ceived the FTA and state funds for the system. With the assis- tance of a consultant, HCTD designed routes for the new sys- tem and the designated recipi- ent for FTA funds. HCTD oper- ates Killeen’s service as a “turnkey” system—that is, it conducts all the efforts needed

19 HILL COUNTRY TRANSIT DISTRICT, CENTRAL TEXAS CASE STUDIES to plan, manage, and operate the service. The service was an immediate success, with its teal and fuchsia vehicles and sharply dressed drivers. Ridership started at about 600 one-way, fixed-route trips daily (about 8 one-way trips per hour) and 100 trips on ADA paratransit in 2000 and grew to about 1,000 one-way, fixed-route trips and 100 para- transit trips daily in 2003. Along with this steady growth in fixed- route ridership, ADA paratransit ridership has remained stable, with growth in ridership among persons with disabilities on fixed route. In 2000, shortly after the suc- cessful implementation of Killeen’s service, HCTD, with the assistance of a consultant, sent the city of Temple an unso- licited proposal to transform Temple’s service into a fixed- route/ADA paratransit service similar to the very successful Killeen service. After discus- sion and negotiation, the city of Temple agreed to an arrange- ment similar to Killeen’s, with HCTD as the designated recipi- ent. Service was implemented in mid-2002. Total ridership is up almost 60% over the dial-a- ride service previously oper- ated. During this time, HCTD was able to recruit a top manager from a large urban system to serve as Director of Urban Op- erations at HCTD. This type of recruitment is almost unheard of in the rural transit industry, and HCTD has been fortunate to have this diversity in man- agement as it was implementing the small urban services. Why Has HCTD Changed? There were a number of reasons cited for change. First and fore- most was the change in the ser- vice area demographics. Rap- idly changing demographics, discussed in detail in an earlier section, are a powerful force that cannot be stopped. The needs of Bell County in particu- lar had changed, and HCTD management decided that the only choice was to change the system as the demographics changed, rather than lose that service area and the opportuni- ties. Guided by its mission statement, HCTD pursued new opportunities. As can be seen above, HCTD has regularly reinvented itself, from human service to public transportation, and developed strong safety and training pro- grams as it became a political subdivision. Each time HCTD has reinvented itself, it has im- plemented a fixed-route system. The board, management, and staff are accustomed to, and expectant of, change. ADAPTING TO NEW PARADIGMS As HCTD’s service area changed, HCTD embraced new paradigms in order to grow the system with an eye toward the future. The board, management, and staff are all focused on change. Consequently, HCTD

HILL COUNTRY TRANSIT DISTRICT, CENTRAL TEXAS CASE STUDIES 20 has evolved as it has addressed the following paradigms. Community Agents of Change HCTD serves nine counties, many more small towns, and two urban areas. It is important for HCTD to be active in each of these communities. HCTD makes it a priority to understand the new trends and the needs in the communities. The former parent organization is aggressive in its pursuit of understanding its community’s needs, and HCTD has maintained that tradition. HCTD uses its board, manage- ment, and staff to participate in their communities and under- stand the needs of those commu- nities. The board is composed of active members of each commu- nity and includes county judges (the highest elected office in the county), county commissioners, and city council members. These individuals are more than capa- ble of representing their commu- nities and expressing community needs. In addition, management tours the system regularly, at- tends meetings in the communi- ties, and meets with drivers and other staff. Management is also in tune with the community needs. The field staff that repre- sents HCTD in each community further verifies this. HCTD be- lieves that all staff must repre- sent the company and not just drive or dispatch. All of these factors help HCTD understand community needs, formulate a plan, and address the needs in a proactive manner. Providing Effective Service Effective service is all about looking good and being good. Changing and adapting to new paradigms are much easier when the service is seen as im- portant to the community and is respected. Effective service means meeting the needs and doing the right things as an or- ganization. HCTD has done a number of things recently that demonstrate its effectiveness in the communities served. At one time, HCTD was a hu- man service transportation pro- gram. Since that time, it has worked hard to lose its image as a human service program and has encouraged the general public to use its services. How- ever, even as the system has opened up to the general public, it has never forgotten its roots and continues its efforts in hu- man service transportation. Critical to the perception of HCTD’s constituents was the changing of the paint scheme, from white to a much more col- orful, professional design. This increased positive visibility and helped in gaining respect— looking good is important to gaining the proper image and respect (TCRP Report 70). Drivers wear professional- looking uniforms as well. Everything from brochures to caps is colorful and bright—this instills pride according to driv- ers interviewed as part of this case study. HCTD also has a very professional approach to- ward the areas of safety and training, continuing to enhance its reputation for quality and effective service. The manage- ment, staff, customers, and lo- cal leaders all believe in the service, allowing HCTD to con- tinue to evolve. Maintaining Multiple Functions and Fiscal Diversity Survival is often the reason that rural transit systems do things as they do. For HCTD the choice was clear: either diver- sify and grow or continue to struggle to survive. HCTD has expanded its governmental funding base through its contin- ued efforts in a number of hu- man service transportation pro- grams and considers this fund- ing critical to its survival. A portion of these funds may be used as a local match, making the funds even more valuable. FTA funding includes Section 5311 rural funding, Section

21 HILL COUNTRY TRANSIT DISTRICT, CENTRAL TEXAS CASE STUDIES 5307 small urban funds for two separate systems, and state of Texas local matching funds. In addition, each community is asked to contribute its fair share. This diversified funding allows HCTD flexibility in its decision making and an ability to focus on operations without the con- stant search for funding. In addi- tion, the diversified funding al- lows administrative and fixed costs to be spread out over more service, reducing costs for all. Concomitant to the diversifica- tion of funding was the diversifi- cation of services as the commu- nity changed. Isolated rural tran- sit and human service transpor- tation were expanded to include completely different small urban fixed-route and ADA service. This diversification protects the system from dramatic shifts in funding priorities and allows the system to reach out to more cus- tomers. How Did Change Happen? HCTD is a textbook example of an innovative transit system that is accustomed to change. It in- cludes all of the elements of in- novation and change detailed in TCRP Report 70. HCTD is at the point where the board, manage- ment, and staff all expect change as a normal course of action, making future changes that much easier. Following is a dis- cussion of how HCTD has man- aged change: • Quality Service—Long dedicated to safety and training, HCTD remade its service with a new bright paint scheme, logo, and driver uniforms. Through the hard work of manage- ment, the system gained respect and credibility for its successes, such as in Killeen. Other towns and cities took notice and wanted systems similar to the one in Killeen. HCTD is now seen as an asset to its communities. • Focus on the Mission— HCTD makes its staff proud of the agency’s mis- sion statement and goals. The goals are stated in the quarterly newsletter as a constant reminder to staff and are posted at all transit sites in the service area. • Dynamic Leadership— Ms. Warlick has been the manager of the system for 20 years. She has gained respect as a leader in the nine-county area and works closely with political, busi- ness, and civic leaders in each of HCTD’s communi- ties. It helped that the for- mer parent organization had been in existence since the 1960s and also had the respect of the community. • Organizational Sup- port—HCTD managers have proven themselves with the no-nonsense board. There is a high level of trust that works two ways. This allows manage- ment to look in new direc- tions knowing the board will support it. Success breeds success. • Community Involvement and Communication—As discussed earlier, HCTD is very involved in its com- munities through its board representation, through the management’s engagement in the community, and through the staff who for the most part have roots in their communities. • Staff Development and Motivation—HCTD has one of the finest independ- ent rural transit training programs in the nation. The director of operations is a nationally known expert and has credentials in all aspects of safety and train- ing. Management routinely attends conferences and training to ensure diversity of ideas. Management’s recent hiring of an opera- tions manager from a large urban system is an example of this diversity. • Building Resources— HCTD uses a variety of funding sources to accom- plish its mission. With the addition of two separate small urban systems, HCTD has increased the diversity of funds, thereby helping secure the agency’s future. • Seizing the Opportunity and Serendipity—HCTD had been monitoring the possibility of operating the Killeen system for a num- ber of years. HCTD first contracted to operate the dial-a-ride service in Tem- ple and then saw an oppor- tunity to manage and oper- ate a newly revamped sys- tem and was able to con- vince the city that HCTD had a vision for transit in the community.

HILL COUNTRY TRANSIT DISTRICT, CENTRAL TEXAS CASE STUDIES 22 What Is the Result? HCTD is a dynamic transit sys- tem with a vision for the future. It has embraced change and regularly reinvents itself. The board, management, and staff all expect change regularly and continue to look at new ways of providing community-based transit service. HCTD’s change from a rural, human service– oriented transit program to one of the nation’s largest rural/ small urban transit systems with three distinct service units is a model for other transit systems. HCTD has adhered to a number of the new paradigms that have pushed the system to change. HCTD works closely with its communities to ensure that needs are met. The bottom line is that the system is growing and increasing ridership and contrib- uting to mobility in central Texas. Future Efforts HCTD wants to focus on contin- ual improvement of services. Its ability to expand public service will now depend on service quality, since the service area is surrounded by other transit sys- tems and there are no more cities to be served. However, there may be some private-sector op- portunities in Bell County. HCTD is focusing on a new community-based model where the rural driver is also the dis- patcher and represents HCTD in the community—an all-in-one position. When a passenger wants a ride, he/she calls the driver’s cell phone and the driver immediately schedules and provides the service in real time. In one community where this service has been activated, ridership increased over 100% in the past 4 years in large part due to the community-based approach and the ability of the driver to represent HCTD in his/her county. This new com- munity-based approach will be attempted in other remote coun- ties as the opportunity presents itself. HCTD is also interested in delving into ITS solutions. It has taken a slow and cautious approach to implementing tech- nologies because it has not yet seen any products that would be cost-effective for HCTD’s unique services. However, man- agement is actively looking at ITS opportunities. CONTACT INFORMATION Hill Country Transit District 2509 West Wallace P.O. Box 217 San Saba, TX 76877 Carol Warlick, General Manager Tel: (915) 372-4677 Fax: (915) 372-6110 Email: hctd@hccaa.com

23 CAPITAL AREA RURAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, AUSTIN, TEXAS CASE STUDIES funding and procurement. In Fiscal Year 2002, the CARTS RTD operated 176,496 demand-response trips over 856,562 miles and 73,277 hours. The fixed routes pro- vided another 89,497 trips over 286,881 miles and 17,212 hours. To provide this service, CARTS operated 88 vehicles in Fiscal Year 2002. CARTS is funded through federal Sections 5311 and 5310, Title III Aging, Title XIX Medicaid, and other human service funds; state tran- sit funds; local government funds; and farebox revenue. The Progression from the Previous Role Over the past 10 years, CARTS has taken advantage of Ad- vanced Public Transportation Systems (APTS) technology and is recognized as one of the nation’s leaders in implement- ing rural transit technology. CARTS has been cited in two national studies for its rural APTS successes. CARTS has been successful due in part to its phased-in approach toward technology deployments. Its ABOUT CARTS This additional case study is in- tended to focus solely on the new paradigm of Adopting Technology. This extra case study was initiated to ensure that the new paradigm of technology was represented. The fact is, most rural transit systems use a minimum of the ITS technology that is used for fixed-route and large urban paratransit. CARTS is an exception to that rule. For ITS purposes, CARTS is consid- ered to be one of the most highly advanced transit systems in the nation. This case study will de- scr ibe CARTS’s unique approach to this paradigm. Service Area and Demographics CARTS provides transportation services for a rapidly growing nine-county area surrounding Austin, Texas, home to 428,000 rural Texans. The area has en- joyed a population increase of 46.5% since the previous census in 1990. The rapid growth has been problematic for CARTS. While funding has remained largely static, parts of the service area have doubled in population, making it very difficult to ade- quately meet the needs of these faster-growing parts of the ser- vice area. The other difficulty encountered from the change in demographics is the population shift to the exurban areas and the employment shift to the suburbs. Technology is one set of tools that CARTS has used to keep up with the changes in its service area. CARTS (a political subdivi- sion) provides for a variety of ground transportation services, including fixed-route, fixed- schedule, commuter, and para- transit services for all groups of people, including the general public, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. In addition to its role as a public transit pro- vider, CARTS also coordinates services through contracts with a variety of human service agencies to provide client trans- portation services and with the TxDOT Austin District office, which coordinates Section 5310

CAPITAL AREA RURAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, AUSTIN, TEXAS CASE STUDIES 24 philosophy has been to imple- ment one ITS change at a time, and once it is operating success- fully, begin the next phase. Slow and incremental is the ap- proach that was used in this most successful implementation of APTS technologies in rural transit. The first step in the proc- ess was to procure automated scheduling demand-response software (DRT)—the heart of any paratransit automation pro- ject. It took more than a year to gain proficiency in this software. CARTS first implemented the DRT in 1994, being one of the first successful rural installations in the nation. CARTS staff now has almost 10 years of experi- ence in operating the software. The second step in the ITS proc- ess was to implement a fully digital radio system covering all nine of the counties in the dis- trict. CARTS completed this step in 1997. CARTS purchases state-of-the-art communications services from the Lower Colo- rado River Authority (LCRA), a conservation and reclamation district created by the Texas leg- islature that supplies power throughout the entire CARTS service area. When the LCRA built its communication system, it was looking for other govern- mental entities to participate in the system. CARTS was the very first, due to the diligence of management who were monitor- ing its progress a year before it was implemented. The LCRA now has many emergency ser- vice providers throughout the region using this radio system. The LCRA has provided techni- cal and engineering support to CARTS in all aspects of its voice and data communication system. In 2003, CARTS, hav- ing all of the technologies in place, implemented mobile data terminals (MDTs) and auto- matic vehicle locators (AVLs), again being one of the very first successful implementations in rural areas. Why Has CARTS Changed? For purposes of this study, the focus will be on technology ap- plications and its corresponding paradigm. CARTS had a goal more than 10 years ago to be a leader in the use of technology, reasoning that new technologies can help improve service for customers in a number of ways. CARTS management cited a number of goals back in 1993 for its technology improve- ments: • Uniformity of service— The software technology would ensure that all trips are booked in a similar manner. • Greater passenger pro- ductivity—Technology would help improve pro- ductivity. • Greater staff produc- tivity—Fewer staff would be needed to conduct the reservation, scheduling, and dispatch process. • Improved customer service—The reservation process would be stream- lined. • System safety—Communi- cations equipment would enhance emergency capa- bilities. • Uniform recordkeeping— Technology would generate accurate and timely reports. ADAPTING TO A NEW PARADIGM CARTS management has long believed that technology can be a part of the long-term solution. CARTS has thus embraced the following paradigm. Adopting Technology CARTS, like most rural transit systems, has far less informa- tion technology (IT) support staff than a typical larger urban system has. This has been one of the primary reasons why ru- ral transit systems have had far less success in adopting tech- nology than their urban coun- terparts have had. A second hurdle that most rural systems face is funding and cost-benefit analysis. CARTS had to over- come these two hurdles prior to success. CARTS management had been interested in using technology to help support the system for many years. The so- lution to these hurdles was for CARTS to take the cautious approach, implementing one technology at a time, perfecting it, then considering other tech- nologies (unlike many rural systems that attempted to do too much at one time). CARTS management felt that this was the best way to adapt to the new technologies. CARTS slowly gained experience with the DRT software and ultimately devoted part of one staff per- son’s time to IT support. In ad- dition, through an agreement with the LCRA, CARTS com- munications engineers supplied considerable free technical as-

25 CAPITAL AREA RURAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, AUSTIN, TEXAS CASE STUDIES sistance (CARTS was the first customer on the LCRA commu- nications network—that was im- portant). CARTS also used the services of a consultant to assist in the development of the re- quest for proposals and the pro- curement process. What Is the Result? To date, results of implementing the technology have given CARTS a number of benefits for the system and its customers. First, CARTS now has improved reporting and recordkeeping in real time for the system. The DRT software has improved the reservation process, most impor- tantly by turning reservations and scheduling into a uniform procedure that treats all custom- ers equally. The DRT software also allows CARTS to easily expand its paratransit operations. The software supports the reser- vations, scheduling, and dispatch process, thereby both speeding the process up and allowing each staff person to be more produc- tive. The communications technology has dramatically improved com- munications and is able to sup- port the entire digital network currently in place. The emer- gency functions tied into the sys- tem help everyone: drivers, dis- patchers, customers, and man- agement. The AVL adds a layer of safety and also supports the dispatcher, while the MDTs can reduce the expense of record- keeping due to the one-time data entry function. Future Efforts The next step for CARTS is to employ the card read/write func- tion of the MDTs for the read- ing of magnetic stripe cards and the immediate downloading of the information to the CARTS central data network. Subsequent goals for the card readers include the following: • Create operational efficien- cies for CARTS in the ar- eas of data collection and reporting and fare collec- tion and billing, allowing data collection and billing resources to be diverted to the provision of actual ser- vice. Ultimately, this will include debit functions and electronic benefit transfers from human service agen- cies. • Assist TxDOT and its rural operators (through en- hanced recordkeeping and reporting) in the coordina- tion of human service trans- portation now under TxDOT’s control. • Simplify payment by cus- tomers, making the service easier to use. • Improve and simplify CARTS fare collection. • Increase in-house data management and report- writing capabilities. CARTS management noted early on in the process that re- ductions in operations funding might be, in part, made up by the judicious investment in technologies. CONTACT INFORMATION Capital Area Rural Transporta- tion System (CARTS) 2010 East Sixth Street Austin, TX 78702 Tel: (512) 481-1011 Fax: (512) 478-1110 Dave Marsh, Executive Director Dave@ridecarts.com

Next: Summary and Bibliography »
Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery Get This Book
×
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

TRB's Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 99: Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery includes case studies of how some transportation providers are addressing the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly changing rural environment.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!