National Academies Press: OpenBook
Page i
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13751.
×
Page R1
Page ii
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13751.
×
Page R2
Page iii
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13751.
×
Page R3
Page iv
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13751.
×
Page R4
Page v
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13751.
×
Page R5
Page vi
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13751.
×
Page R6
Page vii
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13751.
×
Page R7
Page viii
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13751.
×
Page R8
Page ix
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13751.
×
Page R9
Page x
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2004. Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13751.
×
Page R10

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.

T R A N S P O R T A T I O N R E S E A R C H B O A R D WASHINGTON, D.C. 2004 www.TRB.org T R A N S I T C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M TCRP REPORT 101 Research Sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration in Cooperation with the Transit Development Corporation SUBJECT AREAS Planning and Administration • Public Transit Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services JON E. BURKHARDT Westat Rockville, MD CHARLES A. NELSON Nelson Development, Ltd. Akron, OH and GAIL MURRAY DAVID KOFFMAN Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. San Francisco, CA

TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM The nation’s growth and the need to meet mobility, environmental, and energy objectives place demands on public transit systems. Current systems, some of which are old and in need of upgrading, must expand service area, increase service frequency, and improve efficiency to serve these demands. Research is necessary to solve operating problems, to adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to introduce innovations into the transit industry. The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the transit industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it. The need for TCRP was originally identified in TRB Special Report 213—Research for Public Transit: New Directions, published in 1987 and based on a study sponsored by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration—now the Federal Transit Admin- istration (FTA). A report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Transportation 2000, also recognized the need for local, problem-solving research. TCRP, modeled after the longstanding and successful National Cooperative Highway Research Program, undertakes research and other technical activities in response to the needs of transit service providers. The scope of TCRP includes a variety of transit research fields including plan- ning, service configuration, equipment, facilities, operations, human resources, maintenance, policy, and administrative practices. TCRP was established under FTA sponsorship in July 1992. Proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, TCRP was authorized as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). On May 13, 1992, a memorandum agreement outlining TCRP operating procedures was executed by the three cooperating organizations: FTA, The National Academies, acting through the Transportation Research Board (TRB); and the Transit Development Corporation, Inc. (TDC), a nonprofit educational and research organization established by APTA. TDC is responsible for forming the independent governing board, designated as the TCRP Oversight and Project Selection (TOPS) Committee. Research problem statements for TCRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the TOPS Committee to formulate the research program by identifying the highest priority projects. As part of the evaluation, the TOPS Committee defines funding levels and expected products. Once selected, each project is assigned to an expert panel, appointed by the Transportation Research Board. The panels prepare project statements (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooperative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activ- ities, TCRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation. Because research cannot have the desired impact if products fail to reach the intended audience, special emphasis is placed on disseminating TCRP results to the intended end users of the research: transit agencies, service providers, and suppliers. TRB provides a series of research reports, syntheses of transit practice, and other supporting material developed by TCRP research. APTA will arrange for workshops, training aids, field visits, and other activities to ensure that results are implemented by urban and rural transit industry practitioners. The TCRP provides a forum where transit agencies can cooperatively address common operational problems. The TCRP results support and complement other ongoing transit research and training programs. TCRP REPORT 101 Project B-24 FY’01 ISSN 1073-4872 ISBN 0-309-08797-X Library of Congress Control Number 2004107820 © 2004 Transportation Research Board Price $36.00 NOTICE The project that is the subject of this report was a part of the Transit Cooperative Research Program conducted by the Transportation Research Board with the approval of the Governing Board of the National Research Council. Such approval reflects the Governing Board’s judgment that the project concerned is appropriate with respect to both the purposes and resources of the National Research Council. The members of the technical advisory panel selected to monitor this project and to review this report were chosen for recognized scholarly competence and with due consideration for the balance of disciplines appropriate to the project. The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied are those of the research agency that performed the research, and while they have been accepted as appropriate by the technical panel, they are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board, the National Research Council, the Transit Development Corporation, or the Federal Transit Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Each report is reviewed and accepted for publication by the technical panel according to procedures established and monitored by the Transportation Research Board Executive Committee and the Governing Board of the National Research Council. Special Notice The Transportation Research Board of The National Academies, the National Research Council, the Transit Development Corporation, and the Federal Transit Administration (sponsor of the Transit Cooperative Research Program) do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the clarity and completeness of the project reporting. Published reports of the TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM are available from: Transportation Research Board Business Office 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 and can be ordered through the Internet at http://www.national-academies.org/trb/bookstore Printed in the United States of America

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished schol- ars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. On the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and techni- cal matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Acad- emy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achieve- ments of engineers. Dr. William A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering. The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, on its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Acad- emy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both the Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. William A. Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council. The Transportation Research Board is a division of the National Research Council, which serves the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. The Board’s mission is to promote innovation and progress in transportation through research. In an objective and interdisciplinary setting, the Board facilitates the sharing of information on transportation practice and policy by researchers and practitioners; stimulates research and offers research management services that promote technical excellence; provides expert advice on transportation policy and programs; and disseminates research results broadly and encourages their implementation. The Board’s varied activities annually engage more than 5,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. www.TRB.org www.national-academies.org

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS STAFF ROBERT J. REILLY, Director, Cooperative Research Programs CHRISTOPHER W. JENKS, TCRP Manager GWEN CHISHOLM-SMITH, Senior Program Officer EILEEN P. DELANEY, Managing Editor HILARY FREER, Associate Editor II PROJECT PANEL B-24 Field of Service Configuration CHARLES CARR, Mississippi DOT (Chair) MARTI DILLEY, Alaska DOT SANTO GRANDE, Delmarva Community Services, Cambridge, MD RONALD HALL, Colorado State University PAUL HAMILTON, Capital Area Rural Transportation System, San Marcos, TX SHELLY A. PFAFF, South Dakota Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, Pierre, SD TOM SEEKINS, University of Montana PATRICIA WEAVER, University of Kansas EFFIE STALLSMITH, FTA Liaison Representative PAMELA BOSWELL, APTA Liaison Representative DIANNE MCSWAIN, U.S. Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Liaison Representative CHARLES A. RUTKOWSKI, Community Transportation Association of America Liaison Representative PETER SHAW, TRB Liaison Representative AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The research that produced this report was performed under TCRP Project B-24 by Westat, with the assistance of Nelson Development, Ltd.; Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc.; and Mobilitat, Inc. Jon E. Burkhardt, Senior Study Director at Westat, was this project’s Principal Investigator. Mr. Burkhardt of Westat, Charles Nelson of Nelson Development, and David Koffman and Gail Murray of Nelson\Nygaard were the key authors of this report. They were assisted in this project by Cindy Johnson of Mobilitat; Adam T. McGavock of Westat; Thomas Brennan, Paul Lutey, Michele King, and Joey Goldman of Nelson\Nygaard; and Anton Yachmenev of Nelson Development (formerly Creative Action, Inc.). We would like to thank many people for substantial contributions to this project. Our TCRP Project Officer, Gwen Chisholm-Smith, directed the Project Panel’s efforts on the project. We are grateful for the assistance provided to us by the members of our Project Panel. We appreciate the time and insights given to us by the many state officials and rural transportation operators who worked with us in our interviews.

FOREWORD By Gwen Chisholm-Smith Staff Officer Transportation Research Board TCRP Report 101: Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services examines strategies and practices used to coordinate rural transportation services and identifies model processes used for local coordination efforts in rural communities. This report includes a stand-alone executive summary that provides information, instructions, and lessons learned from rural communities that have implemented coordinated transportation services. This information may be used by local communities, state agencies, and tribal governments in planning and imple- menting coordinated community transportation services in rural areas. Coordinated transportation services are evolving as rural communities around the country strive to address more effectively the mobility and access needs of rural residents. These efforts typically involve a number of stakeholders, including human service organizations, public transportation providers, tribal governments, school districts, and special districts. Many states have also recognized the benefits of co- ordinating the various programs and thereby supporting greater mobility in rural communities. Coordinated transportation services, developed through community-based plan- ning efforts, typically use resources more effectively and efficiently and offer improvements in mobility. But even though coordinated transportation systems have been demonstrated as effective, they have not been universally adopted in areas where they are potentially appropriate. Obstacles to adopting a coordinated approach may include inadequate information about procedures for organizing cooperative efforts at the state level, a lack of comprehensive procedures for local organization and planning, beliefs by some persons that a combination of federal or state regula- tions or organizational policies prohibit cooperation, and reluctance on the part of potential coordination partners to devote time and resources to planning and implementation. This report identifies ways to improve ongoing coordination efforts and docu- ments the critical factors that help determine success or failure in establishing sus- tainable rural public transportation services. Special attention is given to successful strategies used to obtain the necessary ongoing operational funding for the trans- portation services. Westat, in association with Nelson Development, Ltd.; Nelson\Nygaard Con- sulting Associates, Inc.; and Mobilitat, Inc., prepared this report for TCRP Project B-24. The project’s primary objective was to develop a document that would inform local communities, state agencies, and tribal governments in areas related to plan- ning and implementing coordinated community transportation services in rural com- munities. To achieve the project’s objective, the research team performed a litera-

ture review, conducted a comprehensive survey, performed interviews, and conducted case studies. This report includes information on who needs to be involved in coordinated trans- portation, how coordination works, and coordination’s benefits. The Toolkit also provides information, instructions, and examples of lessons learned from actual implementation experiences.

Contents vii Contents TOOLKIT INTRODUCTION..............................................................1 SECTION I: Basic Coordination Concepts.........................................9 CHAPTER 1 Basic Coordination Concepts .....................................11 Some Definitions................................................................................11 The Evolution of Efforts to Coordinate Specialized Transportation Services .................................................................13 Who Needs to Be Involved in Coordinated Transportation Services? ........................................................................................15 Problems That Coordination Addresses.............................................16 Goals for Coordinated Transportation Services.................................18 How Coordination Works ..................................................................19 Summary ............................................................................................20 CHAPTER 2 Coordination Details: Benefits, Costs, and Barriers..........................................................................................21 The Overall Benefits and Costs of Coordination ...............................21 What are the Possible Benefits of Coordination? ..............................22 How to Use Coordination’s Benefits .................................................31 The Costs of Coordination .................................................................32 Factors That Inhibit Coordination......................................................33 Requirements of Federal Funding Programs .....................................35 Problems with Accountability, Cost Allocation, Paperwork, and Reporting.................................................................................38 Operational Challenges to Coordinated Transportation ....................39 Summary ............................................................................................40 SECTION II: Implementing New Coordination Efforts.................41 CHAPTER 3 How To Implement New Coordinated Transportation Services ......................................................................43 Introduction........................................................................................43 Implementation Steps for Coordinated Transportation......................44 Summary ............................................................................................73

CHAPTER 4 Frequently Asked Questions About Coordination Efforts............................................................................75 Will Coordination Save Me Money? .................................................76 What Are the Important Federal Funding Sources for Rural Transportation? ..............................................................................77 What Funding Sources Am I Missing?..............................................81 Which Legislative Barriers Do I Need To Watch Out For? ..............82 Where Can I Get Planning Funds?.....................................................84 What If We Tried Coordination Before and Never Got Anywhere? Should We Try Again?...............................................85 Some Agencies are Willing to Participate, But Others are Not. What Should We Do? ....................................................................85 Whom Should We Involve in Our Initial Efforts?.............................86 With All the Work on Coordinated Rural Transportation Systems for Many Years, Why Isn’t Coordination Easier? .........................86 Will Coordination Require That I Give Up My Vehicles? Control Over My Funding for Transportation? The Welfare of My Clients? ..........................................................87 Why Have Some Coordinated Transportation Systems Failed to Succeed or Survive?...................................................................88 What are the Fundamental Components of Successful Coordination?.................................................................................89 Summary ............................................................................................91 SECTION III: Techniques For Improving Current Coordination Efforts............................................................................93 CHAPTER 5 Strategic Approaches To Coordination.....................95 High-Impact Coordination Strategies for Transportation Operators........................................................................................95 Lessons Learned from Successful Coordination Efforts .................100 Summary ..........................................................................................102 CHAPTER 6 Tools For Addressing Detailed Coordination Issues ...........................................................................105 Accounting and Financial Management ..........................................106 ADA, Section 504, and Coordinated Rural Transportation Services ........................................................................................110 Budgeting.........................................................................................115 Consensus Building and Setting Goals and Objectives ...................125 Involving Stakeholders ....................................................................129 Marketing and Public Information...................................................134 Monitoring and Evaluation ..............................................................140 Needs Assessment............................................................................147 Organization of the Planning Process ..............................................152 Organizational Framework for Coordination...................................156 Strategic Direction – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats...................................................................................160 Technology ......................................................................................164 viii Contents

Vehicle Fleet Status and Evaluation ................................................175 Volunteers ........................................................................................177 Summary ..........................................................................................184 SECTION IV: Casebook Of State and Local Coordination Models .........................................................................185 CHAPTER 7 Model Processes For Statewide Coordination ........187 The National Coordination Picture ..................................................187 Elements of Successful Coordination Efforts ..................................189 Common Problems and Solutions....................................................195 Statewide Coordination Profiles ......................................................197 Summary ..........................................................................................215 CHAPTER 8 Successful, Insightful, Coordinated Transportation Services In Rural Communities.............................217 Methodology ....................................................................................217 Benefits of Coordinated Rural Transportation Services ..................218 Challenges and Opportunities ..........................................................220 Recommendations for Success ........................................................222 Case Studies of Local Coordination Efforts ....................................228 Summary ..........................................................................................325 BIBLIOGRAPHY..............................................................................327 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...........................................................330 GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS.........................................331 CONTACT LIST FOR CASE STUDY SYSTEMS ........................343 List of Appendixes APPENDIX A: Stakeholder Interview Guide................................A-1 APPENDIX B: Survey of County Transportation Services..........B-1 APPENDIX C: Sample Transportation System Survey Forms .....................................................................................C-1 APPENDIX D: Identifying Best Practice Systems ........................D-1 APPENDIX E: Coordination Workshop Facilitation Guides ......E-1 APPENDIX F: Detailed Operating Cost Categories for Coordinated Transportation Systems ........................................F-1 APPENDIX G: Examples of Various Interagency Agreements to Enhance Coordination.............................................G-1 APPENDIX H: Sample Transportation Coordination Plan Report ........................................................................................H-1 APPENDIX I: Example of State Legislation Creating Statewide Coordinating Council .........................................................................I-1 Contents ix

List of Tables Table 1: Primary Audiences for Sections of this Toolkit ....................3 Table 2: Potential Coordinated Transportation Benefits: System Characteristics (Inputs) .....................................................26 Table 3: Potential Coordinated Transportation Benefits: Performance Measures...................................................................27 Table 4: Potential Coordinated Transportation Benefits: Service Attribute Assessments.......................................................27 Table 5: Potential Coordinated Transportation Benefits: Users’ Overall Service Assessments..............................................28 Table 6: How to Generate Provider/Program Cost Savings ..............29 Table 7: Strategic Approaches to Coordination.................................99 Table 8: Potential Coordinated Transportation Benefits..................142 Table 9: Potential Connections Between Technologies and Productivity and Efficiency...................................................167 Table 10: State Coordination Activities...........................................188 Table 11: How Coordination Activities Have Been Implemented .......................................................................190 Table 12: Operating Statistics for Huron County Transit ................237 Table 13: Operating Funds for the Link (FY2000-2001) ................275 Table 14: Transportation Network Driver Hours.............................276 Table 15: South Central Transit’s Fare Structure ............................310 List of Figures Figure 1: Huron County Transit Funding Sources...........................237 Figure 2: Huron County Transit’s Ridership Increase.....................238 x Contents

Next: ToolKit Introduction »
Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services Get This Book
×
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 101: Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services examines strategies and practices used to coordinate rural transportation services, and identifies model processes used for local coordination efforts in rural communities. A stand-alone executive summary of the report provides information, instructions, and lessons learned from rural communities that have implemented coordinated transportation services.

  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!