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SECTION 1
Planning Decision Process
Section 1 provides guidance to fixed route transit agencies and others that are exploring options
for commingling ADA and non-ADA paratransit riders on the same vehicles. This guidance was
developed based on the research conducted for this project, including a survey of 121 transit agen-
cies of all sizes from throughout the country, supplemented by site visits and extensive interviews
with more than a dozen transit agencies. The research team also reviewed a variety of recent publi-
cations from national and local sources. A summary of relevant materials is included in Appendix C.
The intent of this Resource Guide is not to duplicate those resources, but to suggest a roadmap
for navigating through the process of planning for commingled services that will feed into the
operations of that service, including development of operating policies and procedures. The
operation of commingled ADA and non-ADA paratransit services is the focus of Section 2 of this
Resource Guide. During the planning of commingled paratransit services, transit agencies are
encouraged to take an inclusive approach, involving all of its stakeholders including human
service agencies, consumers, and others as appropriate.
The issue of whether to commingle ADA and non-ADA riders may be seen as a facet of
transportation coordination, which has been a topic in the transportation industry since the
1970s as an approach for providing more effective and efficient specialized transportation
service. Transportation coordination has become a more relevant focus since 2007, when the
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) adopted a requirement for development of a "coordinated
public transit-human services transportation plan," from which all projects funded with FTA
Section 5310, 5316, and 5317 must be derived.
Despite the emphasis on transportation coordination, the research team recognizes that for
some transit agencies the answer is to not commingle riders, based on local resources and circum-
stances. However, even if the decision is not to commingle riders, there may be other options for
coordination identified as part of the process, including providing paratransit service for non-ADA
riders using different vehicles or coordinating services with other existing transportation programs.
As described in the introduction, the research team recognizes that sometimes the decision
to commingle riders is based on the outcome of a formal planning process; other times the
decision is based on political or funding decisions made with little formal planning input. Even
if a formal planning decision process was not followed prior to the decision to commingle
services, the information in this section will be useful to consider as a backdrop for establishing
operating parameters and program guidelines.
A graphic overview of the planning decision process is shown in Figure 1-1. In the electronic
version of this report (available online at www.trb.org by searching for TCRP Report 143), each
major component of the planning decision process is color coded as follows:
A. "Define Purpose and Objectives for Commingling" is shown in red.
B. "Identify Available Capacity and Funding" is shown in blue.
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Difference in rider Difference in program
groups between ADA requirements between
Add non-ADA paratransit and non- ADA paratransit and
riders to ADA ADA programs non-ADA programs
paratransit
service?
Yes, have
Consider funding and its additional funds Consider compatibility of ADA
sustainability to support paratransit service and non-
non-ADA service Plan to add non-ADA ADA paratransit service Compatible
Yes, have Consider service
riders only to fill
capacity No, do not have parameters for
existing capacity
additional funds commingled service:
Local decision Not
compatible same or different such as:
(e.g., "saves money" or
"improve service") - service area
- days/hours
Consider funding and its - fare structure
sustainability to support Plan for additional Feasible plan
Local political decision
Define goals & Assess existing non-ADA service capacity
(e.g., "makes sense") Do not have Yes, have
Consider objectives for capacity: are there
purpose of capacity additional
adding non- empty seats on funds
commingling External factors ADA riders existing vehicles?
(e.g., merge with entity Do not have
serving non-ADA riders) additional funds
Legislation / regulation
(e.g., FTA coordinated
planning requirements)
Estimate impact of Do not add Consider serving non- Develop plan to address
No feasible
adding non-ADA riders non-ADA ADA riders, but use program or rider-group
Environmental plan
on existing service hours riders separate vehicles differences
considerations (e.g.,
reduced VMT and and miles
carbon emissions)
Yes, commingle
ADA and non-ADA
service using same
vehicles
No, do not serve
Consider other options non-ADA riders
for non-ADA riders with separate
vehicles
Yes, add non-
Provide resources to non- Provide ancillary services ADA riders but
ADA programs (e.g., coordinated training, use separate
(e.g., retired vehicles) maintenance) vehicles
CAPACITY & Coordination
PURPOSE & between transit
OBJECTIVES FUNDING agency and non-
SERVICE
ADA programs
COMPATIBILITY
PARAMETERS
Figure 1-1. Planning decision flow chart.
