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Innovative Rural Transit Services (2011)

Chapter: CHAPTER THREE Survey Results A Compilation of Innovations

« Previous: CHAPTER TWO Review of Literature and Other Sources
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Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER THREE Survey Results A Compilation of Innovations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Innovative Rural Transit Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14605.
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Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER THREE Survey Results A Compilation of Innovations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Innovative Rural Transit Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14605.
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Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER THREE Survey Results A Compilation of Innovations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Innovative Rural Transit Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14605.
×
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Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER THREE Survey Results A Compilation of Innovations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Innovative Rural Transit Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14605.
×
Page 15
Page 16
Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER THREE Survey Results A Compilation of Innovations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Innovative Rural Transit Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14605.
×
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Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER THREE Survey Results A Compilation of Innovations." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2011. Innovative Rural Transit Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14605.
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10 CHAPTER THREE SURVEY RESULTS—A COMPILATION OF INNOVATIONS A survey of state DOTs, state and national associations, and transit providers was conducted to discover additional inno- vations at the local level. The response rate was 82% of those surveyed. In addition, other organizations were contacted for information on innovations. Although these organiza- tions did not point to specific innovations, they were helpful in directing the synthesis team to innovative operators. The survey responses revealed many successful prac- tices for rural transit, but few true innovations using the synthesis’s definition of innovation. This was similar to the researchers’ experience when conducting TCRP Report 70. Most innovators do not realize that what they are doing is innovative. Responses such as “we just thought that was common sense” or “I thought it was the logical thing to do” were frequent. Many of the respondents did not consider that their practices might be innovative. Although inno- vations were discovered through the DOTs and state and national association survey, others were discovered through the consultant’s network of transit professionals throughout the industry. PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE INNOVATORS The review and surveys indicated that there are two major approaches to change: those who change out of necessity as a reaction to a problem, and those who change as a proactive measure. As seen in the next chapter, the case study opera- tors are innovators that produced change as a reaction to a problem (often potentially catastrophic). After the crisis was resolved, however, these systems and their managers became proactive innovators. COMPILATION OF INNOVATIONS What is innovative? The definitions cited in chapter one were used to the greatest extent possible in assembling the compilation of innovations in this section. However, there is often a fine line between innovative and successful prac- tice. Many of the “innovations” identified through the survey process may be over that line. For the most part, we have not included those responses that are only good practice [examples include procuring smart bus technology such as automatic vehicle locator (AVL) systems], or initiating a new route in a rural area. The compilation consists of those innovations discov- ered in the survey process through professional contacts and, in some cases, through the literature. The reader is also directed to several TCRP reports on innovations that were cited in chapter two. Innovations identified through prior research are not repeated in this synthesis. Innovative Agency Characteristics Study efforts for the synthesis found a number of innovations that revolved around transit agencies reinventing themselves when confronted with a major loss of service. Faced with a catastrophic loss of business, an organization can either rein- vent itself through change and innovation or fold its doors. Both Treasure Valley Transit (TVT) in Idaho and TRAX based in Texas lost major portions of their service, but were able to gain new service through concerted efforts to change and create new opportunities. Details of these two rural tran- sit agencies are discussed in the case study summaries that follow. TVT lost 60% of its service when most of its service area became urbanized and was absorbed into the service area of the region’s urban transit agency. TVT immediately started marketing its services to other communities in its rural region, looking as far as 200 miles beyond its facility location. TVT devised a plan to find new service; follow- ing the plan essentially invented new markets; and the rural transit agency was able to grow all of its service back within 2 years. TRAX, the rural transit provider for nine counties of northeastern Texas, lost its Medicaid contract, which com- prised about 40% of its service, in 2006. Similar to TVT, TRAX chose to reinvent itself and start marketing its ser- vices to other entities. The rural transit agency now has many sponsors and constituents and has increased service beyond the 40% that it lost. TRAX went from a single-mode agency that operated only demand-response service to a sys- tem that reinvented itself as a multimodal provider to meet the needs of the different new markets it created. TRAX now operates fixed-route and commuter service, in addition to

11 demand-response service, tailoring the service to the transit needs of the various communities it now serves. Addison County Transit Resources (ACTR) in central Vermont is a third example of rural transit agency reinven- tion. In this case, the impetus was a new manager. He changed the organization from a human service-oriented demand- response program with a handful of riders to a dynamic system offering commuter service, regional service, local fixed routes, and demand-response service, depending on the transit needs of the ridership markets that he recognized. Among the most visible results are significantly higher rid- ership levels. As part of the reinvention efforts, the manager has also forged new partnerships with the local college and the adjacent transit systems, which have helped grow the system and increase its stature in the community. Service Responses to Changing Demographics The population in Williamson County, Texas, 20 miles north of Austin, is growing at record levels. Available data show 100% population growth in the county from 1990 to 2000, and growth continues at high levels (69% growth between 2001 and 2010). The addition of major businesses and uni- versities in the area makes transit a high need. Despite the growing needs for transit, the local communities in the county were not able to follow through with funding as the economy had turned and local tax revenues had dwindled. Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS), a rural transit agency based in Austin, Texas, recognized the need for transit and responded with a network of intercity services designed for regional connection. CARTS’s buses will inter- line with CARTS’s partners, Arrow Trailways and Grey- hound, intercity carriers operating traditional over-the-road coaches. The service will also connect to the large urban transit’s (Capital Metro) park-and-ride facility. The CARTS buses will be listed in Greyhound and Arrows schedule guide, and a passenger will be able to get a ticket to go any- where in the country through the CARTS network. Faced with increasing population and a growing need for its residents to travel to employment opportunities in a neighboring community, Dover, Idaho, applied for and received transit funding to purchase a bus. The small com- munity of Dover realized that it did not have the funding resources to operate transit service by itself. Working with the Community Transit Association of Idaho’s (CTAI) mobility manager, Dover joined forces with other small cit- ies in the region, which offered portions of their hotel bed tax to support the transit operation that they recognized would benefit their own communities as well. One of the region’s communities recently won an election for a hotel bed tax that is dedicated for public transit. With the dramatic growth of tourism in northern Idaho, the hotels support the funding of transit service because they recognize transit’s important role in providing transportation for their increasing numbers of employees and guests. Estuary Transit District (ETD) in Connecticut, while see- ing an increase in the ranks of the elderly, has noted that the senior citizens of today are different from seniors in years past. According to ETD management, today’s senior citizens are healthier, more active, and more independent, which has led to a decline in the percentage of seniors using public trans- portation. Because of the changing demographics and life styles of an important transit market segment, ETD decided to diversify and pursue a broader range of transit customers. Many of ETD’s routes and schedules were designed to transport seniors who were not working. This made the routes unusable by the general public and seniors who were still working, a demographic that has increased in recent years. So ETD changed many of its fixed routes and sched- ules as well as the hours of its demand-response service to better accommodate customers’ work hours. Work com- mute times are now the busiest time of day for the demand- response service. Historically, the Eureka Springs Transit System in Arkansas has provided fixed-route services to the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit the area each year. The transit system is operated by the city of Eureka Springs, a small community, with a permanent population of just under 2,400 people. Residents living outside the primary service area believed they would benefit from an expanded transit system. Two years ago, the rural transit system expanded its ADA complementary paratransit program, Share-A- Ride. Using excess capacity in their ADA complementary paratransit program has allowed the system to provide transportation to areas outside the city at little additional cost. Ridership on the Eureka Springs Transit System has increased as more riders now have access to fixed-route ser- vice and the system has gained significant recognition in the community for expanding its services. TriCounty Link, a rural system in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, implemented new commuter routes to meet the changing transportation needs of its residents. The system initiated three new “commuter solution” routes in 2008 and offered free rides on the service as part of a 90-day intro- ductory period. The commuter routes pick up customers from park-and-ride locations in the rural areas and transport them to locations where they can connect with the urban system’s express bus service in Charleston. Customers were offered free service, not only on the new commuter routes but also throughout the entire fixed-route system for a 3-month period. The free rides, plus an added incentive for customers to enter a drawing to win a free trip to Las Vegas, jumpstarted rider- ship on the new service. Ridership doubled within 3 weeks of the start-up date, and customers expressed their satisfaction

12 ees—decide how FTA funding is allocated. The division has recently handed this planning program to CTAI to provide vision, management, and oversight of the new I-way plan- ning process. CTAI works with mobility stakeholders and the public at large to identify issues of concern, articulate desired future conditions, and identify the opportunities and work needed to achieve that future. CTAI has also hired six mobil- ity managers, locally based, to guide the process. Most important, each of the state’s six districts determines how its funding is allocated in an open forum, which is a truly transparent process. JAUNT, the rural transit system based in Charlottesville, Virginia, has taken an innovative approach to the mobil- ity manager position. This mobility manager’s job includes developing plans for human service agencies that oper- ate their own service. The goals of the mobility manager include helping agencies use transportation resources more effectively. The mobility manager identifies deficiencies in a human service agency operation and works with the agen- cies to come up with an appropriate solution. JAUNT rea- sons that if they cannot combine operations, at least they can improve the agencies’ services and gain a level of trust for future efforts. Alternative Service Modes It is widely recognized that paratransit is the most expensive form of transit on a per trip basis because of its low pro- ductivity. At the same time, it is arguably the most difficult form of transit to operate because of the constant change. Alternative service modes, in part, seek to reduce the role of paratransit. CARTS, in Texas, developed a new rural hybrid service design called “fixed-schedule” service. That is, the service is available in a designated community to designated destinations on a fixed-schedule basis. Passengers can still be picked up at the curb, but they must adhere to a schedule. This arrangement significantly improved productivity. Fig- ure 2 is a sample of this type of schedule. Immediate-response dial-a-ride service can offer some service and operational advantages in selected areas, such as those where the service area is relatively small and compact. Immediate response service remains the mode of choice in some parts of the country, including small, rural commu- nities in places such as Wilmington, Ohio; Ludington and Ionia, Michigan; Cleburne, Texas; and Fresno, California. Ben Franklin Transit, in rural central Washington State, operates a vanpool program that has successfully grown to become the fourth largest in the nation through a variety of practices, some that would be considered successful prac- tices and others innovative. Most innovative about this pro- gram is that a small urban/rural transit system has embraced with the new service. The new service showed a 40% increase in ridership after the 90-day trial. Few rural systems have grown as rapidly as Maui Tran- sit (Hawaii). A fixed-route service was implemented on the island in 2006; in its first month, 30,000 trips were provided. Over the next 18 months, service increased 400% to almost 120,000 one-way trips in January 2008 (Figure 1). Manage- ment quickly realized that the system would need to catch up to this growth. Forty-foot transit coaches were ordered and a full-scale bus stop inventory was conducted. This was perhaps the first time a full bus inventory with an interactive electronic database was used in a rural transit environment. Each of the 120 bus stops was assessed for amenities, acces- sibility, safety, and appropriateness. All were photographed and their exact locations were determined using satellite nav- igation; the stops were all placed in a geographic informa- tion system database. The needs for each stop were assessed and prioritized. The database is used for capital planning, maintenance of the stops, and determining whether persons with disabilities can access the bus stop. FIGURE 1 Maui Transit’s transfer center struggled to keep up with ridership. Involvement in Transportation Planning Process CTAI and the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) have taken public participation in the transportation planning pro- cess to a new level through a participation process known as “I-way” (I-way.org). ITD’s Division of Public Transportation embraced the challenge of major change to its planning process to enhance mobility and provide a transparent planning pro- cess. ITD has given each of 17 mobility networks, formed into six districts, which are composed of stakeholders, the decision-making powers related to FTA funding in rural areas (Section 5310—Elderly and Disabled, Section 5311— Rural Transit, Section 5316—New Freedom, and Section 5317—Job Access and Reverse Commute [JARC]). Under this arrangement, the local stakeholders—not ITD employ-

13 Vanpool drivers are required to attend a workshop, which covers defensive driving with hands-on practice, mainte- nance, accident procedures, and more. Rider fares are charged ridesharing to this extent. This is another idea, such as the bicycle rack, that could have been embraced by most rural transit systems years ago. FIGURE 2 Sample fixed schedule guide. [Source: CARTS website.]

14 “self-organize” a vanpool, with local government providing equipment, insurance, and other logistics. These vanpools now cover 4.8 million miles a year, giving rural workers a safe and sustainable lifeline to work. KCAPTA’s services include 23 rural bus routes and 346 vanpool services. Outreach, Education, and Training Many systems are changing the way they communicate with the public. Typical now is a web page, email, Facebook, and other electronic communications techniques. Ark-Tex TRAX based in northeastern Texas has a website and email but started a new approach to communicate with its riders with its “Meeting on a Bus” program. TRAX, like many rural transit systems, has had difficulty in generating inter- est in a public meeting. Experience indicates that people will not attend a meeting unless drastic cuts or major changes are being made to the service or if the service is really poor. “Meeting on a Bus” brings the meeting to riders who would otherwise not provide input to the transit agency. TRAX des- ignates a location for the meeting and sets up the bus with posters, maps, and informational materials. TRAX uses the local media (newspapers and radio), getting interviews and raising awareness. Management has stated that it helps to have coffee, water, and pastries. Initial meetings through the “Meeting on a Bus” program have expanded public meeting participants 10-fold over previous meetings. The Modoc Transportation Agency (MTA)/Sage Stage Bus in rural northern California has taken its driver training program public. The rural transit agency trains not just its own drivers, but those at several local social service trans- portation providers, and also provides periodic driver safety courses to the general public at three local senior centers. The latter practice has been extremely valuable in market- ing the agency’s transit services, which has in turn increased ridership. The practice also has built “goodwill” and positive recognition in the transit agency’s rural area. The Community Transportation Association of Virginia developed a simple training education tool by printing driver emergency procedures on the driver clipboard. This leaves nothing to chance in an emergency, as the driver can quickly refer to his or her clipboard for guidance. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has developed a network of intercity services. These intercity routes are competitively procured, and each is specifically branded and marketed to the public. ODOT has implemented two routes, with a third in the planning stage. The service is supported by web-based information. ODOT is now in the process of developing a full management information system to better monitor service and make adjustments as needed. This service is highlighted as a case study in the next chapter. as a fixed-cost plus per-mile rate that varies by the size of the vehicle and number of days the van operates per year. The fares cover capital costs, insurance, maintenance, the cost of a guaranteed ride home program, and fuel. Some employers help subsidize the vanpool costs for their employees. The program has been so successful that larger vehicles are now needed. The transit agency is training vanpool drivers to use 25 passenger cutaways (also innovative in and of itself). The New Mexico Park and Ride program has the larg- est service area of any public transit provider in the State of New Mexico. The program has routes in northern, central, and southern New Mexico, with one route extending into west Texas. During the past 5 years, the program has secured rights to use lots or stops on property owned or controlled by two federal agencies, two tribal entities, one university, eight local governments, and six private property owners. Baltimore County’s (Maryland) specialized transporta- tion program, known as CountyRide, uses the sophisticated computerized scheduling/dispatch system Trapeze (with interactive voice response/interactive web response), but in an unusual and innovative way. The transportation program takes trip requests in advance, but schedules the trips in real time, digitally dispatching the trips to drivers to optimize scheduling. CountyRide also uses the real-time dispatching function to collect fare and service data. As rural areas change and commuters with young fami- lies move in, services geared toward children and their families may be an important option. In Zanesville, Ohio, the South East Transit Authority recognized that a growing population of single working mothers created a need for reli- able services to transport children to and from daycare. In response, the transit authority implemented a successful ser- vice transporting children to and from the local Early Start program, adding a paid part-time attendant to ride with the children, securing their seat belts and ensuring their safety and comfort while on board. The IT Network in Portland, Maine, charges different fares for individual travel and shared ride service; riders willing to wait longer, be flexible in their pick-up times, and incur longer ride times are charged less. Riders who wish to travel immediately and alone are charged premium fares. The fare differentials make the premium services more attractive to well-off retirees who have migrated to rural areas, yet steers other riders to the lowest cost service that meets their needs. The Kings County Area Public Transportation Agency (KCAPTA) innovative system of vanpools and rural buses ensures access to schools, jobs, and medical services in the rural reaches of California’s San Joaquin Valley. The system provides a safe, practical way for workers at a job site to

15 JAUNT in Virginia has recently launched a new twist to the mobility manager function—that of a mentoring/train- ing role with human service agencies that operate their own vehicles. The goals of the mobility management program are to help human service agencies use transportation resources more effectively, identify gaps in service that prevent clients from getting the services they need, and link resources with needs to improve mobility. Although becoming a public system was important to the JAUNT Board of Directors, there was a desire for the agency to reconnect with human transportation providers in the area. This mobility management project provided the opportunity to renew relationships with local human service agencies and engage them in mobility management services. The project also allowed JAUNT to assess how the landscape has changed over the years since the organization was formed and to identify new opportunities for coordina- tion. Although there have been no surprises in this assess- ment, JAUNT reports that it has provided the opportunity to reacquaint some human service agencies with the services provided by JAUNT. Leveraging Funding Opportunities Generating local matching funds remains one of the greatest barriers facing many rural transit systems. Some states can- not spend all of their FTA funds because of lack of a match at the local level. Some transit systems have had success in generating local revenue through local elections. In Idaho, where local funding is limited and there is no state fund- ing for transportation, several systems have successfully appealed to local voters with passage of a hotel tax dedicated to transit. TVT in Idaho is one such system, with several of the small communities it serves passing a hotel tax to help provide local funds for the service. With a growing tourism market, the communities and their hotels recognize the need to support local transit. The CTAI mobility manager in Ponderay, Idaho, also has worked with local cities and agencies and the tourism industry to generate revenue for a new transit system, in part using hotel tax from an election won in 2010. ACTR in Vermont also has had success in generating tax revenue at the local level. A number of transit systems have generated revenue from agreements with “big box” stores and grocery stores. These examples have been well documented in TCRP Report 70. Examples can include advertising, provision of direct ser- vice, and bus shelters. Mountain Rides Transit Authority in Idaho receives local funding in part from local option sales tax. The transit authority has been able to better leverage the funding dol- lars available by consolidating three organizations (dollars go farther with less overhead, etc.). The funding has enabled the authority to respond to service needs in areas not previ- ously served. With limited resources, support, or funding, Kingman Area Regional Transit in Arizona uses many types of bar- tering to achieve its goals while limiting expenses for the agency. As one example, advertising on the buses is traded with the local cell phone provider for mobile cell phones and usage. JAUNT has had great success generating local funding and ties its service levels to the level of local funding avail- able. Management includes a community relations special- ist, whose job includes working with each local community about the importance of the local match.

Next: CHAPTER FOUR Case Studies Innovative Rural Transit and Intercity Services »
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TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Synthesis 94: Innovative Rural Transit Services highlights transit and rural intercity bus service responses to changing rural community transportation needs. The report includes an emphasis on the innovative and/or entrepreneurial spirit, the innovator, and the conditions required for innovation.

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