Travel Training for Older Adults Part II: Research Report and Case Studies (2014)

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12 Travel Training Practices Travel Training Literature Review The Search for Existing Travel Training Programs The literature review had several purposes. The first was to identify and document existing travel training programs. All significant travel training programs found in the search were documented in a spreadsheet that included the name and location of the program, the target audience, a brief descrip- tion of the type of training offered and how users accessed the training, and contact information. Nearly all transit companies that had a website provided at least some form of information concerning travel training. This training ranged from a simple website page that described how to use transit services to formal assessment and individualized training for older adults. Impacts of Travel Training Programs The second and third focal points for the review were to assess documented short-term and long-term ridership impacts of travel training programs for older adults and determine the factors that are most closely associated with positive outcomes for travel training programs. Results from the review indicated that only a small number of programs have been evaluated and most of these evaluations only looked at the short-term impacts. Key evaluation studies are reviewed here. Austin, Texas The Austin Resource Center for Independent Living (1995) worked with the Capitol Metropolitan Transit Author- ity in Austin, Texas, to develop and evaluate a travel train- ing program for disabled users of paratransit as a Project ACTION demonstration project. People with disabilities were hired and trained to be peer trainers. The training pro- gram included 4 hours of classroom instruction and 8 hours of practice on fixed route buses with the peer trainer. The classroom instruction presented information on locating bus stops, using a schedule, identifying bus routes, communicat- ing with drivers, ridership rules, paying fares, contingencies and emergency situations, developing personal objectives, self-advocacy, and assertiveness. Pre-training assessment was conducted to determine capabilities and travel needs. The evalu- ation included 180 paratransit passengers with disabilities who completed pre- and post-training questionnaires. The study found that the frequency of fixed route ridership among the participants increased dramatically, with 63% of participants reporting that they used fixed route transit at least once a week compared to the 21% who reported this prior to train- ing. The study also found a large decrease in the use of para- transit services, with 39% of participants reporting that they used paratransit after training while 66% reported this prior to training. In addition, the study found that 25 of the partici- pants completely discontinued use of paratransit as a result of the travel training. East San Francisco Bay Area, California Babka, Cooper, and Ragland (2009) conducted an evalu- ation of an urban travel training program for older adults in the East San Francisco Bay Area of California. The travel training course was developed by Nelson\Nygaard Consult- ing Associates and consisted of 2 days of group classroom- based instruction. The course included an assessment of the group’s understanding of public transit; an introduction to the types of transit services that were available in the area; and instruction on fares, schedules, tickets, and route informa- tion for the two primary transit systems in the area. On the third day, questions were answered and then participants and training instructors practiced riding on both transit systems. To evaluate this program, the researchers partnered with a local senior-oriented organization to recruit study participants. C H A P T E R 2

13 The evaluation consisted of administration of a question- naire that assessed, with respect to the two transit systems, participants’ knowledge, comfort levels, attitudes, concerns, and degree of familiarity. Participants completed a pre-training survey immediately prior to the first day of instruction and a post-training survey after the third day of training. Fifty- three pre- and post-training questionnaires were completed in four travel training sessions. About three-fourths of study participants were female and about 80% were ages 64 to 84. About one-half had at least a bachelor’s degree, nearly all had incomes of less than $30,000, 68% lived alone, and three- fourths reported that their health was good or very good. Only one-third reported that the personal automobile was their primary mode of transportation. The two most com- mon reasons cited for taking the travel training course were planning for the future (56%) and feeling that they had no choice (42%). The evaluation found that there was a signifi- cant increase in knowledge after completing the travel train- ing course. This significant increase in knowledge was found for nine areas: knowing how to find the desired transit line; knowing how to find the frequency of the desired transit line; knowing the difference between day/night frequencies; knowing the cost of riding public transit; knowing where to purchase tickets; knowing about senior passes; knowing how to identify the best seats for seniors; knowing how to request a stop; and knowing how to identify the emergency exit. No other pre- or post-analyses were reported. Walnut Creek, California A study in Walnut Creek, California, tracked the develop- ment and evaluation of a video transit training program for older adults who lived in a senior adult community (Shaheen and Rodier, 2008). Based on a literature review and focus groups, the researchers developed an informational transit training video that was specific to the residents of the senior adult community. The video used well-known and well-liked citizens of the community and focused on how to successfully navigate the local transit system and problems related to using transit to get to certain key destinations. The transit training video was evaluated through a pre- and post-training question- naire that assessed experience, use, and perceptions of transit use. Participants were recruited through community flyers, and 129 pre- and post-training surveys were completed. The survey results showed that 74% of the respondents were female, 52% were between the ages of 75 and 84, the average length of time living in the community was 7.5 years, more than 80% had at least a bachelor’s degree, and 75% had an income of at least $20,000 (with 20% having an income of at least $110,000). Nearly all respondents reported that the per- sonal automobile was their primary mode of transportation, but about one-third also reported that they used transit one or more times per week. Thus, many of the survey respon- dents were already familiar with how to use the local transit system. The results showed that the transit training video signifi- cantly improved perceptions of using transit for up to 65% of the respondents who were not experienced in using the transit system. The largest changes in perceptions were for how to obtain information on schedules, costs, and payment procedures. Those who were experienced reported few bar- riers, including a lack of information, to using transit. The survey asked about the likelihood of making trips by tran- sit that the respondents might usually make with an auto- mobile. The results showed that a modest but significant number reported switching to transit after viewing the transit training video. The study also addressed where respondents would obtain transit information. After watching the video, fewer respondents reported obtaining information from a friend, family member, or brochure, and significantly more respondents reported using paper schedules, transit training courses, the Internet, and the 511 phone number or website (http://www.511.org). In follow-up research, Shaheen, Allen, and Liu (2009) re- contacted 61 of the original participants who had received the video transit training 6 months to 2 years earlier to assess the long-term impacts of the training. These participants com- pleted a questionnaire that assessed their primary mode of transportation. Responses were compared to responses made by participants prior to receiving the training. The results showed a significant decrease (20%) in people who reported the per- sonal automobile as being the primary mode of transporta- tion and a significant increase in the percentage of people who reported transit as their primary mode (15%). No data were presented separately on the types of transit (e.g., fixed route vs. paratransit) or on the health and driving status of the respondents. It is possible that these results were related to people having to stop driving rather than the long-term effects of the training program. British Columbia, Canada Tuokko et al. (2007) conducted an evaluation of group tran- sit training in British Columbia, Canada in a collaborative proj- ect between University of Victoria Centre on Aging, BC Transit, a local traffic safety commission, and a seniors’ group called Silver Threads. The training program was developed and deliv- ered by representatives of BC Transit and included instruction on effective route planning, how to locate and board buses, paying fares, finding seating, how to request a stop, how to exit the bus, and other details of using the transit system. The training also included actual use of the transit system by participants and the instructor. The evaluation included 43 participants who rarely or never used the transit system,

14 had no physical limitation to using the transit system, were still driving, and lived in the areas served by the transit system. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a comparison that received no training (Group 1), a group that received the training (Group 2), and a group that received the training and a free 3-month bus pass (Group 3). The groups were roughly equal in age, years of education, and gender mix. A questionnaire was developed to assess the impact of the three training conditions on use of transit, changes in driving habits, and health status. Participants were mailed the questionnaire 3 months after the training and were requested to complete the survey and mail it back to the researchers. The study found that bus use was significantly greater for Groups 2 and 3 than for Group 1. There were no significant differences between Groups 2 and 3. Thus, the possession of a free bus pass did not increase ridership among this group of participants. There were no differences between any of the groups on driving habits after training including the number of miles driven per week, days of driving per week, and driv- ing restrictions. All groups reported that their primary mode of transportation was the personal automobile. There were also no differences in the health status between participants in the three groups. Washington, D.C. Researchers in the Washington, D.C. area evaluated the costs and benefits of travel training (Wolf-Branigin et al., 2012). Their evaluation report discussed the potential cost savings of travel training in the following way: “Travel training for ADA paratransit customers is a means of reducing transportation agency costs by equipping and encouraging these customers to travel on the fixed route system” (Wolf-Branigin et al., 2012). The researchers first developed a cost-benefit model through a series of expert panels and conferences to identify all the costs and benefits (Wolf-Branigin and Wolf-Branigin, 2010). The costs in the model included the following • Vehicles and equipment to provide travel training (vari- able a). • Travel training personnel (variable b). • Supplies, equipment, and office space (variable c). The benefits included increased taxes paid by customers (variable y) and cost avoidance (the cost of paratransit trips not provided minus the cost of the fixed route trips taken instead, variable z). The cost/benefit ratio was calculated as: (y + z) / (a + b + c). The net benefit was calculated using the following: (y + z) - (a + b + c). The researchers worked with three public transportation agencies in two Western states to obtain agency-specific data on each of these five variables. Annual benefit-cost ratios and net benefits were calculated for each agency. The benefit-cost ratios were all positive and ranged from 1.45 to 3.98 and the net annual benefits (savings) ranged from $201,822 to $440,918. The researchers concluded that travel training ser- vices can save public transportation agencies money. Sowden and Wick (2001) also report similar cost benefits of travel training in British Columbia. Model Programs in the Literature The final objective of the literature review was to identify travel training programs that could be considered examples of model programs. Because of the absence of scientific evalua- tions of most programs, it is difficult to reach formal conclu- sions about which programs are models and which are not. In the absence of these objective data, the research team sought to find articles that, based on expert opinion, either discussed specific programs as being models or best practices in travel training or suggested components considered to be necessary for a model travel training program. In her overview of travel training programs for seniors, Hardin (2005) discussed several programs she considered to be innovative. The first was the Easy Rider Program of Special Transit in Boulder, Colorado. The strengths of the program included individualized and comprehensive training, highly qualified instructors, hands-on training under actual condi- tions, and a strong focus on safety. The Charlotte Area Transit System was considered a model program that utilized group training. This program included a demonstration bus for pro- viding training rides after the group presentations. Hardin (2005) also highlighted Michigan’s Ann Arbor Transportation Authority Travel Training Program and Florida’s Palm Tran Seniors in Motion as examples of programs with strong group education components. The overview listed several programs as being innovative in their use of peer training (also called travel ambassadors or travel buddies). These programs were the Lane Transit District’s Bus Buddies Program (Eugene, Oregon); the Great Falls Transit District travel buddy program (Great Falls, Montana); the Napa County Transportation and Planning Agency’s travel ambassador program (Napa, California); and Austin Resource Center for Independent Living ambassador program (Austin, Texas). Karuth (1992) reviewed a travel training course in Boston, Massachusetts, for people with disabilities and offered sev- eral recommendations for developing travel training courses. Recommended features were also applicable to travel training programs for older adults and included responding to indi- vidual travel needs and concerns; presenting actual opportuni- ties to practice using transit; providing instruction on reading schedules, getting information, paying fares, and reduced fares and passes; including transit providers and operators in the

15 training; developing individualized travel plans; covering all available transit options; and being flexible to allow for group input and planning. Moakley (2001) discussed seven similar components for a successful travel training program for disabled riders, which are also generally relevant to older adults. • The first component was to consider each passenger as an individual and tailor the training to the needs and capabili- ties of the individual. • The second was to focus the program on passengers who are most likely to become frequent transit users—those who are motivated and able to travel independently. • The third was to establish partnerships within the com- munity to help with training and to identify groups who might benefit from travel training. • The fourth was to emphasize the role of planning in the training. To this end, Moakley (2001) argued that travel training should include the basics such as carrying identifi- cation, having fare payments ready, dressing appropriately for the weather, and knowing alternate routes for travel. • The fifth was to train people on the specific routes that they need and want to travel, preferably under actual conditions. • The sixth was to make safe travel a priority of the training, including safety while waiting at terminals and when mov- ing through facilities. • The final component was to periodically follow-up with people who have taken the training to see if they are taking transit trips and providing additional training if requested. In a review of the Community Travel Training Program in British Columbia, Canada, Sowden and Wick (2001) presented recommendations for successful travel training programs for seniors and those with disabilities. These recommendations included the following: • Participation in the training should not preclude the indi- vidual from using paratransit. • Individual participants should be assessed to understand their abilities and potential for safe and independent travel. • Outreach activities should be geared appropriately to tar- get audiences. • Service providers should be committed to the concept of accessibility for all individuals. • Costs, benefits, and other travel training impact informa- tion should be collected, analyzed, and used to improve the program. • The community of users (disabled, seniors, and organiza- tions that serve these people) should be included in planning. • Ensure that funding is available for an effective program. • Users should be recognized as individuals with (sometimes highly) individual training needs. • Time constraints should be taken into account to ensure the most effective use of instructional resources. • Qualified personnel should conduct the assessment, orien- tation, training, and follow-up activities. Compilation of Model Travel Training Program Components There was significant overlap among the recommendations of key authors of previous literature. Based on these expert opinions, the following components integral to a model travel training program for older adults were identified: • The travel training program should be developed with input from the target audience and the service providers. • The program should include an assessment of the indi- vidual’s capabilities and travel needs. • The training should be tailored to the extent possible to the individual’s capabilities and travel needs. • At a minimum, the program should include both an instruc- tional component (classroom, video, etc.) and a practice component where participants use the local transit system. • The instructional component should include information on entering and exiting the transit facility, paying fares, special passes, purchasing tickets, reading schedules, locat- ing seating, planning trips, personal safety, and transfer- ring. If mobility devices are used, instruction should also be included about how to use lifts or other assistance when utilizing transit facilities. • The practice component should include a trained and well-liked instructor who rides along with the participant. Practice should include going to destinations frequented by the individual. • The program should follow-up with participants to moni- tor use of transit and to ensure that all training needs have been met. Follow-up training should be available if needed. • The program should have an ongoing system for gather- ing, analyzing, and tracking the impacts of the training. Important impacts include transferring of participants’ use of paratransit to fixed route transit; changes in the use of fixed route transit; changes in participants’ attitudes toward transit, meeting of mobility needs, and quality of life; and comparisons of the cost and benefits. Programs Identified as Model Programs As part of this project, an extensive search for travel training programs for older adults in the United States was conducted. This search involved programs identified by the TCRP project panel and programs identified through an Internet search and a search of published literature. Based on the components of

16 a model travel training program discussed earlier, seven pro- grams were identified as model programs worthy of in-depth case studies. While these seven programs did not necessarily include every single component of a model program, they were considered to represent the strongest candidates in terms of having incorporated model components into their opera- tions. In alphabetical order by location, they are as follows: • Boulder, Colorado: Via Mobility Services Travel Training, Via Mobility Services [formerly Special Transit]. • Chicago, Illinois: Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Travel Training Program, Regional Transportation Authority of Northeastern Illinois. • New Brunswick, New Jersey: NJTIP @ Rutgers, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. • Portland, Oregon: RideWise, Ride Connection. • Riverside, California: Freedom to Go, Riverside Transit Agency. • Sacramento, California: Paratransit Mobility Training, Paratransit, Inc. • Trumbull, Connecticut: The Kennedy Center Senior Mobility Orientation, Travel Training, and Training and Professional Development for Transit Staff, The Kennedy Center, Inc. Another 13 programs were also considered to employ best practices for a model travel training program: • Akron, Ohio: Travel Training, METRO Regional Transit Authority. • Cambridge, Maryland: DCS One-Stop Mobility Manage- ment Travel Training Program, Delmarva Community Services, Inc. • Canton, Ohio: SARTA Travel Training, Stark Area Regional Transit Authority. • Columbus, Ohio: Travel Training, Central Ohio Transit Authority. • Grand Rapids, Michigan: The Rapid Travel Training, The Rapid. • Grand River, Ohio: Laketran Travel Training. • Meridian, Idaho: Valley Regional Travel Trainers Program, Valley Regional Transit. • Monterey, California: Monterey-Salinas Transit Travel Training, Monterey-Salinas Transit. • Olympia, Washington: Intercity Transit Travel Training Program, Intercity Transit. • San Carlos, California: Samtrans Mobility Ambassador Program, San Mateo County Transit District. • San Jose, California: The Mobility Options Program, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. • Spokane, Washington: STA Mobility Training, Spokane Transit Authority. • Washington, D.C.: WMATA Travel Training and Outreach, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Brief descriptions of the seven model programs examined in- depth are provided below. The complete case studies on these programs are presented in Chapter 4. For additional informa- tion on the 13 model programs listed above, see Chapter 5. Descriptions of Model In-Depth Case Study Travel Training Programs Via Mobility Services Travel Training, Via Mobility Services, Boulder, Colorado Via Mobility Services Travel Training Program is part of Via Mobility Services, (formerly known as Special Transit) a non- profit community organization in Boulder, Colorado, whose mission is “to promote independence and self-sufficiency for people with limited mobility by providing caring, customer- focused transportation options.” The Travel Training Program offers individual and group travel training to older adults, peo- ple with disabilities, and low income individuals to give them the skills to safely and confidently use the public transporta- tion system in Boulder County. The program evolved from earlier, more informal efforts in the city of Boulder, with pro- gram growth in response to identified unmet need for travel training among older adults and people with disabilities. Via Mobility Services, which offers paratransit and other mobil- ity services, provided the infrastructure and other resources for the program. The program represented an opportunity to meet a growing unmet need for travel training services in the Boulder area. To a great extent, this opportunity was seen as being able to expand the mobility choices for peo- ple, some of whom were already using paratransit but were capable of and interested in using more spontaneous forms of transportation. This program is considered to be a model program because it has the following components: a com- prehensive set of travel training services offered, including training using actual transit services; individualized assess- ment and customized training programs; extensive out- reach efforts; strong partnerships, promotion, and outreach; program staff that are highly competent and dedicated to serving individual program participants; and strong and dynamic leadership. RTA Travel Training Program, Regional Transportation Authority of Northeastern Illinois, Chicago, Illinois The RTA Travel Training program provides outreach to more than 500 different private nonprofit organizations. The primary partnerships are with the Chicago Transit Authority

17 (CTA), Metra, Pace, and the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind. The target audience for the RTA travel training program has been ADA applicants for complementary paratransit ser- vices. The RTA has shifted from a program that identified people eligible for travel training through the ADA paratran- sit application process to identifying people through out- reach. The RTA Travel Training program is considered to be a model because it has the following components: individualized assessment and training, utilization of a variety of training methods including training in the field using actual transit services, short- and long-term follow-up with participants to ensure that they are still able to use transit, instruction for people who use mobility devices, and travel trainers who are well-liked and come from social services backgrounds. NJTIP @ Rutgers, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey The mission of NJTIP, Inc. is “to teach persons with dis- abilities, senior citizens and other transportation disadvan- taged populations to use public transportation as a means to increase independence and self-sufficiency.” In 2013 NJTIP Inc. became part of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center in the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and became NJTIP @ Rutgers. This program is considered to be a model program because it has the following components: • individualized assessment and customized training based on individual needs and abilities; • a wide variety of training methods including instruction while using actual transit services; • seminars for professionals and volunteers from social ser- vices agencies, schools, and senior residences on how to become informed advocates for public transportation, so they can better assist their clients, students, and residents with navigating the public transportation network; • provision of short- and long-term follow-up with participants; • incentives to promote the continued use of transit after graduation; and • the ongoing evaluation of program costs and benefits. RideWise, Ride Connection, Portland, Oregon Ride Connection is a nonprofit community service orga- nization that offers transportation assistance to persons with disabilities and seniors without alternative transportation. Ride Connection serves a three-county area, including Wash- ington, Multnomah, and Clackamas Counties. The service area is both urban and rural. The organization prides itself on an ongoing commitment to identifying transportation needs and filling them. The RideWise program teaches older adults and people with disabilities to travel independently and safely on all forms of public and other forms of transporta- tion. It employs a person-centered social services model based on increasing individual independence. Its overarching goal is to link people to services, to open up a person’s world to the possibilities available to them. A related goal is to main- tain independent living at the trainee’s current residence for as long as possible. This program is considered to be a model program because it has the following components: individual assessment and instruction; a wide range of training pro- grams, including a special program for those who use mobility devices; post-training follow-up with participants; consistent growth in number of participants for the past 8 years; collec- tion and evaluation of data from most participants; and col- lection and analysis of program cost/benefit data. Freedom to Go, Riverside Transit Agency, Riverside, California The Riverside Transit Agency is the Consolidated Trans- portation Service Agency for western Riverside County. The large service area is both urban and rural. After designing the program and hiring staff in 2010, RTA began its travel train- ing program in 2011, with the first travel training completed in November 2011. The program was established to train and encourage people with disabilities, including older adults, to learn to use fixed route service to reduce dependency on RTA’s paratransit service. Freedom to Go has been available for older adults from the outset of the travel training program. The impetus for making the training available to older adults was senior isolation, particularly in smaller communities and rural areas. The main goals of the travel training program are to increase capabilities and self-sufficiency while facili- tating the most suitable and efficient transportation service for each person. This program is considered to be a model program because it has the following components: programs that include both one-on-one and group training, individual assessment and customization of one-on-one training, incen- tives to post-trainees to promote continued use of fixed route transit, electronic monitoring and assessment of ridership, long-term follow-up with participants, extensive outreach, and collection of satisfaction data from participants. Paratransit Mobility Training, Paratransit, Inc., Sacramento, California Paratransit, Inc. is a private nonprofit corporation dedi- cated to providing transportation services to individuals with disabilities, to the elderly, and to related agencies throughout Sacramento County. Paratransit, Inc. has been offering travel training for the past 30 years, with some of the staff working at Paratransit the entire time the program has been operating. The

18 program focuses on travel training for people who have dis- abilities, as well as the elderly, and teaches safe and proficient use of regular public transit. In Sacramento, that includes Regional Transit buses, light rail, and Neighborhood Ride route devia- tion shuttles. This program is considered to be a model program because it has the following components: longevity; individual assessment and training for specific destinations; incentives for participation (free bus passes); extensive outreach and program promotion; a range of training modes; follow-up with partici- pants; highly experienced staff; and extensive recordkeeping on training, costs, and benefits. The Kennedy Center Senior Mobility Orientation, Travel Training, and Training and Professional Development for Transit Staff, The Kennedy Center, Inc., Trumbull, Connecticut The mission of The Kennedy Center is “to promote the empowerment of these individuals to achieve their optimal participation and inclusion in the community with both dig- nity and confidence.” The Kennedy Center (TKC) does this by offering services, including travel training, to individu- als with disabilities and the elderly. In addition to training seniors and people with disabilities, TKC offers training to transit agency staff and consulting/project implementation support to other organizations starting up travel training projects. This program is considered to be a model because it has the following components: a wide variety of training approaches; individual assessment and customized training; short- and long-term follow-up with participants; instruc- tion on a wide range of training topics; programs to train people to conduct travel training; and extensive partnerships, promotion activity, and outreach activities. Current Conditions and Practices of Travel Training Programs This section summarizes the current conditions and prac- tices of travel training programs, with particular focus on those programs considered to be model programs. Current conditions are the organizational models under which pro- grams operate and the resources they have available to them, as well as the partnerships that are currently in place and outreach efforts being undertaken. Current practices are the types of training offered by the travel training programs, as well as the specific training content and the teaching methods used to deliver that content to the target audience. Organizational Arrangements and Resources The majority of the model travel training programs oper- ate as private nonprofit corporations, although other orga- nizational types include consolidated transportation service agencies, state university programs, and public transporta- tion systems. Programs draw upon a variety of resources to maintain their program efforts including grants, contracts, fees, revenues from various taxes, as well as other local and state monies. In addition, many programs rely on the efforts of volunteers to supplement their funding. TKC is a private nonprofit corporation that receives fund- ing from a mobility training grant from the Connecticut Department of Transportation via CTTRANSIT. There is no specific budget set aside for the senior travel training pro- gram. TKC uses full-time staff to support the senior travel training program, and does not use volunteers. TKC, at the time of the case study, was in the fourth year of a 5-year grant. NJTIP @ Rutgers is a state university program with fund- ing from NJ TRANSIT (for seven of the counties it serves) and federal New Freedom monies (for three of the counties it serves). The program was formed as a private nonprofit organization in 2007, but ownership was transferred to a university-based research center in 2013 to ensure sustain- ability. The program does not use volunteers. Ride Connection’s RideWise is a private nonprofit corpo- ration funded through a federal Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) grant, as well as funding from TriMet and state ciga- rette tax revenue. RideWise has nine full-time positions, as well as 40 volunteers, 22 of whom serve as Ride Ambassadors, four as Co-presenters, 10 as Transit Advocates, and four as RideWise Work Group members. The RTA Travel Training Program is a public transporta- tion system that constitutes a special purpose unit of local government and a municipal corporation of Illinois. Its rev- enues come from RTA’s operational funding. The RTA travel training program staff includes the Manager, the Travel Training Coordinator, and five Travel Trainers. In addition, the RTA contracts with the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind, which employs Orientation and Mobility Instructors to provide travel training to RTA’s blind and visually impaired clients. The RTA does not use any volunteers. Paratransit, Inc. is a private nonprofit corporation. Its rev- enue comes from vendor agreements with the Alta Califor- nia Regional Center and the California State Department of Rehabilitation, as well as a New Freedom grant that provides mobility management and travel training in the region, a JARC grant, and funding from the South Area Transportation Management Association. In addition, Paratransit, under the name Innovative Paradigms, brings in revenue from provid- ing consulting services and travel training program manage- ment for other agencies. Over the past few years, the travel training program has varied in size because of budgetary issues. Currently, Paratransit, Inc. has three full-time travel trainers; at one point, the program had expanded to seven full-time travel trainers.

19 Via Mobility Services’ travel training program is a private nonprofit corporation that gets its funding from Boulder County, the city of Boulder, the Denver Regional Mobility and Access Council, and the Regional Transportation District, as well as United Way, foundations, and fees. The program had been receiving over $100,000 per year from its contract with RTD, and with its new contract, that will begin again. In addi- tion, Via’s Travel Training Program recently became a vendor to provide services to the Colorado Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and Via has also been awarded federal funding (Section 5310 funds) to create a metro areawide program in 2014. Staffing resources for the travel training program include the coordinator, who represents the travel training program as well as the larger organization; two travel trainers, one of whom is Spanish speaking; and a grants/finance person for Via who works on program funding. Riverside Transit Agency Freedom to Go is a Consoli- dated Transportation Service Agency with funding from fed- eral New Freedom and JARC grants, as well as revenues from a local fuel tax. The Freedom to Go travel training program has three full-time travel trainers, one of whom is the travel training supervisor. Each of the travel trainers focuses on dif- ferent segments of the population (students with develop- mental disabilities who are transitioning out of high school, people with disabilities who are using RTA’s paratransit ser- vice, and older persons). The program is housed in RTA’s Operations Department and is managed by the Director of Contract Operations. Partnerships and Outreach All of the model programs are heavily dependent on part- nerships to support their travel training activities. Key partners include transit agencies that are not only a primary funding source, but also that provide referrals to clients who either may not be eligible for ADA paratransit services or who transit agency staff think might benefit from using a mix of ADA para- transit for some needs (for example, travel to doctor’s offices or medical facilities that are not near fixed routes). Transit agencies also offer fixed routes to provide flexibility and lower cost alter- natives when appropriate. Human and social services agencies that provide services to individuals with disabilities or special travel needs serve a key role by providing referrals and devel- oping travel training programs to assist their constituencies. Senior centers and senior housing complexes, especially those that are U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Develop- ment subsidized are key partners, particularly for group travel training. Hospitals are also key partners at some sites. Several programs offer training to staff and volunteers in partnering agencies to make them aware of fixed route transit options and the potential benefits of travel training for their clients. Word of mouth referrals are considered important. TKC is frequently in touch with transit districts, social and human services agencies, and senior housing developments in Connecticut, but especially those serving large urban areas such as Hartford, Bridgeport, New Haven, and Norwalk. Much of their outreach efforts are word of mouth. The majority of referrals come from front-line staff in the transit districts who work on ADA eligibility issues and with older adults. With the support of the Federal Transit Administration, the Con- necticut Department of Social Services, and the Connecticut Department of Transportation, TKC developed Public Tran- sit 101, a program that includes outreach workshops with a PowerPoint training presentation and bus tours designed to increase human services agency and staff awareness of the importance of transportation for people with disabilities and seniors, including information on the range of transporta- tion options in Connecticut. NJTIP @ Rutgers partners with NJ TRANSIT, as well as regularly reaches out to and partners with agencies that serve seniors, housing projects with senior residents, and Area Offices on Aging. The NJTIP @ Rutgers Board of Directors includes representatives from some of the partnering organi- zations. Everyone at NJTIP @ Rutgers markets the program even though one staff person conducts the trainings with older adults, including group trainings. The program has limited its outreach efforts to the seven counties where it has been providing services under the NJ TRANSIT grant. How- ever, part of the motivation for partnering with the Voorhees Center at Rutgers University was to expand program outreach beyond the seven counties. The Voorhees Center website has been updated to include descriptions and contact informa- tion for the NJTIP program and its staff. The NJTIP @ Rutgers staff believe there is a growing need for travel training services throughout New Jersey, especially for senior group training, and are eagerly seeking and pursuing funding opportunities in that regard. Ride Connection’s key partner in the RideWise program is TriMet, the local transit agency. Over many years, Ride Connection and TriMet have forged a close and productive working relationship that has proved to be greatly beneficial to both organizations. Other key partners include human ser- vices providers, volunteers, travel trainers, and the community as a whole. In Chicago, RTA’s travel training program primarily part- ners with CTA, Pace, and Metra. The program also has a con- tract with the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind that provides the travel training for RTA’s blind or visually impaired travel training participants. RTA, as with other model programs, has historically conducted outreach by targeting individuals during the ADA eligibility process, but has recently shifted to identifying people through outreach. RTA now has contacts to perform outreach at more than 500 social services and human services organizations. This new emphasis started

20 in January 2013 and is designed to increase the number of seniors receiving travel training. Paratransit, Inc. conducts outreach efforts to senior com- munities and senior programs throughout Sacramento County. Presentations are made at most senior centers and complexes approximately once a year, with follow-up as necessary. Para- transit, Inc. also has working relationships with programs such as the Foster Grandparents Program, which is a senior orga- nization for retired and low income persons over the age of 55. Paratransit works with organizations like this to help plan events that will be accessible using public transportation and to help seniors gain access to these events. The program also per- forms a group training and orientation once a year with Foster Grandparent Program participants to explain what travel train- ing provides and how it can be used to help the volunteers. The Via Mobility Services Travel Training Program part- ners with the Denver Regional Mobility and Access Council (DRMAC), the regional transportation coordinating agency, to offer travel training programming in the Denver metro area to serve older adults and people with disabilities. The partnership between Via and DRMAC has also resulted in a program that trains volunteers from various Denver area organizations to help older adults, people with disabilities, and low income individuals use public transit. In addition, a Train the Trainer Program is offered. Recently, one of Via’s travel training was independently awarded a grant to establish travel training options for Latino older adults in the Denver metro area. The travel trainer will receive a 2-year fellowship through the Colorado Latino Age Wave Initiative (CLAWI) to work with agencies and organizations serving older adult Latinos to establish a self-sustaining travel training programs. Via also provides outreach through a program in which indi- vidual volunteers at independent living communities inform their peers of travel training options and encourage them to participate in one-on-one training. Key partners in the Riverside Transit Agency Freedom to Go program include community agencies, hospitals, senior services, school districts, the Department of Rehabilitation, the Department of Education, Inland Regional Center, and RTA’s Dial-a-Ride program. RTA promotes its travel train- ing program on its website and through educational materi- als and activities such as bilingual brochures, mailings, and presentations to its key partners. In addition, Freedom to Go works with the Braille Institute, the California Council for the Blind, and the California School for the Deaf. Word of mouth referrals are also important. Types of Training Travel training programs offer some combination of one- on-one training and group training, as well as train the trainer programs and other consultation services. The specific types of training offered by the model programs are summarized below by program. TKC offers four relevant training options: • One-on-one training: The TKC travel training program got its start providing one-on-one training for people with disabilities on using fixed route transportation, and advis- ing them on the range of transportation options available in Connecticut. In 2005, TKC sensed that seniors who might not be eligible for ADA paratransit, and even those who are, might benefit from one-on-one travel training. The target audience for one-on-one training for seniors is anyone over age 60. • Senior mobility orientation: This is designed to assist seniors in using public transportation for daily travel needs. An instructor works with participants to introduce them to the bus or train routes they would like to learn. It can be as simple as helping them find and read schedules or plan a trip. The instructors will accompany individuals on their first few transit trips. TKC staff conducts Senior Mobility Orientations throughout Connecticut, focusing on senior centers, so the target population for senior mobility ori- entation is seniors who visit senior centers. Orientations include a discussion of all of the mobility options avail- able to seniors, including using paratransit when it better meets the needs of ADA-eligible seniors and using fixed route transit when that best suits their needs. • Mobility Management Project: In February 2011, TKC received a grant from the federal New Freedoms program to conduct a Mobility Management Project. This project aims to coordinate all transportation options for people with disabilities, seniors, and veterans in southwestern Connecticut, identify gaps in service, and help imple- ment new service where it is most needed. Essentially, The Kennedy Center is creating a “one-stop shop” where indi- viduals can find solutions to their transportation chal- lenges, including travel training. • Travel Training Consultation: TKC conducts “Train the Trainer” seminars and consults with agencies interested in starting a Travel Training Program. The focus is on con- sulting for other entities that want to start travel train- ing programs, not on training individuals to themselves become travel trainers. New Jersey Travel Independence Program (NJTIP) @ Rutgers serves seniors, people with disabilities, students in spe- cial education, and social services professionals. The NJTIP @ Rutgers mission is accomplished by providing three types of services that can benefit seniors: • One-on-one travel instruction is designed to teach individ- uals with disabilities how to use public transportation safely

21 and independently. NJTIP @ Rutgers participants receive a personal travel instructor who travels on the bus or train with each participant and provides individualized instruction in travel skills, assistance in researching travel routes and sched- ules, and a free one-month bus pass upon graduation. • The Small Group Travel Training Program has a maxi- mum of 15 participants in each training session. The program supplements the original one-on-one travel instruction service. This training is appropriate for senior citizens and people with disabilities who do not need intensive person- alized training. For small group travel training, NJTIP @ Rutgers works with a partner agency such as a residence for senior citizens, a senior center, or an independent liv- ing center for persons with disabilities. The partner agency recruits individuals who are interested in learning to use public transportation and NJTIP @ Rutgers provides the training. • Train the Trainer and Connect to Transit seminars are designed for social services professionals whose job duties include travel training. The Train the Trainer seminars are appropriate for both beginning and experienced travel train- ers and are specifically geared to using NJ TRANSIT bus and rail systems. Train the Trainer helps human services and community services professionals who work with seniors become more informed about travel training and more likely to recommend travel training to seniors with whom they work. Ride Connection’s RideWise program teaches older adults and people with disabilities to travel independently and safely on all forms of public and other forms of transportation. Ser- vices are provided at no charge for those who qualify. Their training includes: • One-on-one travel training is short-term, practical, and individualized instruction to teach older adults and people with disabilities to travel safely and independently using public transportation. • Group travel training is available for people receiving support through transition programs, older adult residen- tial facilities, community centers, and more. Outings are designed to encourage the use of public transportation by choosing a familiar destination. • Riders Club trips are designed to give more opportuni- ties to become comfortable with the public transit system by creating fun adventures that include riding fixed routes to and from the destination. Activity directors at residen- tial facilities and senior centers coordinate these regularly scheduled trips. The target audience of Chicago’s RTA travel training pro- gram has been ADA applicants for complementary para- transit services, but recently shifted to recruitment through outreach. RTA’s travel training program includes one-on-one training and group training. • One-on-one travel training: Travel trainers train an indi- vidual for three specific trips and work with the individual until he or she can take the trips with no assistance. The trainer lets the client take a trip alone while trailing the client. Once the trainer is sure the individual can take a specific trip alone, he/she trains for a second trip. • Group training: This is RTA’s primary method to approach non-ADA clients. A trainer makes presentations to groups, generally including 20 to 25 people, but sometimes as large as 80 or more people. The presentations explain the RTA travel options and address safety and operational issues. Other common topics include how to pay the fare, how to ride, and how to inform the driver of desired stops. Paratransit, Inc.’s target population includes individuals who are developmentally disabled, physically challenged, and mentally disabled, as well as seniors. Often those persons with more than one disability are seniors. Paratransit, Inc. offers the following types of training: • One-on-one training is provided in Sacramento and a number of the surrounding communities to provide infor- mation on fixed route transit. • Small group training involves “bus buddies” for people to become confident together on riding the bus. • Mobility training consulting includes information on how to implement a mobility training program, methods and tools for assessing trainee abilities, a proven training model, successful instruction procedures, and methods and tools to evaluate success. Via Mobility Services’ target audience is made up of older adults, people with disabilities, and low income individuals. Recent efforts have also focused on Latino older adults. Most of the participants in the program no longer drive themselves. Many continue to use paratransit as well as public transporta- tion depending on the nature of the trip or the circumstances under which it is being taken. • The Easy Rider Program (ERP) is a comprehensive one- on-one travel training program designed to teach older adults and people with disabilities how to safely and con- fidently use public transportation to expand independent travel options. Training techniques are adapted based on an individual’s abilities or disabilities. Older adults make up about one-third of participants in the ERP. • Seniors on the Move is a group travel training program tar- geted to older adults. It has two components—a classroom

22 orientation on basic public transit followed by an outing on a fixed route bus. The outing is generally to a specific location/activity (e.g., a museum, shopping or an eat- ing destination), during which a “hands-on” approach is used to discuss how to use public transit. The program is targeted to both older adults who do not drive, as well as those who still drive but may want additional transporta- tion options. • Volunteer Best Buddy Program grew out of a partnership between Via and the DRMAC that trains volunteers from various Denver area organizations to help older adults, people with disabilities, and low income individuals use public transit. Once trained, the volunteers accompany riders on transit to help them build skills and confidence in using public transit. • A Train the Trainer Travel Training Instruction Program is offered that includes an intensive 2-day workshop for people interested in starting a travel instruction program. • The Get on Board program, conducted in partner- ship with the Regional Transportation District (RTD) in Denver, was aimed at people who were already using RTD’s complementary paratransit (Access-a-Ride). RTD con- tracted with Via Mobility to provide travel training to help move people from paratransit to public transit. Freedom to Go, based in Riverside, California, offers group training for seniors as well as one-on-one training for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Freedom to Go is founded on the belief that “people don’t need to be independent to travel train, they need to travel train to become independent.” All travel training is provided by Riverside Transit Agency travel trainers. Separate elements of the program target peo- ple with disabilities who ride paratransit service and seniors who are aging out of their driver’s licenses. • The Senior Ambassador Program introduces seniors to fixed route service through group training. Typically, seniors from a senior center or other locations where seniors gather take a guided ride together. The travel trainer conducts an orientation session to introduce seniors to the steps involved in taking a bus ride and returning. The seniors agree on a destination to which they will travel, in a group, two weeks later. The trip is made on a bus that is not in service from the location where the orientation session was held but follows the same route that serves the senior center or other location where the orientation was held. At the end of the group trip, one-on-one travel train- ing is scheduled with seniors who want additional training. Group travel training is conducted in groups of no more than ten persons, so that trips do not get over-crowded. • One-on-one travel training is provided to seniors who have completed the group travel training. Training lasts as long as required for a senior to be able to travel successfully on his or her own. Training Content and Methods The specific training content and methods vary depend- ing on the type of training offered and characteristics of the target audience and community in which the training is being offered. However, there is much overlap in content and meth- ods across the various model programs. Training content and methods used by the model programs are highlighted below by program. TKC, similar to other model programs, conducts a pre- assessment on each potential one-on-one trainee that includes information on the extent to which the individual has used public transportation, how he or she currently travels, trans- portation costs, identification, daily activities, concerns, cog- nitive recognition, physical or medical issues, questions and concerns on coping skills, and logistical issues. TKC conducts route research to help the senior get to the desired destina- tions. Trainers then record training recommendations. TKC staff prepares a customized training plan and continue to provide training support until the individual has mastered the skills needed to independently use fixed route transporta- tion. TKC then conducts a post-travel training test to ensure that the individual has mastered the necessary skills to use fixed route transit. TKC’s one-on-one trainings are in the field, and involve meetings with participants at their homes, followed by ride- along escorts to the individual’s chosen destinations. The program is customized based on the pre-training assessment and measure of pre-training skills. Issues typically addressed in one-on-one training include skills needed to use fixed route transit such as knowing what time to leave, location of the transit stop, and how to identify transit vehicles through number, color, style and/or inquiry; having appropriate identi- fication and fare media; communication, including signaling the operator, talking to the driver about transfers or for addi- tional information, and interacting with strangers; proper riding behavior, including knowing the rules on the transit vehicle; safely crossing streets; being prepared for unexpected circumstances; what to do if lost; proper wheelchair secure- ment; self-advocacy; and navigating fixed routes, including signaling for a stop, exiting through a door, and making transfers. TKC conducts follow-ups at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year post-completion to determine the extent to which the individual is using fixed route transit, identify any problems the individual has had, determine how many round trips he or she takes within an average month, and identify the biggest difference for the individual as a result of the travel training. At the beginning and the end of training, the travel trainer completes a pre- and post-training test to

23 rate the participant’s competence level on a skill. The train- ing for each participant is based on the particular aspect of the travel training components which cannot be accomplished without reassurance, verbal prompts, or physical prompts. When a participant can complete all of the skills without assis- tance, the participant is deemed to have successfully completed travel training. One-on-one travel training instruction at NJTIP @ Rutgers (NJTIP) teaches individuals how to use the public bus and rail systems so they can travel independently and safely. A personal travel instructor escorts participants on the bus or train. Travel instruction is personalized and customized to meet individual needs identified during a pre-screening pro- cess. Individualized instruction in travel skills is provided, as is assistance in researching travel routes and schedules. Trainees receive a free 1-month bus pass upon graduation. One-on-one travel instruction has five components: outreach, intake interview, route check, one-on-one travel instruc- tion, and follow-up retraining. Small Group Travel Training includes two classroom sessions on the basics of travel train- ing (generally taught to groups of 10–15), and includes a trip to a local destination to practice skills. Participants then take one or two additional trips with the instructor to destina- tions of their choosing so they can master these routes and travel them on their own. Train the Trainer Seminars include a half-day course that covers travel training basics such as understanding schedules; calculating and paying fares; emer- gency preparedness; and trip planning resources. A full-day classroom course covering travel training basics is available, as is a field trip on a NJ TRANSIT bus so that participants can practice the topics discussed in the classroom portion. RideWise’s publication A Guide to Travel Training describes its approach to one-on-one travel training as including “a short-term, one-on-one, intensive and individualized course of instruction designed to teach older adults and people with disabilities to travel safely and independently using public transportation” (Ride Connection, 2009). This level of ser- vice is nearly always provided by staff travel trainers. Accord- ing to the publication, trainees who are successful become proficient in crossing streets safely, identifying and boarding the correct vehicle, problem solving, demonstrating decision making skills, following directions, initiating action, and maintaining appropriate behavior. The RTA in Chicago uses different training methods for one-on-one training versus group training. The one-on-one training has been targeted primarily to people with intel- lectual or cognitive disabilities, and includes very intensive one-on-one activity customized to meet individual needs. The group training consists of orientation to different transit systems. The travel trainer discusses fare collection, boarding and alighting, safety, and rights and responsibilities. In addi- tion, during the presentation the trainer answers questions and offers individual attention after the presentation. There are many handouts and a PowerPoint presentation. Paratransit, Inc.’s Mobility Training includes how to get to and from the bus stop or light rail train station, training to specific destinations, and how to identify landmarks. As with other model travel training programs, Paratransit, Inc.’s one- on-one training includes riding with the trainee on the bus or train, working with the trainee’s schedule, and showing the trainee how to plan bus and light rail routes. Group travel training is presented at senior complexes or senior centers. Written materials are provided to seniors. They each receive a handbook for attending. Many of the seniors sign up for one- on-one training following group orientation, a result that is not widely seen in other programs such as The Kennedy Cen- ter and NJTIP @ Rutgers. Via Mobility Services’ travel training content includes the following programs: • One-on-one travel training (ERP): An in-home mobil- ity skills assessment is conducted. Pre-trip planning is conducted to check the environment. Customized travel training is then provided and includes planning a trip, get- ting to the bus stop and boarding, paying fare, recognizing landmarks and signaling to get off, transferring from one bus to another, using safe pedestrian skills and stranger awareness, problem solving such as missed connections, and understanding rights guaranteed by ADA. • Group training (Seniors on the Move) covers the benefits of public transit, planning a trip, fares, using transfers, issues at the bus stop, getting on the correct bus, request- ing accommodations, requesting a stop, and disembarking. • Volunteer Best Buddy Program (through partnership with DRMAC) includes skills assessment, an overview of pub- lic transit, bus riding basics, overcoming travel barriers, an overview of rights/accommodations, how to plan a trip, disability awareness, fares, light rail, and ongoing support. • Train the Trainer Program (through partnership with DRMAC) includes topics such as starting a travel train- ing program; overview of instruction models; disability awareness/first-person language; program documentation; emergency procedures/ADA/Code of Ethics; professional organizations and resources; and best practices including program documentation, travel training planning, and step-by-step objectives; and how to conduct field training. Via Mobility Services’ travel training teaching methods for the one-on-one training include in-home and field training components. The field training components focus on envi- ronmental analysis and trip planning, and follow-up group training takes place over 2 days and includes a 1½ hour class- room instruction (with PowerPoint presentation) on the first day of training and a 2 hour field trip on the bus on the

24 second day of training. The Volunteer Best Buddy Program involves a full day of one-on-one training. Trained volunteers accompany riders and provide them with information and encouragement to build their skills and confidence. The Train the Trainer Program consists of a two-day comprehensive workshop. Freedom to Go’s one-on-one training covers route famil- iarization, how to read Riverside’s Ride Guide, understand- ing the system map, and trip planning and mobility device training. An individual travel training plan is prepared for each senior being trained. In the course of conducting one- on-one training so individuals are able to overcome barriers, direct action is taken to mitigate and/or eliminate barriers that are encountered, including route modifications in some cases. The travel training involves the following steps prior to route training: assessment of basic skills; assessment of path of travel and barriers; assessment of personal safety skills; use of Ride Guide and maps to plan a trip; and meet- ing with trainee, parent, care provider, and/or guardian for travel consent. Freedom to Go’s travel trainers describe and demonstrate correct methods for all skills, such as verbal cues or landmarks to recognize a bus stop, physical prompts such as a tap on the shoulder or placing a trainees hand on a stop signal, gestures such as a nod of the head, eye con- tact or pointing, and role playing to help problem solve an event that might happen. Once the skills have been learned, the training focuses on monitoring progress on a declining basis (described as “fading”) where the trainer provides less instruction so the trainee acquires the needed independence; shadowing, where the trainer follows without being seen and the trainee completes the trip independently; indepen- dent travel, where the trainer is not along on the trip; and follow-up contacts at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and annual intervals. Travel Training Program Outcomes Successful travel training programs generate significant ben- efits. The kinds of benefits created by travel training programs can be best understood as benefits for older adult travelers, persons who provide care for older adults, local transpor- tation services, and communities. Some of the benefits are immediate and some are long term. Benefits for Older Travelers Travel training can provide significant benefits for older adults. Travel training can change the entire demeanor of participants by expanding their options for getting around, thereby increasing their independence, spontaneity, and quality of life. Travel training can increase trip-making for older adults allowing them to get to the places they both need to go and want to go, leading to enhanced mobility. Travel training can also improve the characteristics of travel, such as not needing to make advance reservations, having less depen- dence on paratransit and family or friends for rides, and pro- viding the ability to use more transportation options. In the longer term, travel training can improve quality of life by allowing greater flexibility in making decisions about aging in place in their own homes and traveling spontaneously according to individual needs or desires. Travel training can enhance personal development and reduce anxiety by pro- viding more control over one’s own activities and schedule. Social connectedness is very important for an older adult’s well-being, and travel training can provide an opportunity for people to become more fully engaged in the community. Via Mobility Services in Boulder, Colorado, reported that, for the participants who reported having used public transit since they completed their training, 46% reported they get out more than they did prior to training, 60% reported that they are less dependent on family and friends for rides, and 26% reported less dependence on paratransit. A total of 67% of all respondents reported more choices of places they could go, and 80% reported greater flexibility with their times of travel. RideWise, TriMet, and Via Mobility Services staff see travel training as life affirming. According to Paratransit, Inc., travel training is a valuable program because one can see how the independence to get around changes the participants’ per- sonalities for the better. According to Via Mobility Services travel trainers, travel training can change the entire demeanor of the participants by expanding their options for getting around, thereby increasing their independence, spontaneity, and quality of life. Several program staff emphasized that the most compelling evidence of success comes from individu- als’ personal stories about how their quality of life has been impacted by the program. Based on the follow-up calls, 75% of NJTIP’s graduates continued to travel by fixed route buses and trains in the year after graduation. Graduates used regular bus and train routes three times more often than they used paratransit. Histori- cal data maintained by Paratransit showed that between 80% and 92% of travel training graduates were successfully using the fixed route system 3 months after completion of the train- ing. According to NJTIP, per capita transit trips prior to travel training averaged 97 trips a year. After graduation, participants took 414 trips per capita. Travel training can also provide economic benefits to indi- viduals, but a number of these benefits have not been quanti- fied at this time. Many short-run benefits are easily quantified. For example, travel training can lower costs for trips because fares for buses and rail systems are about one-half the price of ADA-eligible paratransit trips (or sometimes even lower). Greater accessibility should increase one’s ability for more

25 cost-effective purchasing. It is the long-run benefits that are not so easily quantified. Over the long term, travel training helps individuals stay mobile and connected with the com- munity. Increased access to health care can lead to health care savings and increased quality of life (Hughes-Cromwick et al., 2005). This increased health status supports more aging in place which, combined with community-based long-term care services, can lead to reduced or deferred nursing home costs (Kaye et al., 2009). Such economic benefits can be quite significant. Benefits to Caregivers Recent studies have found that more than 90% of unpaid, informal caregivers for older adults provide some form of transportation assistance, usually by driving the older drivers to destinations (Eby et al., 2011). Informal caregiv- ing has been linked to poorer health and economic hard- ship among caregivers (for example, see Classen et al., 2011). Travel training has the potential to ease caregiver burden, by allowing at least some of these trips to be made by bus or rail freeing up the informal caregiver for other activities while at the same time saving resources that would otherwise be spent on caring for an older adult. The Kennedy Center noted that some family members/ caregivers have expressed concern for the safety and physi- cal limitations of older family members using fixed route transit services. Travel training is one way to alleviate these concerns. Many model programs involve the family in indi- vidual assessments, intake interviews, and developing cus- tomized training in order to best meet the needs of trainees and involve family members in the post-training follow-ups to determine if mobility needs are still being met. Model pro- gram representatives believe that family members and care- givers value this input and appreciate the benefits of keeping older adults mobile. Benefits for the Community In the most general sense, travel training programs can be an essential component of a healthy community. Commu- nities in which older adults are unable to meet all of their transportation needs are faced with greater health care costs and a general lowering of quality of life. Research shows that when people lose mobility, they are more likely to reduce spending due to a lack of access to goods and services (Kim and Richardson, 2006). Travel training can help meet these mobility needs among older adults, which in turn helps the entire community. All of the model programs believed that they provided vital services to the communities in which they were located and that they tailored these services to the unique character- istics of their communities. One measure of the benefits to the community is the length of the waiting list for training programs. For example, RTA’s one-on-one Trip Training pro- gram has a 3- to 4-month waiting list. Benefits for Public Transit Agencies The benefits of travel training for transit providers can be substantial. ADA paratransit services are considerably more expensive for public transit agencies to provide than fixed route transit. According to the U.S. Government Account- ability Office (GAO) (2012), the average paratransit trip costs $29.30; the average fixed route trip costs $8.15; the average number of ADA paratransit trips provided by a transit agency increased by 7% from 2007 to 2010; and the average cost of providing an ADA paratransit trip increased 10% during that time period. Costs for ADA paratransit services are grow- ing faster than are costs for fixed route services: in the San Francisco Bay Area, for all transit operators reporting to the National Transit Database from 2000 to 2009, the cost per trip for demand response/ADA paratransit increased by 82%. This was a significantly greater increase than experienced for fixed route bus service, which saw a 56% increase over the same time period (Koffman et al., 2011). For transit providers that can use the excess capacity typically available in non- rush hour situations on their transit services at essentially no additional marginal costs, there can be substantial cost savings to the transit agency. Even slowing, if not reducing, the growth in ADA paratransit services can be beneficial for transit agencies. Most travel trainers emphasized that the purpose of the training is to increase the number of travel options available to people rather than to “get them off paratransit.” Travel train- ing can benefit transit agencies by increasing the use of pub- lic transit and contributing to a mobility options philosophy (providing people with more options). Some trainees reported informally that they used both paratransit and public tran- sit after completing the training, depending on the purpose of trips and conditions under which they were undertaken. Mobility training benefits transit providers because it encour- ages the use of the most appropriate and cost-effective transit options for all riders. A training program not only saves transit dollars, it also creates more space on paratransit vehicles for riders who have no other transit options. There are reports of significant cost savings or cost avoid- ance for transit agencies from the implementation of travel training programs. Transit agencies have discovered that mobility training costs are small when compared to the costs of ADA transit service, which can make the potential for sav- ings substantial. Because differing methodologies have been applied in making these estimates, some caution in accepting these claims is appropriate.

26 • RideWise conservatively calculates its program benefits as a 3 to 1 ratio of benefits to costs over a 1-year period, but they are not calculating the long-term benefits of travel training, only the benefits over the first year that a trainee is using transit. The RideWise travel training program has saved money for TriMet and has slowed the growth of TriMet’s ADA paratransit services. • Paratransit, Inc. calculated that shifting just one paratran- sit user (who travels to work or to a program 5 days a week) to regular fixed route public transit can create a cost sav- ings to an agency of more than $7,000 per year. Training one person each month to be transit independent can thus provide cost savings of more than $80,000 a year. Aver- age cost savings for seniors are likely to be lower than this because older adults are not frequently traveling to work or to other 5-day-per-week destinations. From Decem- ber 1981 to September 2012, Paratransit, Inc. trained 12,030 people, including persons with disabilities and older adults. The cost avoidance over the last 17 years in Sacramento has been calculated to be $20,588,458. • A study for NJTIP @ Rutgers calculated annual trips for each graduate, along with trip purpose, mode, revenue, cost, and savings per graduate. The study reached the fol- lowing conclusions: – NJTIP increased transit ridership by more than 62,000 trips in 2011. – NJTIP increased NJ TRANSIT’s farebox revenue by $92,432 and resulted in $141,449 in savings in para- transit costs, for an overall return of $233,881 annually. NJTIP thus covered its $200,000 travel training annual expenses and had a positive return of 17%. – Return on investment should increase annually as the number of graduates increases. – NJTIP improves the economy by allowing trained dis- abled residents to travel to work and other locations. Total per capita transit trips increased from 97 to 414 for NJTIP graduates, an increase of over 400%. (It is unlikely that seniors had as many trips as other individ- uals with disabilities since many seniors could be retired and therefore would not have work-related commuting trips included in their results.) • A special report on Washington, D.C. Metro’s Eligibility Cer- tification Travel Training and Transit Options Program esti- mated possible savings of $1.5 million in FY 2011–12 from the travel training program for persons with disabilities and older adults. The D.C. Metro’s survey of 183 individuals receiving the one-on-one training found that 90% reported an increase in fixed route transit use (primarily bus use but also some rail use) and only 10% reported no change. • King County Metro (Seattle, Washington) reported spend- ing about $573,000 in 2011 to provide travel training to over 300 individuals, but estimated it saved about $1,290,000 in paratransit costs by successfully transitioning paratransit patrons to the fixed route system (Koffman et al., 2011). Summary of Benefits Successful travel training programs generate significant benefits. The most obvious kinds of benefits created by travel training programs are benefits for older adult travelers and the local transportation services. Some of the benefits are immediate and some are long term. Benefits for Older Travelers Travel training provides numerous benefits for older adults. It can do the following: • Expand their travel options. • Increase their trip-making, leading to enhanced mobility. • Provide improved travel attributes, such as no need to make advance reservations, less dependence on para- transit, and less dependence on family and friends for rides. • Offer quality of life improvements, such as increased social connections, aging in place in their own homes, or travel- ing spontaneously, according to individual needs or desires. • Enhance personal development, reduce anxiety, provide more control over one’s own activities and schedule. • Improve social connectedness, helping people become active community members. • Provide economic benefits: – Fixed route public transportation costs are generally lower than most other travel alternatives, including ADA paratransit services. In most communities, older adults enjoy half-price fares on public bus and rail systems at least at some times during the day, versus as much as two times the regular fixed route fare for ADA-eligible paratransit rides. – Increased access to health care should improve health status and lead to lower long-term care costs. – Increased mobility supports aging in place, which can help to avoid or defer the costs of nursing homes. Benefits for Public Transit Agencies The benefits of travel training for transit providers can be substantial. • Because ADA paratransit services are considerably more expensive for public transit agencies to provide than fixed route transit, there can be substantial cost savings to the transit agency if travel training can encourage potential para- transit riders to use fixed route services instead. Even slowing, if not reducing, the growth in ADA paratransit services can be a beneficial cost avoidance strategy for transit agencies.

27 • Most travel trainers interviewed emphasized that the pur- pose of the training is to increase the number of travel options available to people rather than to “get them off paratransit.” Travel training can benefit transit agencies by increasing the use of public transit and contributing to a mobility options philosophy (providing people with more options). Some participants reported informally that they used both paratransit and public transit after completing the training, depending on the purpose of trips and condi- tions under which they were undertaken. • Travel training benefits transit providers since it encour- ages the use of the most appropriate and cost-effective transit options. • A training program not only saves transit dollars, it also creates more space on paratransit vehicles for riders who have no other transit options. • Travel training can build good will in the community for public transit: – The emphasis on cost control makes transit’s funders happy. – Travel training builds good will for transit’s consumers by showing that the agency cares about their needs. It is important to recognize that some of the benefits occur upon completion of training, while others take time to emerge and others yet are of a long-term nature.