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HomeMy WebLinkAbout111213ssa Agenda Package Locally Coordinated Human Service Transportation Plan 2013 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Background ………………………………………………………………………………………3 II. Survey ……………………………………………………………………………………………5 III. Bladen County ………………………………………………………………………………….7 IV. Cumberland County …………………………………………………………………………...18 V. Harnett County …………………………………………………………………………………32 VI. Sampson County ……………………………………………………………………………….43 VII. Appendix – Glossary ………………………………………………………………………….55 3 I. Background Public Transportation in North Carolina The provision of public transportation in the State of North Carolina began with the establishment of the Mass Transit Division of the Department of Transportation in 1974. The Division’s mission was to “foster the development of intercity, intracity and rural public transportation in the state and administer federal and state transit grant programs.”1 In 1979 the Mass Transit Division’s name was changed to the Public Transportation Division, which currently administers nearly $30 million in transit funding each year to more than 120 public transportation systems across the State. There are four principal types of public transportation options offered in the State of North Carolina. They are: Human Service Transportation, Community Transportation, Urban Transit, and Regional Transit. Other transportation service options include Intercity Bus Services, Van/Car Pools, Amtrak Train Services and State-owned intercity passenger trains and State-operated passenger ferries.2  Human Service Transportation Systems work with local human service agencies to transport clients for medical, educational, employment, or recreational needs. Eligible riders must be referred by a human service agency.  Community Transportation Systems also provide transportation for human service clients, but due to federal funding regulations, must also offer services to the general public as well. Transportation types include; subscription rides, dial-a-ride and deviated fixed route services. Seventy-eight community transportation systems are operated in North Carolina.  Urban Transit Systems in the State typically provides fixed route and dial-a-ride transportation services to the general public. These services must meet ADA requirements and sometimes include a van-pool service. The State supports 17 urban transit systems, four of which either have or is in the process of consolidating their urban and rural transportation systems.  Regional Transit Systems are less common in the State. These operations offer fixed-route bus systems, commuter services and connect to surrounding counties and other transit systems. They also receive dedicated funding from sales and rental car taxes. North Carolina’s public transportation systems receive funding from Federal, State and local (match and fares) sources. The most prominent rural public transportation grants include the Federal TEA-21 Section 5310 and Section 5311 programs, which are incorporated into the NC Community Transportation Program (CTP), the Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP), and the Rural Capital Program. Federal and State funding sources are used to subsidize public transportation services.3 Call for Projects Beginning in 2009, the Public Transportation Division of the North Carolina Department of Transportation solicited applications for US Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration funds and state funds available through Section 5310, 5316, and 5317. All projects funded under the three programs have to be derived from a locally developed coordinated public transit-human service transportation planning process and included in an approved plan. Applicants must execute federal and state certifications and assurances, and successful applicants will enter into contract with the department to implement the project. With the changes in the new Map-21 Legislation, Section 5316 will be consolidated into Section 5311 and Section 5317 will be consolidated into 5310.  Federal Section 5310 – Elderly and Disabled Persons Program 1 NC DOT Transitnet: http://www.ncdot.org/transit/transitnet/PublicInfo/AboutUs.html 2 Regionalizing Public Transportation Services, Project 2002 -11, NC DOT October 2002 3 Regionalizing Public Transportation Services, Project 2002 -11, NC DOT October 2002 4 The objective of these funds is to provide transportation services that meet the special needs of elderly persons and persons with disabilities for whom mass transportation services are unavailable, insufficient or inappropriate. Special efforts shall be made in the planning and design of transportation facilities and services to assure elderly persons and persons with disabilities the availability of transportation that they can effectively utilize. The Public Transportation Division, through the Section 5310 Program, provides grants to nonprofit corporations and associations and public bodies approved by the state to coordinate services for elderly persons and persons with disabilities, or public bodies that certify to the Governor that no nonprofit corporation or association is readily available in an area to provide the service. Funds are available for the purchase of vehicles and related capital equipment and for operating expenses.  Federal Section 5316 – Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) Program The purpose of the JARC grant program is to assist in developing new or expanded transportation services such as shuttles, vanpools, guaranteed rides home or connector/feeder services that connect employees to jobs and other employee-related services. Job Access projects are targeted at developing new or expanded transportation services for welfare recipients and/or low-income persons. Reverse commute projects can provide transportation services to suburban or rural employment locations for all populations. Funds are available for capital, planning and operating expenses that support the development and maintenance of transportation services designed to meet the intent of the program.  Federal Section 5317 – New Freedom Program The purpose of this program is to encourage services and facility improvements to address the transportation needs of persons with disabilities to go beyond those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). New Freedom grants are intended to provide additional tools to overcome existing barriers facing persons with disabilities who are seeking integration into the work force and full participation in society. For the purpose of the New Freedom Program, “new” service is any service or activity that was not operational on August 10, 2005, and did not have an identified funding source as of August 10, 2005. Funds are available to support the capital and operating costs of new public transportation service targeted toward people with disabilities or public transportation alternatives that go beyond those required by the ADA. Plan Approach Individual workshops to solicit input on Human Service Transportation needs were held in each of the four Mid-Carolina RPO counties in 2013. Letters and emails were sent out to interested parties announcing the workshops and advertisements were also placed in each county’s local newspaper to encourage public participation. As a part of the workshops, each attendee was asked to complete the attached survey to better understand the needs of each county. The survey is shown in Section II of this document. Furthermore, each workshop included a time of group discussion and sharing on what additional needs that the group felt were unmet in their respective county. The needs were then recorded for everyone to see and the opportunity for each individual to vote on the most important needs was given. From there, the group discussed potential strategies for satisfying the needs that they decided upon. This document is separated by counties. For each county, you will first see the Workshop Advertisement that was included in the local newspapers. After that is the summary of that counties’ workshop to include the attendance, ranking of needs, strategies, and the survey results. After that is a brief description of the most up-to-date public transportation services which that county currently provides, which has been updated to reflect 2012-2013 information. 5 II. Survey The following survey was distributed to all workshop participants in each county. ________________________________________________________________________ Coordinated Human Services Public Transportation Planning A survey of community transportation needs The Mid-Carolina Rural Transportation Planning Organization in coordination with the NCDOT has begun the effort to identify specific mobility needs of the various target populations and to better understand the need for special transportation services in the county. We intend to discuss how those needs are currently met or unmet and identify opportunities for improvement, along with assessing the capacity of human service agencies to coordinate transportation services. The goal of this workshop is to bring together local transportation providers, agencies, customers and other stakeholders and provide the opportunity for participation & involvement and to facilitate an exchange of ideas to be used during the planning of future transit needs of the county. In order to quickly prioritize the transportation issues that need to be addressed in your community – a common list of problems has been assembled from other ‘plans’ developed throughout the country. Please mark all those that apply to your experience. Prioritize each survey statement in accordance to level of importance using the following rankings: 4 – High Importance 2 – Low Importance 3 – Medium Importance 1 – No Importance SERVICE RELATED There is not enough public transportation service available. There needs to be extended service hours There needs to be extended weekend and night service There needs to be extended service focusing on employment type trips There is a need to increase service to fill gaps in underserved areas There is a need for coordination between transportation providers to provide cross-county trips There is a need for coordination between transportation providers to provide inter-county trips There is a need for a public transportation service to focus specifically on providing employment trips There is a need for a public transportation service to focus specifically on providing shopping and recreation trips Too much advance planning is required in order to get transportation There is a need for increased/improved door to door service for the elderly and disabled population EDUCATION & MARKETING/CUSTOMER SERVICE There is a need for education on available services, programs and eligibility requirements There are communication issues i.e. language barriers, non existent web-site or difficult to find/use, inconsistent information provided There needs to be advertising of the various services to the elderly, low income, and general public There is a need to market/increase participation on the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) 6 AGENCY RELATED There is a need for sustained support for coordinated transportation planning among elected officials, agency administrators, transportation providers and other community leaders Service providers need to be more “consumer friendly” There is a need for users to have the option to make reservations for service after business hours Agency staffing is too small to handle the number and complexity of issues that arise Below you may add any additional comments or problems and list any known locations/agencies/times or places the problems occur. What do you hope the Coordinated Human Service Transportation Plan will produce? Name of your human service agency or advocacy group (if applicable): _____________________________________________________________________ Name of person completing form _________________________________________ Telephone________________________Email_______________________________ 7 III. Bladen County _______________________________________________________________________ PUBLIC WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS AND IDENTIFY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEEDS IN BLADEN COUNTY The public is invited to attend a Bladen County workshop to address transportation needs for the transportation disadvantaged. This workshop will help identify the specific transportation needs for individuals with disabilities, older adults and persons with low incomes in order to improve the coordination of transportation services and increase the efficient use of public resources. The findings will be developed into a “Locally Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan” for the four counties in the Mid -Carolina Transportation Planning Organization area (Bla den, Cumberland, Harnett and Sampson Counties). DATE: Thursday, May 16, 2013 TIME: 2:00 p.m. PLACE: Bladen County Public Library 111 N. Cypress Street Elizabethtown, NC This workshop is being hosted by the Mid -Carolina Rural Transportation Planning Organization, in cooperation with Bladen County and the North Carolina Department of Transportation Public Transportation Division. For additional information, contact Joel Strickland at the Mid-Carolina Council of Governments at jstrickland@mccog.org or (910) 323-4191 extension 34. 8 BLADEN COUNTY WORKSHOP ATTENDANCE Joan Allen, Bladen County Division of Aging Ken Baker, NCDOT Public Transportation Greg Elkins, Bladen County Planning Mark Gillespie, Bladen County Commissioner Sonia Johnson Hopkins, Bladen County Department of Social Services Bryan Martin, Elizabethtown Planning Department Lisa Nance, Bladen County Department of Social Services Jim Orgel, Bladen County Transportation Advisory Board Kent Porter, Bladen Area Rural Transportation System Wayne Stewart, Bladen County Human Services Paula Warwick, Bladen County Division on Aging Romall Watson, BCHH Michelle Wright, Bladen County Department of Social Services BLADEN COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS The priority levels below are based on the amount of votes each need received at the workshop. The vote total is listed beside need in parenthesis. High Priority Needs: More service to underserved areas; mainly located east of the Cape Fear River (10) Funding for more vehicles and staff - system expansion (8) Medium Priority Needs: Funding for employment transportation and employment related activities (5) Coordination with adjoining counties (4) Transportation for situations of crisis (4) Low Priority Needs: Older adults need more transportation options (2) Assistance for elderly and disabled riders on and off vehicles and in and out of buildings (2) Extended service schedule (2) Areas of Kelly and Tobermory need more service (1) There is a need for a centralized Call Center that would coordinate transportation services between the five counties in Region N (Robeson, Richmond, Scotland, Hoke, and Bladen). The coordinated services of the Call Center will increase and enhance the availability of transportation of the targeted population by providing more options, opportunities and time-frames available for travel to medical appointments to Duke Medical Center, UNC Chapel Hill Medical Center and other major medical centers, errands and outings. (1) BLADEN COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE TRANSPORTATION POTENTIAL STRATEGIES OF IMPROVEMENT 1. Create an extended route to the outlying areas of the county 2. Use more advertising 3. Create community forum opportunities 4. Establish a new JARC route 5. Hire an ADA Bus Assistant 6. Extend service hours BLADEN COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE TRANSPORTATION SURVEY RESULTS A total of eleven (11) persons participated in the survey. The score for each survey topic is listed to the right of the topic in red. The highest score possible was 44. 9 Service Related Topics: There is not enough public transportation service available (33) There needs to be extended service hours (32) There needs to be extended weekend and night service (26) There needs to be extended serviced focusing on employment type trips (28) There is a need to increase service to fill gaps in underserved area (36) There is a need for coordination between transportation providers to provide cross-county trips (31) There is a need for coordination between transportation providers to provide inter-county trips (30) There is a need for a public transportation service to focus specifically on providing employment trips (26) There is a need for a public transportation service to focus specifically on providing shopping and recreation trips (23) Too much advance planning is required in order to get transportation (24) There is a need for increased/improved door to door service for the elderly and disabled population (35) Education & Marketing/Customer Service: There is a need for education on available services, programs and eligibility requirements (36) There are communication issues I.e. language barriers, non existent web-site or difficult to find/use, inconsistent information provided (27) There needs to be advertising of the various services to the elderly, low income and general public (35) There is a need to market/increase participation on the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) (28) Agency Related: There is a need for sustained support for coordinated transportation planning among elected officials, agency administrators, transportation providers and other community leaders (31) Service providers need to be more "consumer friendly" (30) There is a need for users to have the option to make reservations for service after business hours (28) Agency staffing is too small to handle the number and complexity of issues that arise (22) Other Comments:  BCDSS (Bladen County Department of Social Services) - Consumers try to coordinate appointments at the appropriate date and time. Agency would like consumer to change their appointments to the days BART’s travels to those cities or counties Desired Results from the Plan:  An easier method for the community to access transportation services.  I hope this will enlighten elected officials on the barriers with the system due to limited resources.  More coverage  More freely available transportation for Bladen County for medical, shopping, job  Transportation with fewer restrictions. 10 CURRENT BLADEN COUNTY SYSTEM Bladen County: BARTS Bladen Area Rural Transportation System SUBSCRIPTION ROUTES Service Routes 5 days a week – Monday through Friday Weekend Trips on Request Operating Hours: between 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. FARE ROUTE NAME & DESCRIPTION $3.00 DFR Deviated Route – Bladenboro (Monday thru Friday) $3.00 DFR Deviated Route – Clarkton (Monday thru Friday) $3.00 Smith Pond – White Lake (Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays) $3.00 Kelly – Kelly (2nd Tuesday and 3rd Thursday) $3.00 Northwest Bladen – Tar Heel (Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays) $3.00 White Lake (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) $3.00 Northwest Bladen – White Oak (Tuesdays & Thursdays) $3.00 Elizabethtown – Elizabethtown (Monday thru Friday) Dialysis Routes Monday through Friday Operating Hours: 0 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Services are provided to subscriptions route patrons Dialysis routes are funded through Social Services. Passengers are not charged individual fares. Nutrition Routes 5 days a week – Monday through Friday Operating Hours: 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. FARE ROUTE NAME & DESCRIPTION * Elizabethtown * Bladenboro * Kelly * East Arcadia * Baltimore *Nutrition Routes are funded through the Home and Community Care Block Grant Mental Health Routes 5 days a week – Monday through Friday Operating Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Demand Response – Services contracted to Bladen Opportunity Unlimited (BOU) Mental Health Routes are funded by agencies involved and the ROAP Grant. Medical Routes 1 to 2 days a week Operating Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. FARE ROUTE NAME & DESCRIPTION $4.00 Lumberton (Mondays & Wednesdays) $12.00 Duke/Chapel Hill (2nd & 4th Tuesdays) $4.00 Whiteville (1st & 3rd Tuesdays) $8.00 Fayetteville (2nd & 4th Tuesdays) $10.00 Wilmington (Thursdays) 11 Fleet Description (Types of Vehicles, Capacity and Special Accessories): The County’s 9-vehicle fleet includes:  One (1) 24-Passenger Bus  Three (3) Lift Vans with 2 Wheelchair Stations – 8 Seat Capacity  Five (5) High Top Passenger Vans – 12 Seat Capacity Overall Hours of Operation: 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday Contact Information: Bladen Area Rural Transportation System (BARTS) P.O. Box 520 Elizabethtown, NC 28337-2102 Telephone: (910) 862-6930; Fax: (910) 862-6913 TTY Technologies: 1-800-799-4889 Email – doa@bladenco.org or kporter@bladenco.org 2010 Census Characteristics: Population: 35,190 Persons per Square Mile: 40.2 Land Area: 875 square miles Rural: 31,607 or 90%* Urban: 3,583 or 10%* * Based on 2000 Census Estimates 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 IV. Cumberland County ________________________________________________________________________ PUBLIC WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS AND IDENTIFY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEEDS IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY The public is invited to attend a Cumberland County workshop to address transportation needs for the transportation disadvantaged. This workshop will help identify the specific transportation needs for individuals with disabilities, older adults and persons with low incomes in order to improve the coordination of transportation services and increase the efficient use of public resources. The findings will be developed into a “Locally Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan” for the four counties in the Mid-Carolina Transportation Planning Organization area (Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett and Sampson Counties). DATE: Thursday, April 18, 2013 TIME: 2:00 p.m. PLACE: Cumberland County Department of Social Services Meeting Room C 1225 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC This workshop is being hosted by the Mid-Carolina Rural Transportation Planning Organization, in cooperation with the Cumberland County Community Transportation Program, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation Public Transportation Division. For additional information, contact Joel Strickland at the Mid-Carolina Council of Governments at jstrickland@mccog.org or (910) 323-4191 extension 34. 19 CUMBERLAND COUNTY WORKSHOP ATTENDANCE K. Barnes, Grays Creek Baptist Church Gloria Bradley, Citizen Makkita Brown, Cumberland County Department of Social Services Maurizia Chapman, Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Alma Davis, Citizen Mary J. Dixon, Citizen Glenda Dye, Mid-Carolina Area Agency on Aging Ken Dye, Council on Older Adults Ifetayo Farrakhan, Department of Social Services Phillip Hart, City of Fayetteville Traffic Randy Hume, Fayetteville Area System of Transit Lee Jernigan, City of Fayetteville Terri Martin, Cumberland County Rudy McMillan, Majestic Mobility Anne Morrison, Citizen Pam Presser, Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Citizens Advisory Committee Mark Rowden, Savannah Baptist Church Gilian Smith, Citizen Kristine Wagner, Cumberland County Community Transportation Program Vince Wagner, Cumberland County Mental Health Dionne White, Harnett County Transit CUMBERLAND COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS The priority levels below are based on the amount of votes each need received at the workshop. The vote total is listed beside need in parenthesis. High Priority Needs: Bus routes in the Cedar Creek part of the County (8) Creation of more regional transportation connections (8) More bus service in Hope Mills and Grays Creek (7) Cross-county employment transportation options (5) More weekend service for the elderly and disabled clients (5) More non-medical service for the elderly and disabled (5) Medium Priority Needs: More door to door service for the elderly and disabled (4) Extended services on weekends (4) More employment transportation from rural areas to the FAST Transfer Center (4) More funding and staff for transportation services (4) Elderly transportation to nutrition sites and recreation (4) Route pickups and drop-offs at key destinations (4) Low Priority Needs: More sidewalks connecting to bus stops (3) Central call station for all services (1) Increased education for riders (1) Improved service to the 28312 and 28391 zip codes (Cedar Creek and Stedman areas) for low-income populations and seniors (1) Student and worker transportation needs throughout the day (1) Sensitivity training for operators, drivers and dispatchers (1) Customer service training program for companies providing transportation (1) A one-stop facility to pick-up riders and drop them off at multiple locations (1) The ability to add additional trips to requested trips as needed (1) 20 Fixed route service needs to be destination based (specific site to specific site) (1) Service after 7 pm transporting to and from municipal meetings (1) Active duty military transportation service (0) Communication and coordination on services between providers and health agencies (0) Increased diversity and representation on the Transportation Advisory Board (0) Reduced costs of transit passes for low-income individuals (0) More bike paths to transportation sites (0) Veteran’s dependency on children (0) Ability for students to get to night classes or training (0) Transportation for recreational opportunities (0) Improved safety and security on busses and at stops (0) Transportation statewide connecting the VA Hospitals (0) Para-transit to and on the military base (0) ADA Compliance and infrastructure (0) Pedestrian bridges (0) Connecting with Harnett County (0) Straight line bus connecting Ramsey St, Raeford Rd, and Skibo Rd (0) Advertising and outreach (0) Coordinated services for veterans (0) Extended hours of service (0) CUMBERLAND COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE TRANSPORTATION POTENTIAL STRATEGIES OF IMPROVEMENT 1. Implement a regional transportation system 2. Connect transportation providers with Fort Bragg 3. Expand the homemaker program 4. Mobile advertising on buses 5. More staffing for providers 6. Improve pedestrian access to transit 7. More education via presentations and workshops 8. Create a call center where citizens can find out which organizations can provide them service based upon their needs 9. Maintain and expand existing non-medical transportation for elderly and disabled clients CUMBERLAND COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE TRANSPORTATION SURVEY RESULTS A total of twenty-five (30) persons participated in the survey. The score for each survey topic is listed to the right of the topic in red. The highest score possible was 120. Service Related: There is not enough public transportation service available (111) There needs to be extended service hours (97) There needs to be extended weekend and night service (97) There needs to be extended serviced focusing on employment type trips (104) There is a need to increase service to fill gaps in underserved area (104) There is a need for coordination between transportation providers to provide cross-county trips (92) There is a need for coordination between transportation providers to provide inter-county trips (95) There is a need for a public transportation service to focus specifically on providing employment trips (94) There is a need for a public transportation service to focus specifically on providing 21 shopping and recreation trips (81) Too much advance planning is required in order to get transportation (71) There is a need for increased/improved door to door service for the elderly and disabled population (103) Education & Marketing/Customer Service: There is a need for education on available services, programs and eligibility requirements (92) There are communication issues I.e. language barriers, non existent web-site or difficult to find/use, inconsistent information provided (76) There needs to be advertising of the various services to the elderly, low income and general public (94) There is a need to market/increase participation on the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) (79) Agency Related: There is a need for sustained support for coordinated transportation planning among elected officials, agency administrators, transportation providers and other community leaders (104) Service providers need to be more "consumer friendly" (92) There is a need for users to have the option to make reservations for service after business hours (75) Agency staffing is too small to handle the number and complexity of issues that arise (85) Other Comments:  I am not aware of too many problems. I’ve only heard that ADA service is not easy to obtain and more vans are needed.  Would like to address transportation needs and concerns for seniors living in the Eagles Nest assisted living complex on Indian Creek Rd. Pick up point is far away from the complex on Sloan St approx. ½ mile away  Need to increase office staff to help coordinate and manage program. Way too much work and responsibility for current staffing pattern. Degree of complexity of work should be evaluated and jobs appropriately leveled and compensated Increase support staff.  Better transportation for disability personnel. Personnel with vehicles such as handicap vans are paid a fee worthwhile for transporting clients to appointments.  More expanded rural transportation. A transportation authority. More transportation to the disabled. Transportation to Duke & Chapel Hill for non DSS Client.  More service/less lip service. More money for transportation.  I would like to see a system of transportation comparable to those existing in major cities such as New York City.  Expanded transportation that riders can rely on and make appointments, get to jobs and necessary shopping and medical appointments. Target those that don't meet Medicaid eligibility - those that fall through the cracks and those that have scheduling issues. Safety, reliability and dependability are always an issue.  Assistance to elderly & handicapped (disabled).On time service. One Stop shop concept.  Safe, effective, efficient transportation options for citizens served.  Transportation for all may it be city or county. Cumberland Co. is a big county with a lot of older persons without transportation. I receive calls every day from persons living in Hope Mills, Stedman, and Cedar Creek trying to find a way to town. 22  The people in Fayetteville & Cumberland County who need transportation services will be fully informed as to what services are provided for them & how to access and utilize these services.  Additional types of trips for elderly/disabled within community  Safer transportation for elderly and disabled…I can't count the number of times I've seen a person in a wheelchair on a street without sidewalks.  More public knowledge of services provided. More flexibility in problem solving available to specific organizations and locations. This work shop is excellent and a great benefit for operation level personnel.  Advice and ways we can improve our transportation policies to accommodate the underserved clients in Hope Mills/Cumberland County.  Coordinated services garage of fast implementation. Also a steering committee and Desired Results from the Plan:  Extended service to key locations throughout the county while serving the needs of the community with service provided by the CTP. This service includes medical, pharmacy, school (Miller Motte, FTCC, FSU) Library, shopping for food and more volunteer services to hospitals, clinics, and museums.  A better understanding of the various transportation needs and challenges we now face and also what we will now do to address funding concerns.  I hope a program that will provide more education about services available. Maybe some type of program that would help the homeless.  Realization of scope of task and appropriate utilization of resources. Must be based on need, not political influence and pet projects.  Make it where the public will know how important it is to have transportation services and how important it is to keep transportation in the county and not outsource transportation services.  Establish bus service through rural Cedar Creek in Fayetteville to serve ALL citizens in the community.  A place that will allow all service providers the chance to offer our clients a variety of transportation options  Moving toward the forever, pain stakingly one stop shop – one phone number, one place regardless of which funding you face.  Formation of a regional Transit Authority  More opportunities for residents that live outside the city limits, more transportation.  Focus on most pressing transportation gaps and issues. More interagency cooperation/coordination.  Services provided to more citizens outside the ¾ mile of fixed route services.  Quality Transit systems for current residents in our County, City and Towns plus for our grandchildren and visitors for years to come into the future. By tying this effort to the 2030 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) and also using Transit Oriented Development (TOD) techniques during planed housing and business development, this will ensure inter-connectivity and mobility of services. This directly supports a changing demographic in our County, City and Town’s Wounded Warriors, Veterans and Exceptional Family Members with Disabilities and all other ADA requirements.  One of my biggest problems is the County Transit running out of money and having to limit their clients’ trips. This is when they will call Transit trying to get onto the ADA service we provide. Even if they do qualify, we would not be able to go to their home address if it is out of the ADA services area.  Attention to our needs to show under these current financial constraints, we have needs that are being overlooked to provide adequate service. The need of the county and its 23 citizens to be able to travel from one side of town in a reasonable time is great. On average it takes either too many buses to cross the city or one and half hours. If the CHSTP can see our needs, maybe we can be granted the funding to acquire more vehicles and personnel.  I hope that this team will be able to provide more transportation services for a wide variety of clients. Especially for clients who need to get to and from medical appointments. I also hope that if services begin to have to charge the people that it’s affordable for all who are in need of service.  I would like to see better cooperation and coordination among human service agencies; especially those with an interest in serving the aging population. Transportation is a key factor in helping older adults maintain independence and as the population continues to grow older, so the need/demand for transportation services will continue to increase. Funding for increased capacity will always be an issue, so we must work together to get the biggest bang for the buck and to think creatively about how we can implement workable solutions beyond present funding levels.  More efficient transportation services that will allow clients a wider range of opportunity to meet their community, employment, and mental health needs. Our clients here at C.R.E.S.T. have a severe need for ongoing transportation services in order to meet their particular service needs and due to the budget cuts and reduction of services and grants to support transportation programs they have suffered from the cutbacks as well.  An agreement with transport providers that would allow some service alternatives when the county/state funds are limited and only allow certain number of day transport for working disabled. We must allow them to work as we would any other individual. 24 Current Cumberland County System Cumberland County Community Transportation Program ROUTE INFORMATION Nutrition Routes 3 days a week – Monday through Friday Participants travel in prearranged groups. Operating Hours: between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Spring Lake Blue Street Downing Road Hope Mills Sunshine Center Nutrition Routes are funded by Mid Carolina Area Agency on Aging (AAA). Passengers are not charged individual fares; however, participation in the cost share program is encouraged but not required. Services are provided by B & W Transportation. Dialysis Transportation 5 days a week – Monday through Friday Normally operates between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. but can begin earlier if clients’ schedules require Demand Response – Service Area: Cumberland County Dialysis routes are funded by the Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) Grant through NC DOT and the Mid Carolina AAA Block Grant. Passengers are not charged individual fares, however, those transported with Mid Carolina Block Grant funds are encouraged but not required to participate in the cost share program. Services provided under the ROAP Grant are funded by the Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program (EDTAP) portion. The contracted vendors are FAMIKS, Inc. and B & W Transportation. Medical trips are funded by the ROAP Grant through NC DOT and the Mid Carolina AAA Block Grant. Passengers are not charged individual fares; however, those transported with Mid Carolina Block Grant funds are encouraged to participate in the cost share program. Services provided under the ROAP Grant are funded by the Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program (EDTAP) portion. The contracted vendors are FAMIKS, Inc and B & W Transportation. RGP Routes are available for Medical, Grocery, School, and Work trips for rural residents. The service is $2.25 per one way trip and is supplied by B & W Transportation. Employment Transportation is provided for individuals going to Work or School and do not have access to Transit Services. The trips are $2.25 per one way trip and are supplied by Majestic Mobility. Medical Transportation 5 days a week – Monday through Friday Operating Hours: between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Demand Response – Service area: Cumberland County Rural General Public 5 days a week – Monday through Friday Operating Hours: between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. Employment Transportation 5 days a week – Monday through Friday Operating Hours: between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. 25 Elderly and Disabled Services are provided for non-medical trips also at a rate of $2.25 per one way trip. This includes Grocery Shopping, Work, and School trips and is supplied by FAMIKS, Inc and B & W Transportation. Fleet Description (Types of Vehicles, Capacity and Special Accessories): The Cumberland County Community Transportation Program provides services that are contracted. All vehicles meet ADA requirements. Overall Hours of Operation: 5:00 am to 8:00 pm, Monday through Friday Contact Information: Rural Services: Kristine Wagner Transportation Program Coordinator Cumberland County Community Transportation Program 130 Gillespie Street Fayetteville, NC 28301 910-678-7619 Fayetteville Services: Fayetteville Area System of Transit (FAST) Information Center 147 Old Wilmington Road Fayetteville, NC 28301 (910) 433-1747 2010 Census Characteristics: Population: 319,431 Persons Per Square Mile: 489.2 Land Area: 653 square miles Rural: 41,526 or 13%* Urban: 277,905 or 87%* *Based on 2000 Census Estimates Elderly and Disabled Services 5 days a week – Monday through Friday Operating Hours: between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 V. Harnett County _________________________________________________________________________ PUBLIC WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS AND IDENTIFY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEEDS IN HARNETT COUNTY The public is invited to attend a Harnett County workshop to address transportation needs for the transportation disadvantaged. This workshop will help identify the specific transportation needs for individuals with disabilities, older adults and persons with low incomes in order to improve the coordination of transportation services and increase the efficient use of public resources. The findings will be developed into a “Locally Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan” for the four counties in the Mid-Carolina Transportation Planning Organization area (Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett and Sampson Counties). DATE: Tuesday, May 7, 2013 TIME: 10:00 a.m. PLACE: Harnett County Complex Commons Room 250 Alexander Drive Lillington, NC This workshop is being hosted by the Mid-Carolina Rural Transportation Planning Organization, in cooperation with Harnett County and the North Carolina Department of Transportation Public Transportation Division. For additional information, contact Joel Strickland at the Mid-Carolina Council of Governments at jstrickland@mccog.org or (910) 323-4191 extension 34. 33 HARNETT COUNTY ATTENDANCE Osman A, Peoples Choice Healthcare Ken Baker, NCDOT Public Transportation Johanna Barker, HP Enterprises Barry A. Blevins, Harnett County John L. Finger, Veterans Affairs Patricia Little, JC Industries Michael Mandeville, Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Carolyn McDoyel, Citizen Mike Rutan, Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Gordon Springle, Harnett County Commissioners Kristine Wagner, Cumberland County Community Transportation Program Dionne White, Harnett Area Rural Transit System HARNETT COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS The priority levels below are based on the amount of votes each need received at the workshop. The vote total is listed beside need in parenthesis. High Priority Needs: Need for increased funding (8) Handicap accessible vans (4) Technology and infrastructure improvements (4) Additional transportation for disabled clients (4) Medium Priority Needs: Fixed route services are needed to address increasing demand (3) More trips are needed to urban counties (3) Employment transportation to and from work (3) Low Priority Needs: Nights and weekend service (1) Regional coordination efforts (1) More vans to serve increase in demand (1) Increased trips to local colleges (0) Extended operating hours on weekends (0) Cap service (hour/schedule based) (0) HARNETT COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE TRANSPORTATION POTENTIAL STRATEGIES OF IMPROVEMENT 1. Increased funding 2. Cooperation in transferring clients from one county to another (systems share resources) 3. More vehicles – system expansion 4. Establish a new route connecting to Central Carolina Community College and Employment centers (JARC) HARNETT COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE TRANSPORTATION SURVEY RESULTS A total of six (6) persons participated in the survey. The score for each survey topic is listed to the right of the topic in red. The highest score possible was 24. Service Related: There is not enough public transportation service available (20) There needs to be extended service hours (20) 34 There needs to be extended weekend and night service (20) There needs to be extended serviced focusing on employment type trips (23) There is a need to increase service to fill gaps in underserved area (23) There is a need for coordination between transportation providers to provide cross-county trips (21) There is a need for coordination between transportation providers to provide inter-county trips (20) There is a need for a public transportation service to focus specifically on providing employment trips (22) There is a need for a public transportation service to focus specifically on providing shopping and recreation trips (15) Too much advance planning is required in order to get transportation (15) There is a need for increased/improved door to door service for the elderly and disabled population (23) Education & Marketing/Customer Service: There is a need for education on available services, programs and eligibility requirements (19) There are communication issues I.e. language barriers, non existent web-site or difficult to find/use, inconsistent information provided (20) There needs to be advertising of the various services to the elderly, low income, and general public (20) There is a need to market/increase participation on the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) (19) Agency Related: There is a need for sustained support for coordinated transportation planning among elected officials, agency administrators, transportation providers and other community leaders (21) Service providers need to be more "consumer friendly" (23) There is a need for users to have the option to make reservations for service after business hours (22) Agency staffing is too small to handle the number and complexity of issues that arise (14) Other Comments:  Employment Transportation is very important, but not available. There is a need for additional vans for areas of the county with high and growing populations (Dunn & Western Harnett)  Needs adequate infrastructure (technology & software) to manage system & control billing. More funds need to be secured so county costs are reduced. Employment services needed to be offered throughout the county as well as nights and weekends and Saturday and Sunday Desired Results from the Plan:  NONE LISTED 35 CURRENT HARNETT COUNTY SYSTEM Harnett County: HARTS Harnett Area Rural Transportation System SUBSCRIPTION ROUTES Service Routes 5 days a week – Monday through Friday Operating Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. FARE ROUTE NAME & DESCRIPTION * Route 1 – Dunn * Route 2 – Dunn * Route 3 – Dunn/Erwin * Route 4 – Western Harnett/Johnsonville/Cameron * Route 5 – Lillington/Angier * Route 6 – Coats/Lillington * Route 7 – Erwin/Bunnlevel/Anderson Creek * Route 8 – Lillington/Mamers/Broadway * Route 9 – Buies Creek/Coats/Angier *The servicing agency reimburses for some designated passenger fares while other fares are funded by the local government. Dialysis 5 days a week – Monday through Friday Operating Hours: 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. FARE DESCRIPTION Dialysis for Dunn, Sanford, Lillington & Angier Kidney Centers * Dunn Dialysis – Dunn/Erwin/Coats * Sanford Dialysis – Johnsonville/Western Harnett/Cameron * Lillington Dialysis – Lillington/Bunnlevel/Anderson Creek * Angier Dialysis – Angier/Fuquay Varina *Dialysis routes are funded through Social Services Medicaid, Council on Aging Medical & EDTAP funds. Nutrition Routes Routes are run during midday Monday – Friday for some Centers and only three days for others. Johnsonville: Monday – Friday Erwin Site: Monday – Friday Anderson Creek: Tuesday – Thursday Dunn: Monday – Friday Shawtown: Monday - Friday Mental Health Routes 2 to 3 days a week Operating Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. FARE ROUTE NAME & DESCRIPTION * Route 11 – Dunn/Erwin & Coats (Monday, Wednesday & Friday) * Route 14 – Lillington/Bunnlevel & Broadway (Tuesday & Thursday) * Route 15 Lillington/Erwin (Thursday) *Routes are funded through Social Services. Passengers are not charged individual fares. 36 Demand Response Routes Routes by Demand only, 5 days a week Primarily Serve Human Resource Agencies, i.e., Health Department & Social Services. Passenger’s Fare for agencies are $1.10 per vehicle mile Deviated Fixed-Route and Dial a Ride (DaR) Routes Red Route – Deviated Fixed Route operate on the eastern side of the county and passengers must be at the designated stop and pay $2.00 fare for a one-way trip. Route circulates from Lillington, Angier, Coats, Erwin, and Dunn DaR Services Provided based upon Availability. In county trips are $3.00 and out-of-county trips are $5.00. Fleet Description (Types of Vehicles, Capacity and Special Accessories): The County’s 16-vehicle fleet includes:  Two Cut-a-ways (24-Passenger Buses and One 18-Passenger Bus) Lift Equipped  14 Center Isle Vans (14 Passenger)  4 Mini Vans (7 Passenger) Overall Hours of Operation: 4:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday Contact Information: Dionne White Harnett Area Rural Transit System (HARTS) P.O. Box 940 Lillington, NC 27546-0940 Tel. (910) 814-4018 or 814-4019; fax (910) 814-4020 TTY: 1-800-799-4889 Email – dwhite@harnett.org 2010 Census Characteristics: Population: 114,678 Persons per Square Mile: 192.7 Land Area: 595 square miles Rural: 76,834 or 67%* Urban: 37,844 or 33%* *Based on 2000 Census Estimates 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 VI. Sampson County _________________________________________________________________________ PUBLIC WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS AND IDENTIFY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEEDS IN SAMPSON COUNTY The public is invited to attend a Sampson County workshop to address transportation needs for the transportation disadvantaged. This workshop will help identify the specific transportation needs for individuals with disabilities, older adults and persons with low incomes in order to improve the coordination of transportation services and increase the efficient use of public resources. The findings will be developed into a “Locally Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan” for the four counties in the Mid-Carolina Transportation Planning Organization area (Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett and Sampson Counties). DATE: Monday, April 29, 2013 TIME: 9:00 a.m. PLACE: Sampson County Health Department 360 County Complex Road Clinton, NC This workshop is being hosted by the Mid-Carolina Rural Transportation Planning Organization, in cooperation with the Sampson County Department of Aging, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation Public Transportation Division. For additional information, contact Joel Strickland at the Mid-Carolina Council of Governments at jstrickland@mccog.org or (910) 323-4191 extension 34. 44 SAMPSON COUNTY WORKSHOP ATTENDANCE Jonathan Allen, Clinton Parks and Recreation Linda Armwood, Sampson County Department of Aging Ken Baker, NCDOT Public Transportation Todd Daughty, Sampson Area Transportation Marie Faircloth, Sampson County Department of Aging Linda Greene, Sampson County Department of Social Services Youlanda Hall, CCAP Aspire Barbara Leach, TCSC Inc. Cheryl Norris, Sampson County Health Department Becky Oates, U Care, Inc. Lin Reynolds, NCDOT Division 3 Patrick Riddle, NCDOT Division 3 Raquel Rosario, CCAP Aspire Mary Rose, Sampson County-Clinton Planning Department Rhonda Smith, Sampson County Department of Aging Lorie Sutton, Sampson County Department of Aging SAMPSON COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS The priority levels below are based on the amount of votes each need received at the workshop. The vote total is listed beside need in parenthesis. High Priority Needs: Services after 5 pm and weekends for shopping, employment, dialysis and medical trips (11) System expansion; more vehicles (9) Serving limited service areas in North and Northwestern Sampson County (8) More resources for kidney dialysis patients (6) Medium Priority Needs: Weekend service (4) Outreach to the public, specifically Hispanics and the Elderly (4) Increased Veteran awareness of out-of-county medical services (4) Volunteer coordinators needed (3) More flexibility with senior services (3) Low Priority Needs: Business assistance in outreach and cost sharing (2) ADA/Paratransit assistants (2) Better coordination between transportation providers and medical services (1) Staffing to assist Hispanic populations (1) Education to service providers regarding diverse cultures that may need service (1) Coordination of services with Harnett County (0) SAMPSON COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE TRANSPORTATION POTENTIAL STRATEGIES OF IMPROVEMENT 1. Have a volunteer or staff person make reminder calls for appointments 2. Use 5310 funds to hire an additional ADA/Paratransit staff person 3. Market directly to eligible clients near existing routes 4. Increased marketing tools and items 5. Work with private providers to extend service past SATs operating hours 6. CTSP Plan to expand service to North and Northwestern Sampson County 45 SAMPSON COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE TRANSPORTATION SURVEY RESULTS A total of fourteen (14) persons participated in the survey. The score for each survey topic is listed to the right of the topic in red. The highest score possible was 56. Service Related: There is not enough public transportation service available (53) There needs to be extended service hours (50) There needs to be extended weekend and night service (46) There needs to be extended serviced focusing on employment type trips (43) There is a need to increase service to fill gaps in underserved area (51) There is a need for coordination between transportation providers to provide cross-county trips (46) There is a need for coordination between transportation providers to provide inter-county trips (49) There is a need for a public transportation service to focus specifically on providing employment trips (41) There is a need for a public transportation service to focus specifically on providing shopping and recreation trips (35) Too much advance planning is required in order to get transportation (31) There is a need for increased/improved door to door service for the elderly and disabled population (49) Education & Marketing/Customer Service: There is a need for education on available services, programs and eligibility requirements (42) There are communication issues I.e. language barriers, non existent web-site or difficult to find/use, inconsistent information provided (48) There needs to be advertising of the various services to the elderly, low income and general public (45) There is a need to market/increase participation on the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) (43) Agency Related: There is a need for sustained support for coordinated transportation planning among elected officials, agency administrators, transportation providers and other community leaders (50) Service providers need to be more "consumer friendly" (41) There is a need for users to have the option to make reservations for service after business hours (39) Agency staffing is too small to handle the number and complexity of issues that arise (48) Other Comments:  I worked with the Service Center in the county. I see many needs for transportation in the rural areas. I would like to see transportation provided or extended all over the county. The needs are there. It would be great to have a “floating” driver that could be available to pick up and transport as needed overnight and extended day trips, educational or recreation would be a plus – at the Garland Center we have a van housed there, but its only 4 hours per day – a driver on hand could take care of this issue.  There are issues in providing transportation to the extreme northern end of the County. Transportation is not being provided to all senior / nutrition sites throughout the county. Seniors would like to take long distance trips; some possibly overnight but can’t do so due to restrictions in place. People are not added 46 on during the course of the day due to the inability to provide additional routes or the shortage of drivers/vans to accomplish other needs. I feel their needs to be a floater employee for each end of the county to take care of emergency needs or provide services that other providers can’t fulfill.  Funding need for everything. Established pick up and take home times.  Northern part of county is hard to serve – no established routes. Funding a problem. Kidney dialysis is a huge need – takes a lot of staff, funding and time.  There is a need for elderly/disabled populations to be transported to out of county emergency medical needs. Desired Results from the Plan:  A wide and open eye for all areas of the county – Seniors, persons with severe disabilities, low income - is my passion  I hope that it will produce transportation capabilities to cover the entire county, not part of it. I would like to see extended service hours & some weekend support systems in place.  Increasing trips to the northern part of county; helping those who need it most.  A better coordination b/w city, & community groups & county in regards to meeting transportation needs.  More funding to allow SAT to cover the unmet needs in Sampson County.  More consistent services for our disabled & elderly population in Sampson County. We need to focus on chronic needs of individuals living at the furthest points in our county. In example a person living in Newton Grove should be able to receive a ride to dialysis just as a person living in the city of Clinton.  To help establish a uniform plan that helps meet the gaps in the elderly/disabled transportation needs, also to help with employment/training transportation needs for low income families that do not have transportation.  I hope that the transportation system will run every hour on the hour for people to be able to get around and have stable/reliable transportation to work, appointments and for personal trips.  I hope that the final product will be reliable transportation system that will accommodate the needs of the community.  More transportation services for Sampson County. After hours transportation (after 5PM)  The needed transportation services for county residence that are in need and depend on this service. 47 Current Sampson County System Sampson Area Transportation Routes are $2.00 with an additional $1.00 per extra stop unless otherwise noted. One child can ride with a paying adult and caretakers/personal assistants can also ride for free with a paying rider. SUBSCRIPTION ROUTES Dialysis Routes 5 days a week – Monday through Friday Operating Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. FARE ROUTE NAME & DESCRIPTION $2.00 Routes 71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88 Nutrition Routes 4 to 5 days a week Operating Hours: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. FARE ROUTE NAME & DESCRIPTION * Route 202, 203 & 221 - Garland * Route 200,201 & 222 – Clement * Route 208, 209 &223 – Westbrook * Route 206, 207 & 225 – Roseboro * Route 210 & 211 – Harrells * Route 204, 205 & 227 – Clinton * Route 212 & 213 – Coharie Intra Tribal Area *Route fares are based on the percentage of income per rider. Mental Health Routes 5 days a week - Monday thru Friday Operating Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. FARE ROUTE NAME & DESCRIPTION $2.00 Route 5002, 5003, 5004, 5005, 5006, 5007, 5008, 5009 (Opportunities Unlimited) $2.00 Route 5010, 5011 & 5020 – Mayflower House Adult Day Health Care Routes 5 days a week - Monday thru Friday Operating Hours: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. FARE ROUTE NAME & DESCRIPTION $2.00 Route 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 & 56 (Serves Adult Day Health Care Clients) $2.00 Route 5010, 5011 & 5020 – Mayflower House 48 Fleet Description (Types of Vehicles, Capacity and Special Accessories): The County’s fleet includes:  One (1) 22 foot Light Transit Vehicle with Wheelchair Lift  Three (3) 20 foot Light Transit Vehicles with Wheelchair Lifts  Three (3) Lift Equipped Vans  Two (2) Conversion Vans (no lifts)  One (1) Mini-Van (no lift)  Three (3) Center-Aisle Vans (no lifts) Overall Hours of Operation: 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday Contact Information: Sampson Area Transportation (SAT) 311 County Complex Road Clinton, NC 28328 Tel. (910) 299-0127; fax (910) 299-0973 Email – satcoord@intrstar.net 2010 Census Characteristics: Population: 63,431 Persons per Square Mile: 63.6 Land Area: 945 square miles Rural: 53,916 or 85%* Urban: 9,515 or 15%* *Based on 2000 Census Estimates Dial & Ride Routes For use by the General Public, 5 days a week Services generally provided between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 VII. Appendix Glossary The following glossary provides definitions of public transportation-related terms, phrases and acronyms used throughout this report. 4 Carpool – An arrangement by which two or more people share the use and cost of privately owned automobiles in traveling to and from pre-arranged destinations together. Generally, carpooling agreements are not arranged by contract, whereas vanpool and buspool agreements are contractually binding. Community Transportation – The efficient and effective utilization of all available resources in the provision of safe and reliable public transportation services for all citizens. Commuter Bus Service – Fixed-route bus characterized by service predominantly in one direction during peak periods, limited stops, use of multi-ride tickets and routes of extended length, usually between the central business district and outlying suburbs. Commuter bus service also may include other service, characterized by a limited route structure, limited stops and a coordinated relationship with another mode of transportation. Dial-a-ride – Another name for "demand responsive." Demand Responsive – 1. Non-fixed-route service utilizing vans or buses with passengers boarding and alighting at pre-arranged times at any location within the system's service area. Also called "dial-a-ride." 2. Passenger cars, vans or motor buses operating in response to calls from passengers or their agents to the transit operator, who then dispatches a vehicle to pick up the passengers and transport them to their destinations. A demand-response operation is characterized by the following: firstly, the vehicles do not operate over a fixed route or on a fixed schedule except, perhaps, on a temporary basis to satisfy a specific need; and secondly, the vehicle typically may be dispatched to pick up several passengers at different pick-up points before taking them to their respective destinations and may even be interrupted en route to these destinations to pick up other passengers. 3. Personal transit service operated on roadways to provide service on demand. Vehicles normally are dispatched and used exclusively for this service. Fare – The required payment for a ride on a public transportation vehicle. It must be paid by an acceptable means, for example, using cash, token, ticket, transfer, farecard, voucher, pass or user's fee. Fixed Route – Service provided on a repetitive, fixed-schedule basis along a specific route with vehicles stopping to pick up and deliver passengers to specific locations; each fixed-route trip serves the same origins and destinations, unlike demand-response and taxicab services. Human Service Transportation System – Transportation systems which provide service exclusively to clients of human-service agencies. In North Carolina, there are three types of human-service transit systems: 1) those that are consolidated and provide their own services; 2) those that are consolidated and contract for transportation services; and 3) those that are coordinated. Intercity Bus Transportation – Establishments primarily engaged in furnishing bus transportation, over regular routes and on regular schedules, the operations of which are principally outside a single municipality and its suburban areas. Paratransit – Comparable transportation service required by the Americans with Disabilities Act for people with disabilities who are unable to use fixed-route transportation systems. Passenger Trips – Number of passengers who board operational revenue vehicles. Passengers are counted each time they board vehicles no matter how many vehicles they use to travel from their origin to their destination. Trips are counted regardless of whether an individual fare is collected for each leg of travel. It includes passenger trips on volunteer, other CT system, and other provider vehicles." Public Transit – 1. (Or public transportation) Passenger transportation services, local, metropolitan or regional in scope, that are available to any person who pays a prescribed fare. 2. Transportation by bus, rail or other conveyance, either publicly or privately owned, which is provided to the public or specialty service on a regular and continuing basis. Also known as "mass transit," "mass transportation," "public transportation" and "transit." 4 NC DOT Transitnet: http://www.ncdot.org/transit/transitnet/Glossary/A.html 56 Public Transit Agency – A public entity responsible for administering and managing transit activities and services. Public transit agencies can directly operate transit service or contract out for all or part of the total transit service provided. Public Transit System – An organization that provides transportation services owned, operated or subsidized by any municipality, county, regional authority, state or other governmental agency, including those operated or managed by a private management firm under contract to the government agency owner. Ridership – 1. The number of rides taken by people using a public transportation system during a given time period. 2. Refers to the number of people using a particular transit system on a regular basis. Rural – 1. Usually refers to areas with populations less than 5,000. 2. Areas outside the limits of any incorporated or unincorporated city, town, village, hamlet or any other designated residential or commercial area such as a subdivision, business or shopping center or community development. 3. Includes all areas of a state that are outside the Federal Highway Administration approved and adjusted census boundaries of small urban and urbanized areas. Rural General Public Transit System – Transit systems in rural areas (areas with less than 5,000 population) that provide transportation services to clients of human-service agencies and the general public. Federal Section 18 funds are used to assist in the administration and operating expenses of these systems. Subscription Bus – A commuter bus express service operated for a guaranteed number of patrons from a given area on a prepaid, reserved basis. Subscription Service – Any public transportation service operated for a guaranteed number of patrons on a prepaid, reserved basis. Transit (or Public Transit) – Another name for "public transportation," generally used in contexts that do not include carpools or vanpools. Transit System – An organization (public or private) providing local or regional multi-occupancy-vehicle passenger services. Organizations that provide services under contract to another agency generally are not counted a separate systems from the contracting agency. Urban – 1. Usually refers to areas with populations of 5,000 or more. 2. Describes any area that includes a municipality or other built-up place which is appropriate in the judgment of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, for a public transportation system to serve commuters or others in the locality taking into consideration the local patterns and trends of urban growth. Vanpool – 1. A voluntary commuter ridesharing arrangement, using vans with a seating capacity greater than seven persons (including the driver) or buses, which provides transportation to a group of people traveling directly from their homes (or a pre-arranged meeting place, such as a park-and-ride lot) to their regular places of work within the same geographical area, and in which the commuter/driver does not receive compensation beyond reimbursement for his or her costs of providing the service. 2. An arrangement in which a group of passengers share the use and cost of a van in traveling to and from pre-arranged destinations together. 3. Vans and/or Class C motor buses operating as a voluntary commuter ride-sharing arrangement, which provides transportation to a group of individuals traveling directly between their homes (or a prearranged meeting place, such as a park-and-ride lot) and their regular places of work within the same geographical area. The vans should have a seating capacity greater than seven people, including the driver. 4. A public-sponsored commuter service operating under prearranged schedules for previously formed groups of riders in eight to 18-seat vehicles. Drivers also are commuters who may receive little or no compensation besides free transportation and use of the vehicle during "off" hours. Generally, carpooling agreements are not arranged by contract, whereas vanpool and buspool agreements are contractually binding. Vehicles in Total Fleet – All revenue vehicles held at the end of the fiscal year, including those in storage, emergency contingency and awaiting sale. Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicle – A vehicle that a person using a wheelchair may enter either via an on-board retractable lift or ramp; or directly from a station platform that is accessible by elevator or a ramp that is either level with the vehicle floor or can be raised to floor level. STI Legislation & Strategic Mobility Formula Updated October 11, 2013 Strategic Transportation Investment (STI) New funding formula for NCDOT’s Capital Expenditures House Bill 817 signed into Law June 26, 2013 Overwhelming support in both House and Senate Most significant NC transportation legislation since 1989 Highway Trust Fund Prioritization 3.0 Workgroup charged with providing recommendations to NCDOT on weights and criteria 2 problem Infrastructure gap. Decline in businesses and jobs. Increased population = Infrastructure need Decreased Revenue projections - $1.7b + 1.3m 2013-2023 Yet, we can address part of the problem through a strategic mobility formula current funding method is unsustainable Address shrinking revenue High Priority Projects! 40% of Funds = $6B 30% of Funds = $4.5B 30% of Funds = $4.5B How the STI Works 5 Statewide Mobility Regional Impact Division Needs Estimated $15B in Funds for SFY 2016-2025 Significant Congestion and Bottlenecks •100% Data •Includes: •Interstates •Future Interstates •National Highway System •Department of Defense Highway Network • Appalachian Development Highway System •Uncompleted Intrastate projects •Designated Toll Facilities Improve Connectivity within Regions •70% Data & 30% Local Input •Other US and NC Routes Address Local Needs Equal Share •50% Data & 50% Local Input •All SR Routes regions & divisions STI Legislation All modes must compete for the same funds Combines traditional Equity-eligible funds, Urban Loop funds, Mobility Funds, Powell Bill, and Secondary Roads paving - All will be funded from Highway Trust Fund What is NOT ELIGIBLE for the fund Operations and Maintenance expenditures Bicycle-Pedestrian projects authorized for construction as of Oct. 1, 2013 are not included in limitation on State funding Other Project Specific Information Regardless of mode will be scored on a 0-100 point scale Highway Cap (10% Statewide Mobility) Public Transportation Cap (10% Regional Impact Funds obligated for construction by July 1, 2015 are not subject to formula Incentive For Local funding (highway projects only) 7 STI Legislation Funds included in the applicable category (Statewide, Regional, Division) but not subject to prioritization criteria: •Bridge Replacement •Interstate Maintenance •Highway Safety Improvements Funds included in the computation of Division equal share but will be evaluated through separate prioritization processes: •STP-DA (if funds used on Regional category eligible project, funds come from Regional) •Transportation Alternatives •Rail-highway crossing program 8 Insert Table of Eligibility 9 Statewide Regional Division Aviation Large Commercial Service Airports. Max. $500K/year/airport Other Commercial Service Airports Max. $300K/year/airport All Airports without Commercial Service. Max. $18.5M/year/all airports. Bicycle- Pedestrian N/A N/A All routes Public Transportation N/A 2 plus Counties serving more than one municipality. Max. 10% of regional allocation. Service not included on Regional. Multimodal terminals and stations serving passenger transit systems Ferry N/A State Ferry routes, excluding replacement vessels Replacement of vessels Rail Freight on CSX and Norfolk Southern Rail service spanning 2 plus counties not included on Statewide Rail service not included on Statewide or Regional Eligibility Definitions – Non Highways •Each mode has own unique criteria: ‒Aviation ‒Bike & Ped ‒Ferry ‒Public Transportation ‒Rail •Minimum of 4 quantitative criteria required •All modes compete with each other for funding non- highway Separate prioritization process for each mode Funding Category QUANTITATIVE LOCAL INPUT Data Division Rank MPO/RPO Rank Statewide Mobility [Travel Time] Benefit/Cost = 30% Congestion = 30% Economic Competitiveness = 10% Safety = 10% Multimodal [& Freight + Military] = 20% Total = 100% -- -- Regional Impact [Travel Time] Benefit/Cost = 25% Congestion = 25% Safety = 10% Accessibility/Connectivity = 10% Total = 70% 15% 15% Division Needs Benefit/Cost = 20% Congestion = 20% Safety = 10% Total = 50% 20% 30% Highway Scoring Criteria and Weights •30% local ranking on region level based on: ̶15% NCDOT Division Input ̶15% Local Planning Organization Input •50% local ranking on division level based on: ̶20% NCDOT Division Input ̶30% Local Planning Organization Input local input Local input is factor on region and division levels Definition – Methodology for comparing quantitative scores across all modes together For Prioritization 3.0 Only (Initial Implementation of STI) •Statewide Mobility (only) – No normalization, scores are stand-alone for comparison (highway, aviation, freight rail) •Regional Impact & Division Needs – Allocate funds to Highway and Non-Highway modes based on minimum floor or %s Mode Workgroup Recommendation Historical Budgeted Historical Expenditures Highway 90% (min.) 93% 96% Non-Highway 4% (min.) 7% 4% Normalization Approach 13 Highway = minimum of 10; plus 1 additional for 100K in population, Max. 20 new submittals. •Option to swap up to 5 existing projects in the Prioritization system for 5 new highway projects (in addition to the maximum of new projects) Bicycle & Pedestrian = 20 Max. ( existing projects in system removed) •Combined total of both bicycle and pedestrian projects Aviation = No limit Ferry = 10 Public Trans. = No limit (all existing projects in system removed) Rail = 5 New Project Submittals (Maximum #) Apr Prioritization 3.0 Schedule Jan Dec Nov Sept Aug May Mar Jan Dec July Mar Feb Apr June Oct Feb DOT Calculates Quant. Scores, & Programs STW Mob. Projects Submit New Projects MPOs/RPOs & Divisions Assign Local Input Points DOT Finalizes Scores for All Modes Final STIP Adopted by July 1, 2015 2014 2015 October 10, 2013 2013 May June All Modes All Modes DOT Develops Draft STIP Air Quality Conformity Analysis Draft STIP Public Comment Period 25 Year Infrastructure Planning Process Final STIP must be Approved by October 1, 2015 by FHWA to Continue Receiving Federal Dollars Score Exist. Projects January 21st – February 17th May 1st – July 31st Next Steps •Technical Coordinating Committee −Understand STI and be able to explain its implications on your MPO/RPO −Relay information regarding STI to TAC and citizens −Coordinate processes for identifying projects for submittal AND determining methodology for local input points −Endorse/recommend pertinent items to TAC •Transportation Advisory Committee −Understand STI and its implications on your MPO/RPO −Understand the process for submitting and prioritizing projects −Approve the methodology for prioritizing local project list −Approve projects to be submitted for prioritization −Assign local input points for projects Key Dates •Projects submitted between January 1 - )HEUXDU\ 2014 −Look for SPOT On!ine Training. •Submit Methodology Prior to April 30, 2014 •Assign Local Input Points between May 1 - July 31, 2014 •Draft STIP Public Comment Period (December 2014 – May 2015) 17