Transcript ICCT Clearinghouse transportation Coordination Primer

A Guide to Help Illinois Counties
Navigate Transportation Coordination –
“How to Design a Rural Transit System
Tailored to the Exact Needs of Your
Community.”
2007 NADO Award Winner —
Excellence in Regional Transportation

Working with broad-based group of community
members (Transit Partnership Group or TPG).
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Working through a process that may take several
years to complete, depending upon the ability
(willingness) of the TPG to work together, as
well as its willingness to complete one step at a
time and to fully complete assignments.
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Creating a transit delivery system which
manages mobility instead of just providing rides.
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Background: Instead of having one single agency
administer transportation programs for all
populations, there are 62 federal programs that fund
hundreds of state programs and thousands of local
agencies.

According to former FTA Secretary Jenna Dorn,
transportation coordination is the process of “deconstructing a 10,000 piece 3-D puzzle
and then putting it back together.”
County Level
State Level

Regular meetings between all
state agencies that fund
transportation programs
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Chaired by the Office of the
Governor
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Co-chaired by IDOT
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Supported by a Transit
Coordination Specialist based at
the ICCT Clearinghouse.
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ICCT Clearinghouse helps the
county achieve a Section 5311
operating assistance grant
Goals:
 melding the 62 human
transportation funding
streams into a single-entity
delivery system
 avoiding transportation
service gaps and service
duplication
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Does ICCT Clearinghouse
technical assistance cost
anything?

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Does the ICCT Clearinghouse
have money for funding
projects?
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No
Will ICCT Clearinghouse staff
complete transportation
coordination steps for your
county?

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No
Can ICCT Clearinghouse cover
the cost of surveys, mailings,
meetings, etc.?


No
No
Will ICCT Clearinghouse staff
provide technical assistance?

YES!

All counties applying for 5311 funding must now
complete the Primer process.
Counties wanting to implement a new countywide
transportation system.
Primer Steps
One  Five
Counties wanting another system to provide
transportation in their county.
Primer Steps
One  Three
Urban systems wanting to expand into rural areas.
Primer Steps
One  Three

Before IDOT will approve a Section 5311 application,
the ICCT Clearinghouse must confirm that counties
have completed all assignments and have an action
plan and system model for a coordinated public
transportation system.
Create Transit Partnership
Group
Assess Needs & Resources
Develop Action Plan
Secure Funding
Ongoing Evaluation
ICCT Clearinghouse — Transportation Coordination Steps
Phase 1
Transit
Partnership
Group
Activities
•Request Technical Assistance from
ICCT
•Develop broad-based Transit
Partnership Group (TPG)
•Complete ICCT Assignments
Parties Involved
•Transit Partnership Group
(TPG)
Phase 3
Action Plan
Phase 2
Needs & Resources
ICCT Clearinghouse Meetings
•Send out County Surveys
•Send out Agency Surveys
•Complete Inventory of Resources
•Compile Results
•Complete ICCT Assignments
•Share with Regional Transportation
Committee
•TPG
•Local individuals
•Community agencies
•Transportation Providers
•Regional Transportation
Committee (HSTP)
•HSTP Coordinators
ICCT Clearinghouse Meetings
•Develop System Wish List
•Divide into Workgroups
•Select and Design System Model
•Work on Action Plan
•Complete ICCT Assignments
•TPG
•Transportation Providers
•ICCT Committee Members
ICCT Clearinghouse Meetings
IDOT requires completion of the first three steps of the ICCT Coordination
Primer, by counties:
Interested in being annexed by an existing 5311 grantee.
Urban systems wanting to expand into the county.
In addition, the following two steps must also be completed by counties
interested in starting new public transportation systems.
Phase 4
Funding
Activities
•Send letter of intent to IDOT
•Request 5311 Grant Manual from IDOT
Transportation Plan meets all
requirements
DOAP requirements certified by
IDOT
•Contact IL Public Transportation
Association (IPTA)
•HSTP Participation
Parties Involved
•TPG
•IDOT staff
•IPTA staff
•HSTP Coordinators
Phase 5
Evaluation
Technical Support as needed
•Continue to monitor progress
•TPG/ICCT staff
(as needed)
Technical Support as needed
The Transit Partnership Group is the most
important aspect of the coordination effort.
 An effective TPG is able to:
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draw upon its knowledge
bring individual skills to the collective group
generate ideas
locate and organize resources
educate others about public transportation
bring additional constituents to the table
share the workload
TPG Team Members will play an increasingly
important role — assessing needs and resources,
strengthening relationships, educating the
public, evaluating services and making decisions
for the whole county.
 It
is imperative that the TPG be made up of
the widest range of stakeholders available
from the beginning.
 This will help counties:
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avoid repetitious meetings
educate as many people as possible about the
need for enhanced public transportation
engage stakeholders who are enthusiastic
gain many perspectives on the transit needs of
the county
develop a resilient TPG to keep the process
moving forward
To accomplish its goals, each TPG needs to select a
team leader responsible for managing daily tasks.
 The team leader will:
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be the primary contact
coordinate group efforts and communication
organize meetings
be able to move the effort forward
keep the TPG and the general public energized
TPG Team Leader:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Wants to make the county accessible for all populations
Has both the willingness and time to commit to long-term projects
Is optimistic and able to engage others
Will communicate effectively with the Clearinghouse and TPG
Check
Response:
Phase One –
Transit Partnership Group
Yes
Additional Comments:
No
Formally requested assistance from the ICCT via letter?
Used TPG Worksheet to form Transit Partnership Group?
Month
Year
Month
Year
Completed TPG Meeting – Stakeholder Contact Log?
How many total stakeholder representatives do
you have on your Transit Partnership Group?
Human
Services
#
Medical
#
Education
Employment
Transit
Providers
#
#
#
#
Yes
Held initial TPG meeting with ICCT staff?
TPG members reviewed ICCT Coordination Primer —
Phase One?
Completed all assignments given by ICCT staff?
Transit
Users
Government
#
Others
#
No
Month
Year
Month
Year
Phase Two – Needs & Resources
Check
Response:
Yes
Additional Comments:
No
Month
Year
# Sent
# Returned
Month
Year
# Sent
# Returned
Month
Year
# Sent
# Returned
Completed Community Surveys?
Completed Agency Surveys?
Completed Inventory of Resources?
Compiled results of all surveys and
Inventory of Resources?
Follow up meeting with Clearinghouse staff?
Based on survey results:
Yes
%
No
Comments
Do people lack transportation?
Will people use public transit?
Do people need medical transportation inside county?
Medical transportation outside county?
What are the top 3 trip needs?
1.
2.
3.
• Analyze Wish List, Needs • provides education and
outreach for the:
Assessment, Inventory
• general public
of Resources
• media
• Analyze route overlays
and narratives to
• employers
develop ridesharing
• business leaders
opportunities and create
• tourism agencies
system capacity
• etc.
• Form single public
transportation entity
• Develop service routes
• provides outreach and
education to legislators
at the following levels:
• city
• county
• state
• federal
Phase Three – System Model & Action Plan
Check
Response:
Yes
Mission Statement approved by TPG
5311 monies banked for FY
Education plan active for public and legislators
MOAs from all TPG members
MOUs from all CDG members
Overlap of current service identified
Lists of Committed Providers & Riders
Board of Directors created
Service providers and initial routes are determined
Mobility Manager and Service Provision Coordinator
are selected
Service Contracts signed with all committed riders
No
N/A
Additional Comments:
1. It’s not about picking a model.
• Picking a model is undesirable because you then “fit” players into
slots.
• Decisions made along the way will “drive the model” that evolves.
• Process drives the model, the model does not drive the process.
• This is a search for leadership and partnership, not dictatorship.
2. Collaboration
• Every member of the TPG is an equal partner.
• TPG comes to a consensus on how to deliver service.
3. Customer Driven
• Each and every decision should be made with the customer in
mind. Every policy, everything you do, must be based on the
customer.
4. Ridesharing
• Clients can ride together.
• The first goal is ridesharing, which will create excess capacity, which
can be used to serve other people.
• The Contract Development Group members will initially need to map
the services presently being provided, in order to identify overlaps.
5. Responsive
• Whoever calls for a ride will be able to receive one, whether they are
seniors getting to life situations, workers, schoolchildren needing
transportation outside of a designated school bus area, etc.
• Professionalism must be maintained at all times whether the customer
is going to a probation appointment, the grocery store, or a GED class.
6. Economic Development
• Public transportation creates jobs for drivers, administrators,
distributors, mechanics, etc.
• System will use fuel, parts, paper, etc. which will be purchased here in
the county.
7. Don’t make it Rocket Science!
• This is about “people helping people.”
Effectiveness
Customer
Satisfaction
More rides for the
same or fewer
assets
More communities
have simplified
access to services
Better quality of
transportation
services
More shared
resources between
different agencies
Easy and single
entry point for
riders
More coordination
of human services
transportation
More modes to
choose from
Efficiency
Riders feel
transportation
services are more:
•
•
•
•
•
Available
Accessible
Affordable
Courteous
Helpful
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As of October 2008, 3 counties in Phase One, 11
counties in Phase Two, 6 counties in Phase Three
By early 2009, expect 15 or so counties to be working
in Phase Three
Transit Partnership Group has proven the value of
communication, cooperation, and collaboration
Primer received 2007 NADO Excellence in Regional
Transportation Award; listed as best practice on UWR
site
Presentations to Midwestern Governors Association
Rural Families Institute, IL Poverty Summit, ICDD
Transitions Conference, IL Association of Townships,
IPTA, IARF, IL CAA Conference, various IDOA
conferences; Primer presented not only as an
accessibility/mobility tool but as a community
development tool
Staffing- 1 FT staff, plus RTAC Manager
 Logistics- working simultaneously with 20
counties; additional counties are requesting
assistance and the 3-YR window to access new
Section 5311 funding narrows
 Travel- 25,000 miles per year… and growing!
 “Lack of willingness is the only barrier to
transportation coordination.” -Bill Jung
 Excuses- insurance, mixing clients, funding
restrictions, vehicle sharing- all are “perceived”
barriers which can be overcome with
operational or administrative adjustments…
translate to “We don’t want to coordinate.”
 Politics- city, county, region, state
