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).

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.

Creating a transit delivery system which manages mobility instead of just providing rides.

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 “de-constructing a 10,000 piece 3-D puzzle

and then putting it back together.”

State Level

Regular meetings between all state agencies that fund transportation programs

Chaired by the Office of the Governor

Co-chaired by IDOT Supported by a Transit

Coordination Specialist based at the ICCT Clearinghouse.

County Level

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

Does ICCT Clearinghouse technical assistance cost anything?

No Does the ICCT

Clearinghouse have money for funding projects?

No Can ICCT Clearinghouse

cover the cost of surveys, mailings, meetings, etc.?

No Will ICCT Clearinghouse

staff complete transportation coordination steps for your county?

No Will ICCT Clearinghouse

staff provide technical assistance?

YES!

All counties applying for 5311 funding must now complete the Primer process.

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.

The Transit Partnership Group is the most important aspect of the coordination effort.

An effective TPG is able to: 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: avoid repetitious meetingseducate as many people as possible about

the need for enhanced public transportationengage stakeholders who are enthusiasticgain many perspectives on the transit

needs of the countydevelop 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: 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

Phase One – Transit Partnership Group

Check Respons

e: Additional Comments:

Yes No

Formally requested assistance from the ICCT via letter?

Month

Year

Used TPG Worksheet to form Transit Partnership Group?

Month

Year

Completed TPG Meeting – Stakeholder Contact Log?

How many total stakeholder representatives do you have on your Transit Partnership Group?

Human Service

sMedical

Education

Employment

Transit Provider

s

Transit Users

Government Others

# # # # # # # #Yes No

Held initial TPG meeting with ICCT staff?

Month

Year

TPG members reviewed ICCT Coordination Primer —Phase One?

Month

Year

Completed all assignments given by ICCT staff?

Phase Two – Needs & Resources

Check Respons

e: Additional Comments:

Yes No

Completed Community Surveys?

Month

Year#

Sent#

Returned

Completed Agency Surveys?

Month

Year#

Sent#

Returned

Completed Inventory of Resources?

Month

Year#

Sent#

Returned

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.

Phase Three – System Model & Action Plan

Check Response:

Additional Comments:Yes No N/A

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

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