NCHRP Project Research for the AASHTO Standing Committee on Public Transportation

Objective The objective of Project is to provide flexible, ongoing, quick-response research on public transportation issues in support of SCOPT and State DOT activities.

Project Panel  John Dockendorf, Pennsylvania DOT (Chair)  Mr. Charles Carr, Mississippi DOT  Edward Coven, Florida DOT  Ms. Diane Davidson, Oak Ridge National Laboratory  Ron Epstein, New York State DOT  Ms. Gale Ogawa, California DOT  Mr. Michael Sanders, Connecticut DOT  Mr. David T. Spacek, Illinois DOT

Project Panel (Cont)  Mr. Harlan Miller, FHWA Liaison  Lorna R. Wilson, FTA Liaison  Shayne Gill, AASHTO Liaison  Richard Weaver, APTA Liaison  Mr. Christopher Zeilinger, CTAA Liaison  Peter Shaw, TRB Liaison  Gwen Chisholm Smith, NCHRP Staff  Ms. Janet Weaver, Consultant

NCHRP Funding Allocations to Date  FY 2004$300,000  FY 2005$300,000  FY 2006 $300,000  FY 2007$250,000  FY 2008 $250,000  FY 2009 $300,000  Requested in FY 2010$350,000

Allocation Guidelines  Research need  Policy-related and technical issues  Not editorial in nature  New product or upgrading an existing item  For SCOPT use with widespread benefits throughout State DOTs and the transit industry  Within available Project funds  Beyond the capabilities of SCOPT

Allocation Guidelines (cont)  Small or moderate in scale  Less than $100,000  Usually $10,000 to $50,000  Short in duration (Usually < 12 Months)  Not a continuing operational activity  Urgent; ready to begin now  Not able to wait for regular NCHRP/TCRP  Not inappropriate for the TRB/NCHRP

Research Topics Solicitation  Research topics are solicited from SCOPT, the project panel, members of AASHTO’s MTAP, members of APTA’s State Affairs Committee, and the staffs of AASHTO, FTA, CTAA, and APTA.

Consultant Selection  Currently, a solicitation is prepared for each topic and sent to the task-order contractors selected competitively for NCHRP Projects. These task order contractors submit proposals, as interested. The panel reviews the proposals and selects the contractor for each topic.

New Task Order Contractors  8 Proposals received  6 selected

Status  Studies Funded To Date: 26 studies, totaling $1,675,000 have been funded to date.  Studies Requested Last Year: 16 topics, totaling $ 1,650,000 were proposed in 2008 (FY 2009).  Studies Funded Last Year: 5 topics, totaling $ 300,000 were funded in 2008 (FY 2009).  Studies Completed To Date/Last Year: 18 studies have been completed to date, including 2 studies completed in 2008

Tasks Authorized to Date  Task 1. “Research Agenda/Potential Roles of SCOPT”, $50,000 (Results Provided to SCOPT)  Task 2. “Toolbox for Promoting the Transit Bus Safety and Security Program in Your State”, $75,000 (Results Posted on CUTR Model Bus Safety and Security Program Website)  Task 3. “Availability and Accessibility of Liability and Excess Insurance For Public Transit and Private Coach Operators”, $75,000 (Published as NCHRP Research Results Digest 295)  Task 4. “Impacts of the U.S.'s Aging Population and Changed Demographics on Public Transportation, Including ADA Paratransit, Over the Next Ten Years”, $75,000 (Published as Web-Only Document 86)

Tasks Authorized to Date, (Cont)  Task 5. “Transit Oriented Development: Developing a Strategy to Measure Success”, $25,000 (Published as NCHRP Research Results Digest 294 )  Task 6. “Comparative Review and Analysis of State Transit Funding Programs”, $100,000(Published as NCHRP Report 569 )  Task 7. “Evaluation of State’s Ability to Have Adequate Staff Resources to Implement Federal Public Transportation Programs, $100,000(Published as NCHRP Research Results Digest 314 )  Task 10. “FMCSA Regulations as They Apply to FTA Section 5310/5311 Providers: A Handbook””, $75,000(Published as NCHRP Research Results Digest 311)

Tasks Authorized to Date, (Cont)  Task 12. “Cost-Allocation Methods for Commuter, Intercity and Freight Operations on Shared-Use Rail Systems and Corridors”, $75,000(Published as NCHRP Research Results Digest 313 )  Task 13, “State Public Transportation Division Involvement in State Emergency Planning, Response, and Recovery,” $100,000 (Published as NCHRP Research Results Digest 326 )  Task 14, Current Practice and Future Guidance on the Development of SAFETEA-LU- Required Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan, $100,000 ( In Publication)

Tasks Authorized to Date, (Cont)  Task (15), Updated Research Agenda for State DOT Public Transportation Divisions and NCHRP Project 20-65, $50,000 (Completed-Results provided to SCOPT)  Task (16), Current State Eligibility Requirements for Grantees to Qualify for Federal Section 5310 and 5311 Funds, $25,000 (Completed- Results provided to SCOPT)

 Task 17, “Compliance Monitoring Tools”, $100,000 (Completion expected in April 2009) Cambridge Systematics, Sue Knapp Objectives: Develop a handbook that includes: a) compliance monitoring tools currently in use by State DOTs in oversight of their subrecipients of federal funds (can also include oversight of recipients of state grants); b) an evaluation of those tools and c) drafts of new tools (i.e., model tools) derived from the evaluation of existing tools. 

 Task 18, “State DOT Best Practices for Developing a Title VI Civil Rights Program Document”, $50,000 (Completion expected in March 2009) Cambridge Systematics/ Sue Knapp  Objectives: Identify and document best practices for the following components of a Title VI Civil Rights program document: Procedures used to certify that the statewide transportation planning process complies with Title VI,  Procedures the State DOT uses to pass-through FTA financial assistance in a non-discriminatory manner,

Task 18, “State DOT Best Practices for Developing a Title VI Civil Rights Program Document”,  Procedures the State DOT uses to provide assistance to potential sub-recipients applying for funding in a non-discriminatory manner,  Procedures the State DOT uses to monitor it sub- recipients for compliance with Title VI,  Procedures for filing Title VI civil rights complaints with State DOTs,  Plan for providing access to meaningful activities and programs for persons with limited English proficiency,  Notices issued by State DOT’s to beneficiaries of their rights under Title VI, and  Steps taken with public outreach and involvement activities to ensure that minority persons have meaningful access to State DOT activities

 Task 19, “Utilization by States of the Flexibility to Transfer Federal Funds Among Eligible Federal Programs”, $25,000 (Completion expected in January 2009) AECOM/Mark Schofield  Objective: Determine which states have utilized the option to transfer funds from one or more, eligible federal programs for the last three federal fiscal years. An analysis should be conducted that identifies the specific federal programs involved in these transfers, the amount and percentage of eligible federal funds transferred, the reasons for these transfers, and the resulting benefits of these actions.

 Task 20, “Analysis of Rural Intercity Bus Strategy”,$50,000 (Completion expected in March 2009) Cambridge Systematics, Sue Knapp  Objectives of this research are:  1) To conduct a sample of states intercity bus providers and onboard survey. The survey should provide information on the current intercity rural service network, describing miles, demographics of ridership and origin/destination of riders.  2) Develop an organized matrix of the information revealed from the surveys. The matrix should inform states on how to best make an investment given their scenario/rural conditions and service network. 

Task 20, “Analysis of Rural Intercity Bus Strategy”,$50,000, Cont  3) Develop a methodology to estimate the value of filling the broken connections of service using the information on current service to inform on those areas where service is currently not available. Would adding services to fill gaps create meaningful access for rural travel or does the service benefit travelers going through state. Provide on information on how far rural passengers wish to travel when they use intercity bus?

 Task 21, “Cost/Benefit Analysis of Converting a Lane for Bus Rapid Transit”, $50,000, (Completion expected in September 2009) ICF Consulting, Inc Karen Savage Objectives: Develop a tool to help practitioners analyze the effectiveness and public feasibility of converting an existing lane to a High Occupancy Vehicle Lane or other means of providing increased people throughput. 

Studies that will be initiated in 2009

Task 22, Cost/Benefit Analysis of Converting a Lane for Bus Rapid Transit – Phase II Evaluation and Methodology.  The project will develop a cost/benefit analysis tool for practitioners to use to determine if converting a mixed flow traffic lane to a BRT (bus only)/HOVL is effective on the State Highway System and feasible to the public. ($100,000/12 months)

Task 23, Identification of State and Local Matching Fund Requirements for State Administered Federal and State Public Transportation Programs.  This project will document the current policies and procedures utilized by states DOTs for their use of Section 5311 funds for intercity bus services. This project will also identify best practices used by states for administration of the 5311 program. ($50,000/6months)

Task 24, State DOT Role in the Implementation of Transportation Demand Management Programs.  This research will examine TDM programs nationwide from the perspective of what the state DOT’s role is in program implementation and support. It will identify several states at the forefront in this area, examine and assess their programs, and report on the observed benefits and pitfalls. It will make recommendations based on these states’ experiences on how states may go about implementing TDM programs. ($50,000/ 6 months)

Task 25, Evaluate requirements for the utilization of Section 5311(f) Funds for Intercity Bus Service.  This project will document the current policies and procedures utilized by applicable state DOT’s for their use of Section 5311 funds for intercity bus services. The project will also identify some of the better practices utilized by states for the administration of this program. ($50,000/6months)

Task 26, An Analysis of States’ Implementation of the FTA 5310, 5316, and 5317 Programs.  This project will evaluate states implementation of the first 3 years of FTA funding for these programs. It will determine the degree of success states are having in awarding the funds, and will analyze the extent to which the programs objectives are being met. Recommendations will be made that will help formulate the state’s positions regarding whether or how these programs should be changed in the upcoming reauthorization. ($50,000/6months)

QUESTIONS????

CONTACT INFORMATION Gwen Chisholm Smith National Academies Transportation Research Board Cooperative Research Programs 500 5th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C Fax