HOW TRANSIT IS FUNDED Federal State Local

EACH SOURCE IS DIFFERENT Federal  Federal Transit Administration (FTA)  FTA 5310  FTA 5311  FTA 5307  FTA 5303 There are 17 FTA programs alone that fund various aspects of Transit

 Each of the 17 programs fund one aspect of Transit or another- For example  FTA 5310 funds projects to assist Senior Adults and Individuals with Disabilities  FTA 5339 funds new bus purchases  FTA 5307 funds metropolitan projects  The full list of 17 programs can be found at MORE ON FUNDING

EDTAP, RGP, ROAP, Etc. 10% State Funds FTA 5311 FTA 5310 EVEN MORE ABOUT FUNDING  NCDOT pools certain funding sources together to support rural transit agencies  State sources with which you may be familiar have wonky names like:  EDTAP  RGP  ROAP  These all trace back to a specific funding source  NCDOT-PTD has more info:   These are all called “Formula Grants”

LOCAL FUNDING  Mountain Mobility receives County funding through the Planning/Transportation Division to support administration, operation, and capital needs of Mountain Mobility.  Additional funding is provided for match requirements of programs like the RIDE voucher program (not included/shown on side charts).

 Many of these funding sources require different plans:  FTA Section 5310, 5316, 5317, required the Locally Coordinated Human Service Transit Plan (LCP-HSTP for short!)  Other types of transit plans include:  5 Year Community Transportation plans  Regional Transportation Feasibility Studies  Transit operators are also involved in multimodal planning done by the area RPO and MPO ON PLANNING

 The Locally Coordinated Human Service Transit Plan was a requirement for FTA sections 5310,5316, 5317 “discretionary funding”  Transit or local human service agencies had to apply for these grants with caveats  The Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative program was introduced in FY2011 LCP-HSTP

 Federal Transportation Reauthorization Bill (MAP-21 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21 st Century) consolidated several discretionary funding sources  Including combining 5310 with 5317; and 5311 with 5316  Overall funding was reduced slightly, and New Freedom, JARC (and several other smaller programs) were consolidated into other programs MAP-21

 So what is the purpose of the LCP-HSTP update now?  Still best and most reliable source of area mobility needs (mobility is more than transit alone)  Gives transit agency, RPO, and MPO staff ideas for future projects and better ways to integrate operations across the funding silos  Area Agency on Aging, Workforce Development, Disability Advocates, Veterans’ Organizations, etc. LCP-HSTP UPDATE

 Give all of us an idea of unmet needs within each agency and transit customer  Potential multi modal solutions or mitigation measures might involve agencies other than transit  MAP-21 and all its impacts at the local level are not fully known yet  Best to plan ahead! WHAT WILL THIS ACCOMPLISH?

CTAB SURVEY

CTAB SURVEY – UNMET TRANSPORTATION NEEDS

CTAB SURVEY – UNMET NEEDS Unmet Needs for Transportation of Local Community :  Shorter Onboard Time  Sunday Services/Extended Service Hours  More Accessibility/Availability for Older Adults  Regional Service Area – Cross County Lines  Changes in City Transit Routes Impacted Previously Available Transportation  Increased Demand for Medical and Non-Medical Service for Older Adults and Disabled Persons  More Availability for Vocational Rehabilitation Clients  Strict Eligibility Requirements Exclude Some Consumers  More Publicity Regarding Available Services  County Rider Access to AB Tech

 It would be great to have more seats/rides available for employment-related purposes.  More Volunteers for Call-A-Ride and additional funding to grow and operate our program.  I depend on transit for my transportation needs. Since the implementation of the ART TMP, I’ve found that the system is much less friendly and I do a lot more walking. It’s difficult to say what potential solutions are available without knowing the potential funding that is available and what services provided by that funding might look like.  Extend the hours of service  Provide more flexibility/service for social and unplanned trips  Provide more publicity regarding available services  Taxi Vouchers and Volunteer Subsidies  Mountain Mobility/RIDE/ART (expansions)  Greater Coordination of Services  Offer services to clients by using the private sector to meet the needs in the community.  Expanding routes of both Independent providers and public transit along with increased funding to accomplish these tasks  Allow individuals to be brought into the city limits to be picked up, that would help, as would making it easier for an individual or an agency to fund county trips. Other than that it would come down to winning the lottery, finding oil beneath the A-B Tech campus or less likely, changing the hearts and minds of state and federal officials. CTAB SURVEY - SOLUTIONS FOR UNMET TRANSPORTATION NEEDS

 I will be happy to write letters to legislators. Let me know who I can write.  Explore the possibility of employment specific routes.  Recruit volunteers connected to consumers to address transportation needs.  It’s possible, given that funds are available under the WIA allocation that bus tickets could be provided to JobLink customers that are job searching. Also for individuals receiving training services, if they express the need for assistance with transportation, referrals can be made to agencies what may be able to help meet those needs. However, the thinking usually is: that if an individual cannot get to their sponsored training on their own, they can’t obtain or retain a job if they can’t meet their transportation needs.  Information, referrals, marketing of the transportation programs.  Facilitate discussions with agencies and local governments.  Private Providers can offer services to help meet needs in the community that the public providers cannot.  Advocate on behalf of Medicaid beneficiaries along with the transportation providers and vendors.  Goodwill has in-house transportation options available to a finite number of our program participants, which enables us to provide an option to those needing transportation to and from our program. CTAB SURVEY – AGENCY ROLE IN MEETING UNMET NEEDS

CTAB SURVEY – AGENCY CORE BUSINESS

 Evening Service Hour Extensions  Regional Inter-County trips  ART Sunday  Travel Time Reductions (more vans, more staff, more technology)  Expand Routes to industrial areas tied to factory shifts and extend hours  Expand Social/Multipurpose Programs for Seniors and regardless of funding source restrictions (allow more flexibility in trip purposes  Door through Door Services (travel attendants)  Park and Rides or feeder Routes to connect rural areas to fixed-route transit in the Asheville Area  Regional Mobility Centers- One Call/One Click Transportation Centers  Expand Employment Programs and Routes-Rides to Work, Job Fair Attendance, Interviews, GED classes  Regional Mobility Manager  Travel Trainer  Greater Marketing and PR CTAB SURVEY - TOP PRIORITIES FOR LONGER TIMEFRAME PROJECTS

CTAB SURVEY - TOP PRIORITIES FOR SHORTER TIMEFRAME PROJECTS  Assistance to Community Volunteers financial and organizational support  Subsidies to agencies/non-profits to reimburse volunteer drivers  Extra vans for routes that are full  Expand the Voucher Program for Elderly & Disabled (RIDE)  Expand feeder routes into Asheville Transit/Shuttle Services (Trailblazers)  Stipends of Salary for Current and New Volunteer Driver  Transit Shelters and improved pedestrian ways (weather protection)  Increase Comp Ed allotment to AB TECH  Public Relations and Marketing Medical Routes to the Veterans Hospital  Transportation for disabled adults to get to adult day care  Vanpools

CTAB SURVEY – OTHER PROJECTS  Allow riders to be brought into City limits to be picked up or dropped off  Sustain ROAP EDTAP and New Freedom  Better Regional Coordination  I would like for the LOS/McDonald Staff to do more ride along with the clients

HST-LCP– NEXT STEPS  Surveying Contracted Agencies  Completing CTAB Survey Input  Editing Plan  Completion May 2013