1. Presented by: RLS & Associates, Inc.
Trumbull County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan Update
Transit Board Update
February 17,2017
Presented by: RLS & Associates, Inc.

2. Meeting Objectives Coordination Plan Purpose
Unmet Transportation Needs
Review Current Priorities and Challenges
Priorities, Goals, and Strategies
Next Steps

3. MAP-21 and FAST Provisions
Ongoing Provisions
Local Share may be Derived from Other Non-DOT Transportation Sources
Recipients Must Certify that Projects Selected are Included in Locally Developed, Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan to be Eligible to Receive Some Federal Transit Program Funds such as Section 5310 Program Funds
Trumbull County Transit gets Section 5310 funds, right now they are providing Veterans and other services to those who meet the Section 5310 target audience criteria. NEMT, AAA, DD and others, Voc Rehab Revenue from Medicaid transportation is eligible as match for the Section 5307 program.

4. Section 5307 Program Overview
The Urbanized Area Formula Funding program (49 U.S.C. 5307) makes federal resources available to urbanized areas for transit capital and operating assistance in urbanized areas and for transportation related planning. An urbanized area is an incorporated area with a population of 50,000 or more
Urbanized areas with Populations Under 200,000 Can Use the Funding for Operations
Match Requirement up to 80% for Operating and 90% for Capital
Trumbull County’s primary funding source is Section 5307 – currently contract out as a turn key operation which allows the 80% capital cost of contracting arrangement

5. 2008 Plan Goals First Order Strategies
Moving the Focus of Transportation Delivery to Mobility Management
Leadership – Implementation – Organizational Structure
Centralized Communication – Information- Trip Scheduling – One Number Access
What is Mobility Management:To effectively plan a responsive and sustainable transportation network for all these customers, empathy and an unbiased understanding of their needs, environment, and goals is essential. And, the more we share our understanding of customers with our partners, the more we can bring others to support the work of improving mobility options.
Mention Rides to Wellness and NHDOT project to interface coordination scheduling software with the statewide Medicaid broker. The systems will see the NEMT trips and the broker will be able to see available trip times. Broker and system will be able to share data. One of the 3 test sites has undergone major transition
Leadership – Implementation – Organizational Structure = this continues to be investigated during the development of this plan. A formal goal recommendation has not been fully established and is pending further discussion with coordination partners and in depth review of regulations and potential short and long term impact.
Centralized Communication – Information – Trip Scheduling – One Number Access = this is a very customer friendly service, helps eliminate duplication of service, and trip denials. This does require a high level of technology and sharing of information among providers which can sometime cause turf issues. This has worked in other communities. Low Country South Carolina – 13 agencies coordinate services under one call center.

6. 2008 Plan Goals Second Order Strategies Technology Development
Trip Sharing – Vehicle Sharing
Maximizing Value of Non – Dedicated Vehicles
Service Delivery Functions- Administration- Operations- Maintenance- Trip Scheduling and Vehicle Dispatching
Volunteer Driver and Escort Programs
Subsidized Taxi Fare Programs
Private Vehicle Programs
Many of these areas are addressed in the recommended goals later in the presentation

7. Current Unmet Needs

8. Stakeholders throughout the region expressed the need for expanded public transportation services in Trumbull County. Additional service hours and out of area travel to enhance the lives of older adults, individuals with disabilities, and people with low incomes as well as the general public by supporting independent living.
Community meetings and public surveys indicated the need for improved on-time performance.
Explain why and how – need information to help determine need – estimate need

9. Transportation During Early Mornings, Evenings and Weekends – Early morning and evening transportation services are needed by the general public for access to employment; Weekend service is desired; Weekend service is needed for access to employment, medical appointments and recreational destinations.

10. Continued Inter-Agency Coordination – Trumbull County transportation providers need to be in frequent communication to facilitate services in an effort to expand transportation services.
Opportunity exists for coordination efforts and increased connections with Western Reserve Transit Authority.

11. Community meetings and public surveys indicated the community could greatly benefit from regular route service in Warren with more connections to Western Reserve Transit Authority. The City of Warren has the highest concentration of public transit trips.
City of Niles regular route service ranked second to Warren service.
Community meetings and public surveys indicated the desire to have regular route service in Niles and also connections with Western Reserve Transit Authority.

12. Accessible Transportation Schedule on Short Notice - Stakeholders in Trumbull County indicated the need for the transportation services provided by Community Bus Service to be available on short notice.

13. Education for the Public – Informing people about the transportation services available within the county is indicated to be a need. Many residents in Trumbull County are simply unaware of the transportation resources that are available to older adults, individuals with disabilities, and the general public or are not sure how to access those services.

14. Additional Funding – Stakeholders indicated that additional funding is needed to expand service availability and add more vehicles to manage the volume of requests for service.

15. Trumbull County Transit Board and community members indicated the need to investigate the feasibility of Trumbull County Transit Board assuming the role of broker for Job and Family Services non-emergency medical transportation trips. The brokerage would be operated by the contracted provider, currently Community Bus Service.

16. Continued Inter-Agency Coordination – Trumbull County transportation providers are coordinating services through contract service agreements with Trumbull County Schools, but additional coordination could become a reality through continued communication between all agencies that provide transportation to determine the actual and perceived barriers to coordinating and sharing services.
Western Reserve connections

17. Transportation Resource Center/One Stop Center – Stakeholders and transportation providers identified the need for a common resource center to which all agencies would refer transportation disadvantaged consumers. The resource center would provide mobility management services and assist individuals with accessing the most appropriate and feasible transportation service available.

18. Project Goals Assess, Evaluate And Document Resources and Needs
Gather Insights
Address Duplication/Underutilization
Explain why and how – need information to help determine need – estimate need

19. County Demographics
Existing Conditions and Projections

20. Population Projection

21. Population will decrease to 197,080 in 2025 and to 187,250 in 2040

23. Ohio Statewide Average for persons below poverty level = 15.9%

25. Current Service Providers
10 Service Providers Identified Ranging from Public Transit, Uber, Non Profit Human Service Agencies, to Private for Profit Companies.
Service Area Varies:
Some Trumbull County Only
Some Trumbull, Ashtabula, and/or Mahoning Counties
Two with Large Service Area – Cuyahoga, Lake, Summit, Montgomery, Licking, Portage, Columbiana, Stark, Geauga, Wayne, Coshocton, and Tuscarawas
Not all services are open to the general public some are restricted based on program eligibility and purpose.

26. Ohio Statewide Mobility Study

27. Current Trumbull County Transit
2015 provided 53,882 Demand Response Passenger Trips
34,466 were trips for persons over 60 or with a disability
Drove 691,250 miles
12.82 miles per trip
Provided 36,678 Hours of Service
Cost Per Revenue Hour Cost Per Passenger
Passengers Per Hour
1.61
Source: Blackcat 2015 Grant Reporting
Based on 2015 year end Blackcat entry – not unallowed costs

28. 6430 trips scheduled 4555 trips performed 23% cancellations and 7 % no shows

29. 4889 Trips scheduled 3697 performed 20% cancellations and 4% no shows

30. Current Trumbull County Transit
Sources of Local Match
Senior Services
School Transportation
School transportation makes up about one half of the ridership daily during the school year. Mention need to diversify funding. If one of these sources goes away public transit in Trumbull County is in jeopardy.

31. Unmet Transportation Needs
Survey Results

32. Rider Surveys 216 Surveys Submitted
Complete survey results in the report with responses to each question.
Overall Riders scored transit at 3.3 out of a 5 rating. 3 areas rated below 3 but higher than 2
Service Area
Ease of Scheduling a Trip
On Time Performance
This was a second push to get rider surveys – CBS did calls with customers to complete the survey

33. Public Surveys 423 Surveys Submitted
219 from Warren
52 from Niles
All Other Communities Under 20
Community Surveys included many comments requesting regular route service and out county travel options. Over 55% of respondents want to see fixed route or deviated route service and connections with other transit systems

34. Public Surveys
25% of respondents was not aware Trumbull County Transit existed.
25% said they didn’t know how to use the service
12% said they were not aware it was open to the public

35. Plan Goals

36. Next Steps
Steering Committee Reviews the Draft Plan and Submit Comments to RLS
Plan Presented to the Community
Revisions as Needed to the Draft Plan
Plan Finalized
Plan Adopted by Transit Board