1. Rural System Safety & Security

2. Challenges Sparsely populated areas Long Distance Trips
“Aging in Place”
Dependent Populations
Funding

3. Sparsely Populated Areas Long distance trips
Rural systems work in areas with limited communications resulting in longer response times for emergency services
Undermaintained roads cause extra wear and tear on vehicle safety systems
Driver fatigue risks increase due to longer distances between stops
Increased risk of animal/debris strikes

4. “Aging in Place”
The "Aging in Place" Effect: Since more seniors than ever before are choosing to "age in place", increases in on-call and appointment- based transportation needs have skyrocketed in the past decade. For rural areas and the transit organizations that service them, this increase raises scheduling havoc and more quickly depletes resources.

5. Dependent Population
In areas where taxis, rideshare, trains and other modes of transportation aren't available for residents, rural transit is often the only source of getting around. High demand for customized routes and erratic scheduling as well as expectations of efficiency and effectiveness tend to strain rural transit resources.

6. Funding
Although both urban and rural agencies work on tight budgets, rural systems are more often forced to be creative with their operational budgets. Planning agency spending around increasing efficiency and staff productivity is often key to maintaining service.

7. Resources
Grants
Partnerships
Training Specialists
Other Agencies

8. Open Discussion