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Agenda Item # 7

BOARD MEMORANDUM

BACKGROUND: 

Regional Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plans will be required by Federal Transit Administration regulations implementing the Section 5310, Job Access Reverse Commute, and New Freedom programs as specified in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) federal transportation authorization bill.   The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the San Francisco Bay Area’s regional transportation planning agency.   In response to the new requirements for social service transportation funding contained within the SAFETEA-LU transportation authorization bill, MTC has hired the Nelson Nygaard consulting firm to prepare a Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan for the San Francisco nine county Bay Area. 

Discussion:

MTC is responsible for developing the region’s Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan in accordance with federal regulatory requirements for social service transportation funding.   The Nelson Nygaard consulting firm has been asked to meet with representatives of interested parties from the Bay Area’s nine counties in order to conduct the following tasks needed to prepare the region’s coordinated plan:

1. Assess available resources;

2. Identify needs;

3. Specify strategies to address gaps in service for target populations;

4. List relative priorities for project implementation; and,

5. Address ways to reduce duplication of effort in meeting multi-client group needs by multiple service and care providing agencies.

Nelson Nygaard consultants will attend the February 7, 2007 CTA meeting to present a brief overview of the region's Coordinated Public Transit Human Service Transportation Plan.   The presentation will include a summary of current transportation service best practices for seniors and persons with disabilities.   The consultants are especially interested in obtaining feedback from CTA members and the community concerning social service transportation gaps in Santa Clara County, current resources available to address these gaps and proposed new solutions to the issues identified.

Nelson Nygaard consultants will solicit input from stakeholders who represent consumers, social service agencies, transportation programs, local governments, advocacy groups and others to provide support for the plan. Persons who serve or represent people with disabilities or seniors, and who are familiar with their transportation needs, will be invited to attend local community outreach meetings in each of the Bay Area's nine counties, for a minimum of 18 outreach events.   Attachment A presents an informational flier about the development of the Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan.

Comment regarding the region’s Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan may be made by contacting: Nelson Nygaard Attn: Robert Washington 785 Market Street, Suite 1300 San Francisco, CA 94103 (510) 267-6128 or at rwashington@actia2022.com.  Comments may also be submitted by web-based survey at www.nelsonnygaard.com/coordination.htm

Attachment A

MTC Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is creating a Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. This Plan will identify the transportation needs of persons with disabilities, older adults, and persons of low-income status, and it will also offer strategies to address the gaps. The Plan will allow local agencies to access three sources of federal funds to support programs for these groups.

To create this plan we need to hear from stakeholders who represent consumers, social service agencies, transportation programs, local governments, advocacy groups and others. We are inviting people in your community who serve or represent persons with disabilities or seniors, and who are familiar with their transportation needs, to a local community meeting. We are conducting these outreach meetings in each of the Bay Area's nine counties, for a minimum of 18 outreach events.

The outreach meetings will include:

1. A brief overview of MTC's Coordinated Public Transit - Human Service transportation Plan

2. A short summary of current best practices for senior and disabled transportation

3. A feedback gathering session where participants may comment on transportation gaps in their county, current resources available to address these gaps and proposed new solutions to the issues identified

Please join us at a Senior and Disabled Transportation Outreach meeting for Santa Clara County On February 7, 2007 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at: VTA's River Oaks Administrative Office Auditorium

3331 North First Street, San Jose CA 95134 408 321-2300.

Note: This session will be held during the Committee for Transit Accessibility's monthly meeting.

You may also comment by contacting:

Nelson Nygaard

Attn: Robert Washington

785 Market Street, Suite 1300

San Francisco, CA 94103

(510) 267-6128

rwashington@actia2022.com

Or, you may complete a web-bases survey at

www.nelsonnygaard.com/coordination.htm

Proposed Evaluation Criteria

Financial 

Overall cost, cost per beneficiary, funding availability and sustainability

Implementation 

Implementation time-frame, staging

Transportation Benefits 

Number of problems solved, number of beneficiaries, measurable solutions

Community 

Level of community support, serves greatest need, serves needs of diverse community

Each one will be rated: High, Medium, or Low

MTC Coordinated Transportation Plan

Service Gaps Affecting Seniors and People With Disabilities in Santa Clara County

Preliminary Listing

January 2007

Spatial gaps

1. South County has a limited amount of transit service.

2. Seniors in Gilroy would like more service within neighborhoods.

3. Seniors in Gilroy would like improved connections to housing and shopping.

4. Persons living in the hills are isolated, far from transportation services.

Connectivity

1. There is a lack of coordinated transportation among senior centers.

2. Consumers do not have a seamless way of getting from county to county.

Paratransit beyond ADA Requirements

1. There is a need for escorted transportation (paratransit) for seniors, including those without disabilities.

2. Outreach (paratransit) is too costly for many seniors.

3. Same day urgent trips are not affordable.

Pedestrian access to destinations and transit

1. Seniors in Gilroy would like improved pedestrian facilities.

2. Walking and travel by wheelchair can be difficult/dangerous on busy streets; crossing times are too short.

Knowledge and information

1. Language barriers make it difficult for non-English speaking older adults to get to where they want to go.

2. Limited amount of transit service in South County makes the seniors there less receptive to transit.

Other

1. Seniors in Gilroy would like more agency-provided rides to services, discounts on taxi services, a community helper/escort program and volunteer driver programs.

2. Growing concern is seniors who are unable to use VTA or Outreach due to confusion, frailty or language barriers.

3. Lack of assistance for seniors boarding public transit.

4. Issue of liability for volunteer drivers serving frail elderly.

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