COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT – HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORATION PLAN
A provision in the most recent surface transportation reauthorization bill, entitled the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), is to improve the coordination of transportation services for the elderly, persons with disabilities, and low income individuals.
Purpose:
- enhance transportation access
- minimize duplication of services
- facilitate the most appropriate cost-effective transportation possible with available resources
To achieve this, SAFETEA-LU has tied the development of a Coordinated Public Transit – Human Services Transportation Plan (Coordinated Plan) to various grant funds utilized by human service agencies and public transit agencies:
- 5310 Funds
- New Freedom Funds
- Job Access Reverse Commute Funds
In order to comply with SAFETEA-LU requirements, the City of Sioux Falls, in conjunction with the South Eastern Council of Governments (SECOG), the acting Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) of Sioux Falls, has entered into an agreement with URS Corporation, Inc. to develop the Coordinated Plan.
The Coordinated Plan will involve:
- assessing and documenting the transportation needs for individuals with disabilities, older adults, and persons with limited incomes;
- analyzing client or customer transportation trips including origination and destination addresses, dates of trips, times of trips, frequency of trips, number of clients or customers served per trip, cost per trip, etc.;
- evaluating transportation costs involved in current operations of each agency;
- completing a fleet inventory of each agency;
- determining the level of service provided by each agency; and
- developing transportation coordination alternatives while considering available funds
- establishing a prioritization process for implementing projects
