Pam Couch, Executive Director Modoc Transportation Agency / Sage Stage 18 th National Conference on Rural Public & Intercity Bus Transportation Omaha, NE - October 20, 2008 (TEC3) “Big Ideas Fit in Small Towns”

TEC3 (10/20/08)2 Frontier Rural Context & Issues  Older and poorer population  Often with lifeline mobility issues  Long travel distances >100 mi. one-way  Limited services / infrastructure  Few operators / providers  Most with limited schedules / service

TEC3 (10/20/08)3 Where We Started  Need to solve a real problem (2000) How to get to, from and through remote, rural places? Need for information - options Need for bus traveler information Need for on-line information tool

TEC3 (10/20/08)4 Systems Approach  Think “system”  Solve problems - one at a time  Assemble “building blocks”  Integrate solutions  Coordinate and collaborate with others (neighbors, colleagues, operators & vendors)  Share ideas and lessons learned

TEC3 (10/20/08)5 Enhanced Connectivity  CALnections project (  Greyhound Interline Partnership  Google Transit on Google Maps ( Plus some lessons learned

TEC3 (10/20/08)6  Research projects yield important learning  Must report and share all lessons learned

TEC3 (10/20/08)7

8 Enlarged Message Display ”No service is provided at 11:35 AM on Thursday, but you can make this trip if you start travel at 12:40 PM on Wednesday”  Important information for rural traveler  Offers ‘doable’ option and alternatives

TEC3 (10/20/08)9  Building an on-line trip planner, ain’t easy  Really need data exchange standards!  Converting one advanced technology ( brokerage management system ) to another is tough ( on-line trip planner )  Use / re-use everything you can, and always remember they’re your data  Need good partners ( who keep commitments ) CALnections.com Lessons Learned

TEC3 (10/20/08)10  Intercity trips to/from remote, rural areas typically require using 2+ bus operators (mainstream and upstream) oMust report and share all lessons learned

TEC3 (10/20/08)11  Ticket sales (commissions) reflect population within service area  Need ~20% commission to break even ( or consider as ‘mobility service’ )  Invaluable referrals and exposure  Need more creative solutions and innovative public/private partnerships Greyhound Interline Partnership: Lessons Learned

TEC3 (10/20/08)12  Intercity trips to/from remote, rural areas typically require using 2+ bus operators (mainstream and upstream) oMust report and share all lessons learned

TEC3 (10/20/08)13

TEC3 (10/20/08)14  Works really well for large urban transit systems ( with many routes and frequent headways )  Exposed challenges when transit systems connect / overlap  Invaluable referrals and new riders  Need more creative solutions and innovative public/private partnerships Google/Transit Partnership: Lessons Learned

TEC3 (10/20/08)15 Basic Lessons Re-Learned  Be willing to work hard!  Development costs are hard to recover and often underestimated  Effective public/private partnerships are absolutely necessary  Share all lessons learned  Keep on “keeping on”

TEC3 (10/20/08)16 Pam Couch, Executive Director Modoc Transportation 111 W. North Street Alturas, CA Phone (530)