RURAL ACCESS AND MOBILITY: A CASE OF MANAGING INDIVIDUALIZED MOBILITY NEEDS THROUGH INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT IN NW USA Sen, Lalita Ph.D. Texas Southern University, Houston, TX, US Johanson, Karl, Ph.D. Pullman, WA, US Council on Aging & Human Services Majumdar, Sarmistha R., Ph.D. Texas Southern University

Providing Subsidized Transportation Services for Sparsely Populated Rural Areas US Rural transportation has a history of challenges and success requiring innovation Service to agriculture or forested areas with little or no services or infrastructure to support the population Early examples of such rural service is Access Transportation Services, serving Allegheny County started in the early 1970s to serve the larger rural areas around Pittsburg

Case of Rural Transportation in NW US Characteristics of Case Service Area  Sparse population density  Large expanse of forests and/or agricultural land  Little or no service infrastructure  Aging population  Lower income of residents  Need for innovation and sustenance of transit service to provide mobility to the rural population

COAST-Serving Eastern Washington and Western Idaho Council of Aging & Human Services Transportation (COAST) provides an example of innovative transportation service to the rural area with  Sparse rural population  No major cities/ towns  Low income population  Older population who are aging in place

Case of COAST The Council on Aging & Human Services (COAST) provides transportation services and serves an area of over 17,000 square miles, much of which is designated as wilderness Service area includes three rural counties in the eastern part of Washington State and five mostly rural counties in the north central parts of Idaho.

Case Study Service Area of Rural Transport Source: Case Study Service Area of Rural Transport Source: Parts of Washington & Idaho Served by COAST Two State Service Area

Socio Economic Characteristics of WA Service Area Socio Economic Characteristics of WA Service Area Counties in Washington State AsotinGarfieldWhitman Population for ,623.02, ,776.0 % Population % Females % High School Grad Per capita income ($) 23, , ,506.0 % Pop below poverty level Federal Spending ($) 179, , ,578.0 Land Area (in sq. miles) , Persons per sq. mile Metro/ MicropolitanLewiston ID/WA None Pullman, WA

Measures of Characteristics Associated with Per Capita Subsidy in Washington State Source: Counties in Washington State AsotinGarfieldWhitman Pop. Below poverty (%) Per capita Income 23,73122,825 19,506 Population 21,623 2,266 44,776 Federal Spending ($)179,20842, ,578 Per Capita Subsidy Nearby micro/metropolitan cities Lewiston/ID,WA _ Pullman

Eastern Washington State Whitman County Garfield County Asotin County

Socio Economic Characteristics of ID Service Area Socio Economic Characteristics of ID Service Area Source: Counties in IdahoClear Water IdahoLatahLewisNez Perce Population for ,76116,26737,244 3,822 39,265 % Population % Females % High School Grad Per capita income ($) 20,50718,98020,21818,580 23,899 % Pop below poverty level Federal Spending ($)130,195183,126289,00583, ,695 Land Area (in sq. miles) 2, , , Persons per sq. mile Metro/ Micropolitan None Moscow NoneLewiston

Measures of Characteristics Associated with Per Capita Subsidy in Idaho Counties in IdahoClear Water IdahoLatahLewisNez Perce Pop. Below poverty Per capita Income ($) 20,507 18,980 20,21818,580 23,899 Population 8,761 16,267 37,244 3,822 39,265 Federal Spending ($)130,195183,126289,00583,360422,695 Per capita subsidy Nearby micro/metropolitan cities MoscowLewiston

Western Idaho Latah County Nez Perce County Idaho County Clearwater County Lewis County

Federal Subsidy Programs for Transportation contract for expanded services-Capital funds for vehicles for E/H transport Non urbanized area formula funding for transportation services-allowing 80% subsidy for administration and capital costs Job Access Reverse Commute Program New Freedom Program for transportation alternative that improves mobility for individuals with disabilities Medicaid- Medical Transportation Program ensures that individuals enrolled in Medicaid and Healthy Kids Gold have access to necessary medical services.

Funding Source for COAST’s Operation Source: COAST Funding SourceIdaho FY 2011Idaho FY 2012WA FY 2011WA POS Contract ( for expanded service area) 105,000114, , ,00030, ,800137,000 Medicaid48, ,000128,000 State00137,000251,000 Area Agency on Aging0036,000 Volunteer Drivers (in kind) 48,000 90,000 Total (excluding in kind)194,000259,100410,000415,000

Vehicles used by COAST to serve Clients

Securement system for the seat inside

Other Methods of Innovation Introduced by COAST SHARING RESOURCES Purchase / maintenance of vehicles for other agencies, retains title, and once FTA reverts the vehicles to COAST, who will then turn over the vehicle to the host agency to operate. Coast has directly/ indirectly secured funding for services in an area to an agency who may have been denied further funding (Canyon Area Bus Service-CABS) through successfully obtaining funding and then contracting CABS personnel &pay for their operating expense In turn All of CABS’s funding and in-kind service has been pledged to COAST for FTA proposal match, freeing up more funds for more services with CABS.

Value of Innovation COAST has generated revenue through a variety of complementary activities which include: vehicle insurance pool; acquiring and loaning vehicles; operating van pools; supporting volunteer car pools; providing training services; maintaining vehicles; operating eight county Information & referral; dispatching rides throughout the region.

Value of Innovation ………………continued Annual budget of $1,200,000 (recently reduced to $900,000) due to the loss of the “Information and Assistance” contract for care management in Whitman County Anticipating further federal funding cutbacks, COAST is seeking ways to cover costs (volunteers etc)to maintain services essential to the local population Important to allow people to age in place and not be forced to relocate and further endanger their independence

Transportation Services Provided by COAST COAST provides demand response services serves as broker for van pools and car pools Provides coordination between fixed route services along the US Highways Provides more personalized cost efficient service using volunteers to meet the demand for accessible transportation services Coast provides door to door services for the special needs population to connect to the fixed route services to the nearest towns

Global Value of Innovative Services Combining subsidies, good will, and volunteers to meet and sustain transportation services in remote communities while serving a genuine need, is effective This example provides the nature and form of services, the operations and the equipment used, and lends itself to flexibility of location and service design based on local conditions and other resources available This case demonstrates that rural accessibility do not require huge resources Such strategies could be applied by the SAARC member nations to their own rural operations.