Lower Rio Grande Valley Regional Transit Service Plan

Background 78 th Legislative Session mandate Eliminate waste in the provision of public transportation services; Generate efficiencies that will permit increased levels of service; and Further the state’s efforts to reduce air pollution.

HB 3588 cont’d Provides for coordination by TxDOT in the provision of public transportation throughout the state, and Authorizes the Texas Transportation Commission to adopt rules requiring state agencies to contract with TxDOT to assume responsibilities of that agency’s public transportation services.

State Governors & Cabinet Secretaries Federal Agencies & Grant $ Education Labor Employment Training Agency Office of Disability Employment Policy Centers for Independent Living Disability Rehab and Research Rehabilitation Services Administration Office of Special Education Programs Substance Abuse Mental Health Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Family Assistance HHS Medicare & Medicaid Svcs Aging Health Resources & Services Community Services Child Care Bureau Development Disabilities Medicaid Program Head Start Soc. Services Block Grant Children & Families Transportation Service Chart “United We Ride” (FTA) Transportation Office of the Secretary National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Federal Transit Administration Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy Departmental Office of Civil Rights Faith Based Transit Area Agency on Aging Medical Transit Provider Head Start Office of the Secretary Assistant Secretary Planning Evaluation Special Ed Transportation Rural Transit Operators Private Paratransit Private Taxi ADA Paratransit Transit Pass Elderly & Disability Program Job Access Reverse Commute Program Rural Grant Program Urbanized Grant Program Local Transportation Authority Disability Service Provider Family Employment Shopping Independence Education Local Government Health Care ?? ? Recreation

Duties of TxDOT TxDOT shall identify: Overlaps and gaps in the provision of public transportation services; Underused equipment owned by public transportation providers; and Inefficiencies in the provision of public transportation services.

TxDOT Response to HB 3588 TxDOT Commissioner Hope Andrade appointed statewide Study Group in December 2004; Study group recommended each planning region develop a regional transit coordination plan.

Service Area Boundary TxDOT Pharr District Planning Area

Management Structure

Transportation Providers

Assistance by Planning Consultants Enlisted assistance from TTI to develop RFP – November 2005 Awarded Contract to KFH Group, Inc. – April 2006 Regional Transit Plan Completed – December 2006

The Planning Process Development of goals and objectives Review of existing services and coordination activities Demographics, land uses and travel patterns Review of needs Development of alternatives to address needs Review of transit authorities Transit Traveler Information

Origins, Destinations And Travel Patterns The vast majority of residences and destinations are in the US Highway 83 corridor Travel patterns indicate most work in their own areas with crossover across the 83 corridor McAllen is the largest trip attractor with retail and other businesses

Summary of Issues LRGV Region has a lesser share of commuters that use transit than the State of Texas as a whole. The LRGV Region has three of the poorest counties in terms of average household income. Vehicle ownership in the LRGV Region is well below State and National averages. Population in the region and in Mexico will continue to grow at a rapid pace. The culmination of the above three facts revealed an unmet transit need in the LRGV Region and a significant opportunity for transit. The LRGV Region does have significantly less commuters driving alone to work. Measured by the absolute number of commuters, Hidalgo County is by far the top destination county for workers in the region.

Summary of Needs The greatest needs continue to be in the Colonias spread all over Hidalgo County, with many in Willacy and Cameron Counties as well. The continued growth in Mexico will contribute high levels of ridership in the urban systems for Brownsville and McAllen. Harlingen – San Benito and Edinburg – Mission each has the potential demand and need for more fixed-route service within their cities. Pan American University should be part of the solution to transit issues in Edinburg. Willacy County has additional needs for both local service and service to Harlingen. Increases in connectivity throughout the region will grow in importance as people spread farther out seeking employment.

Barriers and Constraints Needs are very great – low incomes and residents of Mexico contribute to this level of need. Duplication of effort - Multiple transit operators each representing their own constituents, creates institutional resistance to change – turf protection. Fragmented ITS structure Medicaid is not coordinated, creating another transit provider Driver pay rates vary, causing problems

Potential for A Transit Authority There are three models that can work in the region: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Corpus Christi) City Transit Department (Laredo) Coordinated County Authority (Denton) Each is a difficult and time consuming effort Requires at least one election Can produce enough revenue to operate quality transit

Transit Traveler Information Requires a coordinated approach with all operators Two phase project Coordination and implementation of one stop shopping Interactive – purchase tickets on line, automated travel planner Requires one entity to manage

Planned Activities Coordination Activities: Development of a Mobility Manager/Broker Coordinating all paratransit activities Human Service – The Mentoring Program Permanently formalize stakeholders committee Review the potential for a transit authority

Planned Activities Service Activities: Fixed/Flex Route Service – Harlingen-San Benito, Edinburg-Mission, expansion in McAllen and Brownsville Expanded, coordinated main line service Feeder Service - Fixed Schedule Service – lower density Paratransit Shopper Shuttles Through Ticketing and Coordinated Fares Sponsorship program

Service Assumptions Population Growth Target Colonias Accounting for Ridership from Mexico Funding Issues Public/Private Partnership Mobility Management Coordination Efforts Coordination Must Make Business Sense Fixed/Flex Route and Other Scheduled Service Use of Technology

What’s Next… TxDOT has awarded additional funding to continue the planning effort Transit Advisory Panel will oversee the implementation of projects in the region Some of the coordination/service activities are already being implemented Continue to use planning consultant to market the plan with city, county and other local elected officials

Copies of the LRGV Regional Coordination Plan available from: Questions or Comments