ITS Tools for Coordination Mobility Services for All Americans Yehuda Gross USDOT ITS Joint Program Office CalACT 2007 Spring Conference & Expo April 2007

Outline MSAA Challenges ITS Promotes Coordination UWR/MSAA Joint Demonstration Stakeholders Outreach and Knowledge Transfer

Mobility Services for All Americans (MSAA) Background 60+ independent Federal programs fund transportation, across 8 Federal departments $ billions are spent on human service transportation Education Health Transportation Employment Transit industry experiences challenges in meeting mobility needs of the transportation disadvantaged

Challenges

ITS Role ITS is an enabler to facilitate coordination and enhance accessibility Human Service Transportation Service Providers All Users Human Service Administration/Funding Agencies

ITS Role (cont.) ITS supports 1.Integrated point of access for traveler support 2.Improved fleet scheduling, dispatching, routing 3.Streamlined reporting, billing and financial transaction 4.Simplified fare payment, collection and processing 5.Enhanced traveler information and travel management flexibility with accessibility features 6.Service integration with existing fixed (flex) route public transportation services

MSAA Initiative Goals: –Increase mobility and accessibility for the transportation disadvantaged and general public –Achieve more efficient use of federal transportation funding resources Key Approaches: –Facilitate stakeholder participation –Conduct foundation research (completed) –Plan and design model systems –Conduct model deployment –Transfer knowledge, outreach and education

MSAA Targeted Outcomes Scalable and Replicable models of Travel Management Coordination Centers (TMCC) –Local community driven (including system design and deployment) –Urban, small urban and rural models –Provide simplified point of access for traveler support –Support coordinated and comprehensive service operations and management –Streamline program management requirements and procedures

MSAA and UWR Partnership UWR/MSAA Partnership –Allows thorough overhaul of issues, both in breadth and depth –Provides comprehensive suites of solutions –Broadens participation from other federal partners –Enables leverage of UWR/MSAA program progress and resources UWR/MSAA Joint Demonstration

Two-phased Approach –Phase 1: system planning and design –Phase 2: system deployment Two independent evaluations –Process evaluation –Systems impact evaluation Phase 1 RFP release: April 2006 Phase 1 sites selection announcement: Jan Phase 2 sites selection announcement: Dec (expected) Demonstration completion: June 2010 (expected)

One Integrated Vision Independence Employment Health Care Recreation Family Education Consumer with Mobility Needs One Call Transportation Service Providers Funding Agencies U.S. State & Local Government Funds, Policies, and Regulations

Stakeholders Outreach UWR/MSAA stakeholders steering group –User groups –Human service program administrations (state and local) –Private industry (system suppliers, consultants, etc.) –Transportation service providers Public listening sessions –Conferences and workshops UWR quarterly newsletters and news release Web-based online community –

From USDOT perspectives…… Identify and prioritize knowledge and technical needs with stakeholders’ input Determine effective ways to deliver and address knowledge and TA needs –Workshops, publications, training courses, online communities –Coordination with other federal interagency resources and professional communities

How to Participate and Stay Informed Participate in public listening sessions Subscribe to UWR newsletters/news releases Sign up for UWR/MSAA online communities Periodically check UWR/MSAA websites Communicate directly with UWR/MSAA staff

Start Coordination There are plenty of easy excuses NOT to coordinate. Successful coordination often starts small – the scale of coordination will grow “naturally” if it works. Coordination can be “low-tech” or “no-tech.” Look for “low-hanging fruits.”

Thank You Questions and Discussions Yehuda Gross ITS Transit Program Manager USDOT