Agenda - 04-19-2005-9b - Laserfiche WebLink

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>'s Mr. Glover stressed the benefits of regionalizing community transportation systems, e.g, in providing cross-county transportation to medical facilities and in utilizing common technologies.. NCDOT is encouraging counties to,jointly study what opportunities there maybe inmulti-county regions. NCDOT will provide 100% funding for studies to examine regionalization and will also prepare a detailed implementation plan for any counties that wish to proceed toward regionalization after the study. He noted that the Unifour Region has finished an initial study and that three of the four counties (excluding Alexander County) are now working with NCDOT on the implementation plan. Ms Perry noted that many county concerns about regionalization are similar in nature to the concerns voiced by individual human service agencies ,years ago when the countywide systems were established.. Mr Link asked if there was any requirement for counties to proceed beyond the initial study or any penalty if they did not do so. Mr. Glover responded that there are no requirements or penalties. Mr. Caz'ey asked about the governance models that led to the existing seven regional systems that currently exist. Mr. Glover responded that most grew out of an existing regional organization, e g a multi- countyhealth agency or a COG. The organizational characteristics differ from system to system; typically an interlocal agreement sets the conditions, e.g, one county operating the service and an adjacent county contracting for service. Mr. Ruffin asked if any of the NC metropolitan areas have done this, e.g. the Triad or Charlotte. Ms. Perry answered that in Fayetteville, the urban transit system (FAST) also provides the community service [reporter's note: but apparently no multi-county urban examples, so far]. Mr. Cooke asked if the challenge is to look at multi-county CTS, or'to combine CTS with urban systems within a single county. Ms. Perry felt that there maybe opportunities under either scenario or a hybrid involving both multi-county and fixed route/agency transportation combinations, especially if some major Triangle urban systems consolidate. Mr. Link asked how TTA routing decisions relate to CTS service and regionalization, noting the planning for a new Chapel Hill to Hillsborough route. Mr. Glover noted that the recent OCPT plan called for OCPT to provide the paratransit component of the new service. The participants discussed specifics about a regionalization study for the Triangle. The participants agreed that a study was worthwhile and the timing was fortuitous, with the experience of the urban bus consolidation study, the transition of OCPT to include general public service, and rising concerns about agency costs under the current system. Ms. Reclchow asked if'the TTA would be included in any regionalization study. Ms. Perry responded that it would.. Ms. Reckhow asked how such a study involves stakeholders. Ms Perry responded that each CTS has an advisory board that represents the agencies and clients, typically appointed by the Boards of Commissioners. Mr. Cazey asked about the time frame for a study. Ms. Perry responded that from first meeting to completion of the plan might take ] 0 to 12 months; the participants encouraged a more condensed time frame that might permit decisions for FY06-07. Mr. Ruffin asked if there were any incentives for regionalization. Ms. Perry responded that beginning in FY06, NCDOT wilt provide federal funding to regional systems that provide general public service. The participants discussed the appropriate geographic scale for a regional system and concluded that the study should initially focus on the three core counties, while leaving morn for potential expansion to other areas over time based on interest and transportation ties. Action Item: For the next meeting, T.1COG staff will work with NCDOT PTD staff to bring back a proposal for a Triangle Region Community Transportation Systems Study that includes study tasi<s, timeline, participants, and roles and responsibilities. The proposal should cover the three core cowities and involve the Triangle Transit Authority. It should address both the potential for multi-county CIS options and linking CTS human service agency-oriented and general public transportation with urban fixed route systems. The proposal should include a synopsis of'existing county transportation plans.