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

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L.~ Introduction Along with community transportation systems' maturation and NCDOT Public Transportation Division (PTD) policy changes over the years, state planning guidelines must adapt to reflect these changes. The PTD, based upon the research conducted by the Institute for Transportation Reseazch and Education, Public Transportation Group, at North Carolina State University which culminated in a final report, Reeionalizin~ Public Transportation Services, dated October 25, 2002, has determined that in most instances, regionalizing single-county, community transportation systems can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of nrral public transportation systems. Regional travel has been increasing over the past couple of decades as a result of increased trip demand to regional medical facilities and employment transportation. From the late seventies to the eazly nineties, PTD utilized the Transportation Development Plan (TDP) process at the coursty level. With increased regional travel trends, the state must now look at improved coordination, and where feasible, consolidation of community transportation systems at the regional level. To investigate the potential for such improved coordination, PTD has developed a new Regional Transportation Development Plan (RTDP) scope ofwork. The new RTDP incorporates and merges critical elements of all of the past planning processes: Transportation Development Plan (TDP), Community Transportation Services Plan (CTSP) and the Community Transportation Improvement Plan (CTIl'), into the new RTDP scope ofwork. For example, for a three county study area, each of the community transportation systems will have a CTIP completed and a regional feasibility study will be prepared for the entire three county azea. Cusent regional systems will continue to utilize the Community Transportation Improvement Plan (CTIP) studies and recommendations. In some azeas, contiguous counties maybe studied for inclusion with the existing regional system. North Carolina has proven to many states azound the country that human service agencies could rise above the turf issues to develop community transportation systems that shazed human and capital resources to improve the overall safety, efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery while eliminating duplication of effort. North Cazolina is recognized as a national leader in meeting the coordination challenge. Nevertheless, many of the same issues of responsibility and authority among agencies thaYa+ere encountered and resolved in the former TDP process with human service agencies consolidating transportation maybe of concern with this new approach at the community transportation system level. Some of these issues, such as standazdization of adrninistrative and operational policies and procedures, system rates, reporting, maintenance and organizational structwe, will also have to be addressed in the new regional approach, The following planning process will research the existing approaches taken by all individual transit systems in specific regions, document the results of this approach and identify opportunities where coordination and/or consolidation of system service delivery into regional networks can improve the mobility of the citizens of this state. The goal of this planning approach is to have all authorized officials representing community transit systems within a specified geographic region sign a Regional Memorandum of Understanding (RMOU) that