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Butte County Coordinated Public Transit- Human Services Transportation Plan

Butte County Coordinated Public Transit- Human Services Transportation Plan. With May 2008. Today’s Workshop. Why are we doing this? Survey Findings Outreach Findings Direction of Recommendations Dialog on possible projects Finalizing the plan and next steps Section 5310 process

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Butte County Coordinated Public Transit- Human Services Transportation Plan

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  1. Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan With May 2008

  2. Today’s Workshop • Why are we doing this? • Survey Findings • Outreach Findings • Direction of Recommendations • Dialog on possible projects • Finalizing the plan and next steps • Section 5310 process • Local Call for Projects Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  3. Project Overview

  4. Why are we doing this? • Coordination history long • Improving rural/ improving social service transportation (1970s) • GAO Report on Coordination (2003) • Federal Executive Order (2004) • Locally (2001) – Regionalizing transit creating B-Line; human services coordination working group—Easter Seals project • Coordination Requirement of new Federal legislation • Section 5310 – Capital program / seniors & persons with disabilities • Section 5316 – Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC)/ low income & work-related trips • Section 5317 – New Freedom program / persons with disabilities Circulars require a unified, comprehensive plan that is locally developed with public transit and human services participation. Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  5. 4 Federal Requirements • An assessment of available services that identifies current providers (public, private and non-profit). • An assessment of transportation needs for individuals with disabilities, older adults and people of low income -- this assessment can be based on experiences and perceptions of the planning partners or on the data collection efforts and identified gaps in service. • Strategies and/or activities and/or projects to address the identified gaps between current services and needs as well s opportunities to improve efficiencies in service delivery. • Priorities for implementation based on resources (from multiple program sources), time and feasibility for implementing. Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  6. Coordination Plan Development Goals 1. Through outreach, identify & promote partnerships. • Interested, Willing and Able Agencies. Looking for leadership. 2. Identify unmet needs & service gaps for target populations. • Persons of low income • Persons with disabilities • Seniors 3. Promote survey and validate survey findings. 4. Inform & educate stakeholders about capacity building strategies. 5. Integrate SAFETEA-LU coordination planning into BCAG’s ongoing efforts to build cooperative relationships. 6. Leverage existing dollars to expand transportation options/ choices. Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  7. Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for Butte County, 2008 A Locally Developed Comprehensive, Unified Plan Tied to 3 Federal Programs § 5316 – Job Access & Reverse Commute Program § 5317 – New Freedom Program § 5310 – Seniors & Persons W/ Disabilities Capital Program Outreach Opportunities: 3 Subarea Workshops; Selected Stakeholder Interviews Demographics Analysis: 2000-2030 Need and Resource Assessment Activities SSTAC/Wkg Grp. Jan 7th Background Information: Unmet Needs, Performance Audit Stakeholder Inventory Survey Consumer Focus Groups Disabilities, Low-Income, Seniors Assessments: Transit Operators – B-Line, Other Operators Report of Findings/ Needs Assessment May Project Development Workshop Coordinated Plan Call For Projects 2007/08 Draft Plan SSTAC/Wkg. Grp. Adopted Plan Public Hearing Process

  8. Target Populations

  9. Target Populations 7% increase percent of total population Orange County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  10. Target Population Subgroups • Other Subgroups • Welfare-to-work families & children • Homeless individuals returning to employment • Persons on dialysis • Adults with developmental disabilities • Chronically mentally ill homeless • Discharged prisoners • Seniors • Low income seniors 2,286 persons 1.1% of 2000 County population • Seniors w/ self-reported disabilities 5,546 persons 2.7% of 2000 County population • Oldest seniors, 85+ 4,384 persons 2.2% of 2000 County population • Youth • Chronically or acutely ill children & youth • Court-placed youth; CASA youth • Aging out of foster care • In behavioral health system • On probation • With developmental disabilities and special needs Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  11. Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  12. Current Transportation Resources

  13. Resources • Regional Public Transit Network B-Line Service in Chico, Oroville, Paradise areas -- intra and inter-community lines B-Line Paratransit Gridley Golden Feather Flyer Adjacent Counties – Glenn Ride and Plumas Transit • Other Public Sector Transportation (partial) Butte College Chico State University School districts – Chico, Oroville, Durham and Feather Falls Unified School Districts • Human Service Agency & Organization Transportation (partial) Work Training Center Bus ticket distribution – DPSS, CAP Feather River Hospital – Rural Health Clinic Catholic Workers, Salvation Army Peg Taylor Center Longfellow Catholic Ladies Passages Faith-based organizations • Private sector services (partial) Merit Medi-Trans Telephone check-in/ transportation provider for seniors Better Babies/ Cabs for Kids Greyhound Bus Lines Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  14. Existing Public Transit Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  15. Resource Utilization (2007) • Trips taken in Butte County by various services: • B-Line fixed-route – 1.1 million trips • B-Line paratransit – 112,420 trips • Responding human services providers – 281,364 trips (excludes school districts and commercial providers; n=15) • Trips Per Capita • Fixed-route – 5.5 • Paratransit – 0.6 • Survey agency trips provided – 1.3 • All trips counted – 6.9 Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  16. Resource Utilization (2007) Coordinated Plan Trip Per Capita Demand Estimates: • All transit – 10.7 • Specialized – 2.7 • Trips taken in Butte County by various services: • B-Line Fixed-route – 1.1 million trips • B-Line Paratransit – 112,420 trips • Responding human services providers – 281,364 trips (excludes school districts and commercial providers) • Trips Per Capita • Fixed-route – 5.5 • Paratransit – 0.6 • Survey agency trips provided – 1.3 • All trips counted – 6.9 Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  17. SAFETEA-LU Funding Section 5310 – Statewide competition of $12 million Section 5316 – JARC $ 51,000 Section 5417 – New Freedom $ 30,000 Section 5307 – Small urban areas $1.5 million Section 5311 – Rural areas $500,000 California Transit Funding Transportation Development Act, LTF $6.8 million California State Transit Assistance $1.1 million Transportation Funding Resources in Butte County Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  18. Human Services Funding Butte County Dept. of Education $8 million Far Northern Regional Center $1.7 million Other Funding Sources (partial) California Dept. of Rehabilitation Dept of Health Services (MediCal) Calworks/ GAIN Proposition 63 – Mental Health Services Act Tobacco Settlement Revenue First Five Ryan White CARE Act (HIV/AIDS) Chaffee Act (Foster Care Independence) Transportation Funding Resources in Butte County Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  19. Survey Results

  20. Survey Respondents • 24% response rate from 302 agencies. • Approximate case load of responding agencies is 163,000 persons • Daily attendees –13,187 (8%) • Needing transport help -7,393(5%) Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  21. Survey Respondents Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  22. Survey - Needs Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  23. Survey – Coordination Interests • Centralized information highest ranked by all agency types. • Coordinated trip scheduling & dispatch highest ranked by both human service transport providers and non-provider agency types. • Agencies with no current transportation function least interested in coordination opportunities. Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  24. Survey-Barriers to Transportation • Funding availability • directly operated or contracted transport. • Challenges with public transit • reliability, availability, frequency, bus pass purchase rules • Demand response service • trip scheduling, service reliability, difficulties with dispatch • Butte County’s geography and long-trips • Information assistance needed at all levels • agencies, consumers booking trips, riders boarding/ on vehicles • Consumers’ individualized needs Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  25. Survey- Resources • Vehicles reported by 36 human service agencies (exclusive of B-Line): • 174 vans and buses • 146 (84%) used daily • 80 (46%) in need of replacement within next two years • Only 17% lift-equipped • Funding for transportation by human service agencies responding to survey: • Reported over $5 million (may include some duplication with FNRC $s) • Funding for vehicle operations, bus passes, mileage reimbursement, taxi vouchers, some administration Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  26. Outreach FindingsNeeds and Issues

  27. Outreach Meetings: Representative Contacts Community Workshops Attended by over 50 persons representing 35 organizations • Paradise – Family Resource Center • Chico – Community Employment Center • Oroville – Community Employment Center Meetings/Roundtables • BCAG’s Social Services Transportation Advisory Council/ Coordination Working Grp. • Secondary & University Transportation Providers • Butte Community College • Chico State University of California • Chico Unified School District • Dept. of Public Social Services Housing & Community Development Program Managers Meetings/ Interviews • Paradise Adult Treatment Center • Peg Taylor Adult Day Care • Merit Medi-Trans • Work Training Center • Feather River Rural Health Clinic • North Valley Catholic Social Services • Dept. of Behavioral Health, Prop. 63 Consumer Focus Groups • Persons with chronic mental illness – Paradise Treatment Center • Seniors – Residents at Jarvis Gardens, Chico • Individuals of low income – Jesus Center food bank Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  28. Needs Identified • Human service agency needs • Consumer needs • B-Line fixed-route and unserved pockets of County • B-Line ADA and paratransit needs • Community infrastructure needs Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  29. Human Service Agency Needs • Gatekeeper Information and Communications, relating to fixed route services • New staff not aware of available services • Caseworkers don’t track changes in transit • Destination-oriented fixed-route transit info • Helping clients translate ride guide info into a trip plan • Travel training • Training staff to train consumers • Select locations (CAP Training) good sites for consumer training; • Assisting consumers in how to use available services • Youth need training • No Cost Low Cost/ Help Central a resource Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  30. Human Service Agency Needs • More escorted transportation needed • So consumers don’t wander off (Alzheimer's’, developmental disabilities) • Assistance between door and vehicle (frail elderly, frail and blind, dialysis patients, unsteady on feet) • Need transit to follow • Entry-level jobs at airport, casinos, fast food locations • New low-income housing developments (seniors, families) • Special purpose shuttles • Shopping shuttles (from Paradise to Costco/ Chico mall) • Recreational activities on Saturdays and evenings (Do-It dances, movies) • Families with children Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  31. Human Service Agency Needs • Non-emergency medical transportation • High level of no-shows for MediCal appointments due to transportation difficulties • Agency staff transport costs increasing; • Mileage reimbursement to staff significant budget item • Agencies need vehicles on limited basis: • Special events or outings (recreational) • Group shopping trip on limited days • Special out-of-county field trips Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  32. Consumer Needs • Rider compliments – drivers, dispatch, service • Reduced fares for low income riders • Many can’t afford even fixed route fares • Transit tickets offered for individual trip; more cost effective if monthly pass available; 10 tickets not enough for job search, apartment search • Smaller ticket denominations ($5) • Increasing fuel costs severely impacting low income consumers and families • Desire to turn to public transit • Where transit isn’t available, “fuel cards” are needed • Transit dependent with pets to vets Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  33. Consumer Needs • Transportation accommodating needs of low income women with children • Work transportation to accommodate taking children to day care. • Difficulty of traveling on bus with infants or several children to get to medical, social service, mental health counseling appointments. • Importance of on-time performance • Whether fixed-route or paratransit, missing buses and late arrivals impacts doctors’ appointments, job interviews, work • Same day non-emergency medical trips • Health needs can’t be anticipated • Changes in MediCal; difficulty in obtaining transportation authorization Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  34. Consumer Needs • Travel training • Riders confused – county vs. city; inbound vs. outbound • Butte County areas with limited public transit or no service at all. • Paradise to Magalia • Paradise to Pines • Gridley • Kelly Ridge to Oroville • Oroville to Palermo • Berry Creek and Concow • Out-of-county medical trips to: Yuba/Sutter and North Sacramento-UC Davis Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  35. B-Line Paratransit Related Issues • ADA certification computerized • Hard for consumers to navigate • Difficult for caseworkers to help frail consumers • ADA services at capacity (a.m. and p.m. peaks) • Longer waits, more missed trips; missed connections • Service quality issues • On-time performance, missed appointments due to lateness • Dispatch communication issues • Consumers report difficulties around trip scheduling, follow-up on late vehicles and missed trips • Need for more dispatcher training, improved rider communications • Call ahead -- reminding frail seniors who are often forgetful Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  36. B-Line Paratransit Related Issues • Confusion regarding ADA trip types • Regularly scheduled versus subscription • Vacation trips and not; driver manifest is not always correct • Rigidity in booking trips difficult • Sometimes consumers need a different pick-up or drop-off location • Vehicles • Old, break-downs not infrequent, in need of replacement • Some trip needs beyond what ADA can provide • Escort assistance; more frail riders • Trip chaining – waiting for pharmacy, grocery store return trip Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  37. B-Line Fixed Route Issues • Frequency of service, particularly inter-community • Magalia to Paradise • Magalia to Chico (medical, social service appointments) • Paradise to Chico • Chico to Oroville • Oroville to Chico return; need additional afternoon run • Routing reviewed; more direct routing needed • Improved connections for inter-community trips • B-Line buses around University: • Changes in timing – buses leave 10 minutes to the hour; students can’t get to the bus; long waits for next • Calling out stops infrequent • Difficult for new or uncertain riders Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  38. B-Line Fixed Route Issues • Particular locations needing transit services • Weekend and Evening Hours • Half-day on Sundays; later Saturday nites for work trips • Evening services needed for airport, certain fast food locations • Casinos (Gold Country) need 3rd shift transportation • Overcrowding • Particularly Chico to Oroville and return • Bus pass purchase capabilities • Need easier administrative processes for agency purchases. • Discounts for low income riders • Need universal bus pass that human service agencies could be billed for trips taken Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  39. B-Line Fixed Route Issues • Pockets of unserved need and key destinations without adequate public transportation. • Gridley • Pockets up in the foothills – Berry Creek, Concow, Thermalito, Feather Falls • Gold Country Casino in Kelly Ridge • Oroville to Palermo (bus does stop at Four Corners) • Between Oroville and Yuba/ Sutter • Oroville Senior Nutrition Center • Oroville – The Oaks; Cottonwood Estate • Oroville -- New Family Resource Center Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  40. Infrastructure Related Issues • Need capability for trip brokering, sharing of vehicles for trips are coming in from rural areas. • Interest in collaboration • Common trip corridors • Limited ways for agencies to “find” one another around trip needs Discounts for low income populations. • Role for private providers • Need mechanisms for agencies to collaborate more easily around meeting trip needs. • Role of mobility manager - Within agencies and service systems - Between agencies and service systems Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  41. Infrastructure Related Issues • Physical environment • Curb cuts and street improvements for pedestrians • Bus stop and bus shelter needs • Stop signage incomplete, often missing, more information needed • Better info at central transfer locations (Chico mall) • Role for volunteers • Interest in & capacity for volunteer-role in Butte County given strong community orientation – CASA program • Insurance issues must be addressed • Fuel costs must be addressed Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  42. Emerging Recommendations

  43. Direction of Recommendations 1. Facilitating infrastructure 2. Building services 3. Enhancing information portals Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  44. Infrastructure • Facilitating mechanisms for coordination • There are Interested, Willing…. And ABLE Partners • Merit Medi-Trans • Work Training Center • Many other human service agencies collaborating in this process • Roles for B-Line Paratransit and B-Line Fixed Route Can address: • Vehicle maintenance - Travel training - Ability to fill seats on specific runs - Potential for vehicle sharing in a coordinated system Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  45. Infrastructure • Defining the role of a CTSA – Consolidated Transportation Services Agency - Institutional issues – where, who, governance - Funding partners - Defining responsibilities - Defining services Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  46. Infrastructure • Defining the role of a CTSA – Consolidated Transportation Services Agency - Institutional issues – where, who, governance - Funding partners - Defining responsibilities - Defining services Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  47. Building Services Building the Service Network • Address key B-Line fixed route and paratransit issues identified thru upcoming transit planning processes • Encourage human services transportation options - promote bus pass/ voucher programs - promote volunteers • Integrate public transit and human services transportation capabilities Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  48. Enhancing Information Information portals • Printed and website information, availability promoted • Travel training of users/ bus buddies • Travel training case managers • Development of supplemental tools - Destination oriented - Consumer-group specific Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

  49. Project Development

  50. From Needs to Projects • Information and trip planning resources • Internal agency transportation coordinators – Mobility Managers • Non-emergency medical transportation • Same-day transportation option • Coordinated transportation options – brokered trips • Individualized shuttle services to address specialized needs (i.e. shopping runs, recreational-Saturday dances, mothers with children, frail elderly, youth, training events) • Voucher programs/ reduced fares/ improved bus pass distribution for low income consumers • Improvements to B-Line ADA dispatching and communications • Improvements to existing B-Line fixed route service Butte County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

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