Pinal transportation coordination demonstration project Pinal Rides final report

              PINAL TRANSPORTATION COORDINATION DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
Final Report
December, 2005
PINAL TRANSPORTATION COORDINATION DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
Final Report

RAE Consultants, Inc. 1029 East 8th Avenue Denver, CO 80218

with Ostrander Consulting, Inc.



This report was funded through a grant to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the United We Ride program.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I. INTRODUCTION Study Background and Purpose Study Process . . . United We Ride Framework .



. . .



. . .



. . .



. . .



. . .



I-1 I-2 I-4



PHASE 1

II. TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INVENTORY Coolidge Cotton Express . . . Summary of Existing Transportation Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II-1 II-25 III-1 III-5 IV-1 IV-3 V-1 V-1 V-3



III. SERVICE DUPLICATION AND SERVICE GAPS Service Duplication . . . . . Service Gaps . . . . . . IV. COORDINATION OPTIONS The Range of Options . . Pinal County Options . . . . . . . .



V. SELECTION OF A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT Project Mission and Vision . . . . Barriers to Overcome . . . . . The coordination Demonstration Project . .



PHASE 2

VI. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Coordination Planning Process Implementation Plan . . Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VI-1 VI-2 VI-9



APPENDICES A - Study Advisory Committee B - Meeting Summaries C � United We Ride Example Coordination Activities D � Public Information Program E � ADOT Training Library F � Trainer's Manual G � Corridor Meeting Detail H � Example Demonstration Service Flyer



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Background and Purpose This project was developed as part of the federal United We Ride initiative and it's counterpart in Arizona � the Arizona Rides partnership. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), in collaboration with the Governor's Office, the Department of Economic Security (DES), the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and other members of the Arizona United We Ride (Arizona Rides) team were the sponsors of this project. It is part of a two-part initiative which has the following goals: � � � To insure maximum feasible coordination between and among human services agencies receiving federal transportation dollars, To increase the efficiency and effectiveness of funds utilized for transportation, and To reduce redundancy/overlap of service.



The Arizona Rides - Pinal Coordination Demonstration Project focuses on developing a pilot coordination project among transportation providers in the Pinal County area in central Arizona. The Pinal County area was selected for several reasons. First, it is a rural area with only limited general public transportation and with a variety of specialized transportation providers. Second, the county is a rapidly growing area located between Arizona's two largest urban communities, with potentially unique service dynamics. Third, there was a "local champion" willing to serve as host and convener in bringing agencies together to explore coordination options. This project was done in coordination with the statewide assessment on human services transportation conducted through a separate study process. Both projects are utilizing the United We Ride Framework for Action, developed by the federal Interagency Council on Coordination, in response to the President's United We Ride Executive Order to Coordinate Transportation Programs for Seniors, Disabled and Low Income, issued in 2004. Governor Napolitano issued Executive Order 2005-16 in July 2005 to formalize the Arizona Riders initiatives. The Pinal Coordination Demonstration Project includes two phases. � Phase 1 - Evaluation and Education. Phase 1, includes an inventory of existing public transit and human services providers in the Pinal County area, the identification of duplication and service gaps, education regarding feasible coordination options, an assessment of which options make the most sense in the Pinal County area, and the identification of a specific transportation coordination demonstration project. 1

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



�



Phase 2 - Pilot Project Implementation Plan. Phase 2 includes the development of specific implementation objectives, identification of impediments to coordination, the selection of key providers to participate in a model coordination project, and the development of a detailed implementation plan.



This executive summary presents an overview of the work done in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the overall project. Study Process A Study Advisory Committee (SAC) provided guidance to the consultant team throughout the project. The Advisory Committee was made up of representatives of key stakeholders in the Pinal County area. Their focus was to work together to assess options and to identify a specific coordination project for implementation. Throughout the Pinal County project interface was maintained with the statewide United We Ride effort being conducted through a separate study process. United We Ride Framework In June, 2005 the Study Advisory Committee completed the federal United We Ride Framework for Action: Self-Assessment Tool for Communities, developed by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The Self-Assessment was used in two ways. First, as an excellent educational tool to present the broad variety of activities which could be included in a "coordination project." Second, by completing the Self-Assessment at the beginning of the study, a benchmark was established for comparing progress achieved later in the coordination process. The assessment tool identifies five areas of coordination: � � � � � Making Things Happen by Working Together Taking Stock of Community Needs and Moving Forward Putting Customers First Adapting Funding for Greater Mobility Moving People Efficiently



As might be expected, at the beginning of the project most areas were in the "Needs to Begin" category. As the coordination process continues the Self-Assessment Tool can be administered again to determine progress made. The Assessment Tool provides a framework for addressing coordination over time.



2

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Transportation Service Inventory Information was provided by 25 agencies that operate transportation service in Pinal County. Only one of these agencies, however, operates general public transportation service. The others provide client specific services � for seniors, for persons with physical or mental disabilities and for other specific groups. Collectively the agencies utilize 106 vehicles on a daily basis. Most of these, however, are automobiles used for agency staff for program management or are assigned to group homes for persons with developmental disabilities. Service Duplication and Service Gaps There is a wide variety of potential scenarios which could be construed as "service duplication." Sometimes what appears to be duplication initially is not really duplication when looked at more closely. An obvious example would be a van from the County Sheriff's office carrying criminals which pass a general public transit van on the same street going the same direction, at the same time. On one hand there may be "service duplication" but there is no real opportunity for coordination so the term loses its meaning. Given that understanding, the report examined service duplication on two levels. First, a gross view was taken as to what appeared to be duplication. Second, a more refined view was taken to determine areas where there was an opportunity for coordination. Five areas were examined: on-street vehicle operation, dispatch, vehicle maintenance, marketing, and administration. Overall, service duplication was determined to be less of an issue than the lack of available transportation service. The surveyed agencies identified various gaps in transportation service from their individual agency perspectives. The gaps include a variety of issues, including: service area, clients served, days of week, times of day, user fares, and others. Major service gaps, as identified by the providers, and others, are presented below. � � � � General public transportation service county-wide Non-emergency medical transportation within the county and to Phoenix and Tucson Transportation to work and work-related activities, including child care Unavailability of transportation for shopping trips



Selecting a Coordination Project There has been considerable national research regarding options for coordinating public and specialized transportation over the last several years. Many states and local areas have been exceptionally active and there has been abundant national research. Based on a 3

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



review of this research, a model was selected to show the spectrum of coordination activities available for the Pinal County area. The model selected was taken from the report, "Strategies to Increase Coordination of Transportation Service for the Transportation Disadvantaged," Report 105, Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP), 2004. The model, showing the range of possible coordination strategies, is presented below. The degree of coordination activity increases from the top of the list to the bottom.

All Types of Coordination Partners Working Together � Transportation advocacy coalition building � Information and referral � Joint planning, decision making � Coordinating council � Sharing technical expertise Organizations that Do Not Operate Service Working with Transportation Operators. � Use or subsidize services for client travel � Travel training � Mobility management Organizations that Operate Service Working Together � Provide vehicles � Provide technical assistance � Joint grant applications � Joint driver training � Shared vehicle storage/maintenance facilities � Joint procurement of vehicles, insurance, maintenance, fuel, hardware, software, technology � Vehicle sharing � Centralized functions (reservations, scheduling, dispatching) All Types of Coordination Working Together � Purchase or contract for service � Transportation brokerage � Consolidation of transportation programs



The Study Advisory Committee was challenged in determining which coordination options would be most effective in meeting two critical project goals: 1. Addressing existing transportation needs, and 2. Being "implementable" given the political, social and economic characteristics of the area. In order to move forward effectively, the Committee developed a mission/vision statement to clarify what they were trying to accomplish through a coordination project. They next considered barriers that would need to be overcome in achieving that 4

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



mission/vision. After addressing those two issues they moved forward in selecting a specific transportation coordination demonstration project. Mission and Vision Statement After extensive discussion, the Committee identified the following as their mission and vision statement to provide direction to the study process. Our mission is to improve the availability of quality transportation services in the Pinal County area, building upon and expanding existing resources. Our vision is an affordable system that meets individuals' transportation needs and supports the human services, medical, business, educational and recreational goals of the area. Barriers to Overcome Once the mission/vision statement was developed, the Committee identified issues which appeared to be barriers to effective coordination. These are listed below.

� � � � � � � � � � � Lack of political support Limited existing service, focused on agency-specific clients Service boundary issues Lack of funding Turf issues Lack of staff resources Funding program restrictions Insurance restrictions Client confidentiality Inability to tap into AHCCCS funding No Transportation lead agency



Rather than let these perceived barriers stymie the selection of a demonstration project, the Committee decided to move forward with a four-part project and to address each specific barrier as it arose. The Coordination Demonstration Project Based on extensive Committee discussion, facilitated by the consultant team, the following elements were selected for inclusion in the Pinal Transportation Coordination Demonstration Project. � Transportation Coordinating Council - A Coordinating Council was recommended, ideally with members appointed by the Pinal County Supervisors. 5

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



The Council would focus on advocacy as a means to achieve the mission and vision of the Coordination Project. The Council would also work on other areas based on time and resources available. These other areas could include: developing a process to share technical expertise among participating agencies, information and referral, and other potential activities. � � Sharing Technical Expertise - Agencies would initially focus on developing and sharing driver training materials and coordinating training schedules. Corridor Service Coordination - Creative ways to coordinate the delivery of inter-community transportation services in two corridors was recommended. The corridors were identified in areas where current transportation services operate and where there is a need for additional service. The two corridors are FlorenceCoolidge-Casa Grande and Eloy-Casa Grande. Other - Two other coordination efforts were also identified. One was for Pinal Rides participants to support the Coolidge Express as an example of successful public transit in Pinal County. The other was to explore the feasibility of accessing Medicaid reimbursement for non-emergency medical transportation by nonprofit providers in Pinal County.



�



The Coordination Planning Process The process of developing the transportation coordination project in the Pinal County area took several months. The initial meeting of stakeholders was held in April 2005. From April through December, the Study Advisory Committee met approximately monthly. While the process was sometimes tedious, project participants and the consultant team felt it was an excellent beginning to the long term process of building a coordinated transportation system. The project team, which included ADOT staff, existing providers and the consultant team, was able to accomplish the following: � � � � � Build stronger, more effective relationships among participating providers Overcome initial resistance and skepticism regarding coordination Establish momentum for additional future coordination efforts Identify specific barriers which would need to be addressed by the Pinal County Study Advisory Committee, with assistance of the statewide Coordinating Council Implement meaningful first steps in a county-wide coordination effort



Getting key stakeholders to the table to discuss coordination was the first critical step. Building the trust and agreements necessary to move forward with small but significant 6

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



action steps was the second. The process initiated through the Pinal Rides study, laid the ground work for on-going future coordination efforts. Implementation Plan Table 1 presents next steps for action. Specific tasks to begin implementation of the coordination demonstration project over the next year are identified. This project began the long-term process of moving to a system of coordinated transportation service delivery in the Pinal County area. While this implementation plan provides significant steps to begin this process, much remains to be done. The steps identified in Table 1 set the stage for improved delivery of transportation services in the county through a coordinated transportation system.



7

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Table -1 Next Steps for Action Pinal Transportation Coordination Project Tasks: Establish Council under Pinal County Presentations to Town/City Councils, community groups Pursue funding to support a "Coordinator" position; consider request for funding from ADOT Section 5311 rural public transit grant program. Assign Training Coordinator from Council. Schedule two of four major training courses for March and June. Develop countywide list of training materials Training open to all providers/programs needing transportation in Pinal County. On the Go Express starts one day/week service between FlorenceCoolidge-Casa Grande and Eloy-Casa Grande. Target service for 6 month trial period. Will require $9,000 in funding. Include request for continuation funding for Oct. 2006/Sept 2007 in 5311 application; either Cotton Express or Pinal County as applicant. Discuss additional corridors/coordination options that could be implemented and request funding if appropriate. Pursue Medicaid reimbursement using statewide Council Refine structure, staffing, mission/goals/objectives Schedule 2 to 4 major training courses for Sept. and Nov. Request assistance from ADOT Training Coordinator. Include technical assistance and funding from RTAP. Establish central library of training materials. Explore option for submitting countywide grant application for Section 5310 vehicles. July-Sept. � Continue corridor service between Eloy � Florence/Coolidge and Casa Grande. Requires $4,400 in additional funds through 2006. Based on Section 5311 grant request/award available for new service, develop additional coordinated service. To be determined



Time JanJune 2006



Element: Coordinating Council



Sharing Expertise



Corridor Service Coordination



JuneDec. 2006



Other Efforts Coordinating Council Sharing Expertise



Corridor Service Coordination Other Efforts



8

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



I. INTRODUCTION

Study Background and Purpose This project was developed as part of the federal United We Ride initiative and it's counterpart in Arizona � the Arizona Rides partnership. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), in collaboration with the Governor's Office, the Department of Economic Security (DES), the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and other members of the Arizona United We Ride (Arizona Rides) team were the sponsors of this project. It is part of a two-part initiative which has the following goals: � � � To insure maximum feasible coordination between and among human services agencies receiving federal transportation dollars, To increase the efficiency and effectiveness of funds utilized for transportation, and To reduce redundancy/overlap of service.



The Arizona Rides - Pinal Coordination Demonstration Project focuses on developing a pilot coordination project among transportation providers in the Pinal County area in Central Arizona. The Pinal County area was selected for several reasons. First, it is a rural area with only limited general public transportation and with a variety of specialized transportation providers. Second, the county is located between Arizona's two largest urban areas, which are expanding into the county. Third, there was a "local champion" willing to serve as host and convener in bringing agencies together to explore coordination options. This project was done in coordination with the statewide assessment on human services transportation conducted through a separate study process. Both projects are utilizing the United We Ride Framework for Action, developed by the federal Interagency Council on Coordination, in response to the President's United We Ride Executive Order to Coordinate Transportation Programs for Seniors, Disabled and Low Income, issued in 2004. Governor Napolitano issued Executive Order 2005-16 in July 2005 to formalize the Arizona Riders initiatives. The Pinal Coordination Demonstration Project includes two phases. � Phase 1 - Evaluation and Education. Phase 1, includes an inventory of existing public transit and human services providers in the Pinal County area, the identification of duplication and service gaps, education regarding feasible coordination options, an assessment of which options make the most sense in the



I-1

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Pinal County area, and the identification of a specific transportation coordination demonstration project. � Phase 2 - Pilot Project Implementation Plan. Phase 2 includes the development of specific implementation objectives, identification of impediments to coordination, the selection of key providers to participate in a model coordination project, and the development of a detailed implementation plan.



This report includes the work done in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the overall project. The Phase 1 section of the report includes the following: � � � � Chapter II presents an inventory of public transit and human service transportation providers in the Pinal County area Chapter III includes an assessment of transportation service duplication and service gaps, based on the information obtained from existing providers Chapter IV presents the range of coordination options which were considered for the Pinal County area and an evaluation of those options In Chapter V, the select transportation coordination demonstration project is identified



The last section of this report presents the work done in Phase 2. � Chapter VI presents the detailed implementation plan for the selected demonstration project.



Study Process A Study Advisory Committee (SAC) provided guidance to the consultant team throughout the project. The Advisory Committee was made up of representatives of key stakeholders in the Pinal County area. Committee members were identified during a project kick-off meeting in April 2005. Advisory Committee members are listed in Appendix A. The Committee met three times in Phase 1 and an additional three times in Phase 2. A meeting summary is presented in Appendix B. The Committee's focus was to work together to assess options and to identify a specific coordination project for implementation. Throughout the Pinal County project interface was maintained with the statewide United We Ride effort being conducted through a separate study process.



I-2

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



United We Ride Framework In June, 2005 the Study Advisory Committee completed the federal United We Ride Framework for Action: Self-Assessment Tool for Communities, developed by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The Self-Assessment was used in two ways. First as an excellent educational tool to present the broad variety of activities which could be included in a "coordination project." Second, by completing the Self-Assessment at the beginning of the study, a benchmark was established for comparing progress achieved later in the coordination process. The assessment tool identifies five areas of coordination:

� � � � � Making Things Happen by Working Together Taking Stock of Community Needs and Moving Forward Putting Customers First Adapting Funding for Greater Mobility Moving People Efficiently



Table I-1 provides clarification as to how each of the five areas is defined, as presented in the FTA United We Ride web site. More detailed information regarding examples of related coordination activities is presented in Appendix C. The composite rankings of the Study Advisory Committee are shown below, as of the beginning of the project. For the first area of coordination, "Making Things Happen by Working Together," most Committee members believed "Needs Significant Action" was the correct assessment of the status at the beginning of the project. A few thought "Needs to Begin" was a better description of the current status. Only a few thought "Needs Action" or "Done Well" was the appropriate description of the current status.

� Making Things Happen by Working Together ___7_ Needs to Begin __18_ Needs Significant Action ___3_ Needs Action ___1_ Done Well Taking Stock of Community Needs and Moving Forward __13_ Needs to Begin __25__ Needs Significant Action __12__ Needs Action ___1__ Done Well Putting Customers First __37_ Needs to Begin ___4_ Needs Significant Action ___1_ Needs Action _____ Done Well



�



�



I-4

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



�



Adapting Funding for Greater Mobility __11_ Needs to Begin ___1_ Needs Significant Action _____ Needs Action _____ Done Well Moving People Efficiently __17_ Needs to Begin ___3_ Needs Significant Action _____ Needs Action _____ Done Well



�



As might be expected, at the beginning of this project most areas were in the "Needs to Begin" category. As the coordination process continues the Self-Assessment Tool can be administered again to determine progress made. The Assessment Tool provides a framework for the Committee to use as the long term process of increasing coordination proceeds over time. Chapter II presents the an inventory of existing transportation services in the study area.



I-5

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



II. TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INVENTORY

This chapter presents an inventory of existing public and specialized transportation services in the Pinal County area. The inventory is intended to be all-inclusive, although the focus is on those services which are likely to have the best potential for coordination. Therefore, school bus services are only addressed generally and church-oriented services are not included. Description of Existing Providers Each transportation provider is described in a brief narrative below, followed by a list of transportation service gaps and areas of interest in coordination. Coolidge Cotton Express The Coolidge Cotton Express is the only general public transit operator in the study area. The Cotton Express is operated by the City of Coolidge with a fleet of three 18passenger, wheelchair accessible buses. Three vehicles are operated daily. One vehicle is used as a backup. The service is operated weekdays from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM and operates only within the City limits. Two types of service are provided, a flexible fixed route service and a demand response (dial-a-ride) service. The Cotton Express also occasionally provides service for Statewide Transportation when Statewide is unable to provide local service within the Coolidge City limits. The fare for flexible fixed route service is $1.25 for adults and $.75 for children. A fare of $1.50 is charged for dial-a-ride service, regardless of age. The highest trip purpose for riders is education and training (45%), followed by shopping and personal business (23%) and health/medical (20%). The Cotton Express has a large volume of student riders as the local school district doesn't provide bus service within the City limits. Most other rides are for shopping and medical services. The operating and administrative budget totals approximately $165,000 a year. Ridership averages 22,000-23,000 in recent years. The service provides roughly 4,800 annual service hours. In addition to fare revenue, the Coolidge Cotton Express is funded by the City and by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5311 program, managed by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT).



II-1

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



In terms of gaps in transportation service, the Cotton Express identified the following. � � � Service Gaps Non-emergency medical transportation to Casa Grande Service to Casa Grande and Florence Service between Florence and Coolidge (access the courts in Florence and shopping in Coolidge



The Cotton Express is "interested" or "possibly interested" in several potential transportation coordination options, as identified below. Interest in Coordination Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency � Purchasing transportation service from another organization � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, and public information with other providers. � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program Possibly Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate the operation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidate purchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules � Joining together with another agency to consolidate transportation operations � Adjusting hours or frequency of service � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, and public information with other providers. With respect to real or perceived barriers to coordination, the survey mentions "definite turf issues." Pinal County Division of Public Health � On the Go Express Pinal County Public Health operates the "On the Go Express" which provides service to seniors and other transportation disadvantaged residents of Eastern Pinal County on weekdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Service is provided to doctor appointments and shopping within the communities of Kearney, Superior, Globe, Gold Canyon, San



II-2

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Manuel and Tucson. Most trips are for medical reasons (85%), followed by shopping (9%), service appointments (3%) and employment (3%). Most riders are low income seniors. A fare of $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children is charged. The Division of Public Health has a fleet of seven vehicles. Five are operated on a daily basis, but only 1-2 are used for the On the Go Express. Approximately 3,600 passenger trips are provided annually. The service operates approximately 134,000 miles a year and provides an estimated 5,760 service hours. Operating and administrative costs total approximately $195,000 a year. The service is funded from a variety of grants including; Pinal County LTAFF ($118,813), DES JOBS ($32,702), fares ($7,045). Funding has been difficult to sustain. In terms of gaps in transportation service, Pinal County Public Health identified the following. Service Gaps � General transportation elsewhere in the county � VA hospitals in Tucson and Phoenix � Other non-target trips Pinal County Public Health is "interested" or "possibly interested" in several potential transportation coordination options, as identified below. Interest in Coordination Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules � Adjusting hours or frequency of service � Coordinating procurement,, training, vehicle maintenance and public information � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program Possibly Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate transportation operations � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers With respect to real or perceived barriers to coordination, the survey mentions "not having a steady source of funding." The survey also indicates that, being a county department they are unable to give funding to another agency.



II-3

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Pinal County Human Service Department - Palm Villa Adult Day Health Palm Villa provides transportation to seniors and persons with disabilities from 7:00 to 9:00 AM and from 3:00 to 5:00 PM, Monday through Thursday in the Coolidge area. Two wheelchair accessible vehicles are used. No fare is charged. Service is provided to and from the Adult Day Center and once-a-month a field trip is provided. In FY 2003-2004 a total of 14,400 one-way passenger trips were provided. No information was provided on annual service hours or annual service miles. In FY 20032004, operating costs of approximately $7,900 were reported, which include gas, oil, maintenance and repairs. Operating costs are covered by client and contact revenue. Capital funding for vehicle replacement is provided by the ADOT 5310 program. In terms of gaps in transportation service, Palm Villa identified no gaps. Service Gaps � None identified.



Palm Villa's stated interest in transportation coordination options are listed below. Interest in Coordination Interested � None Possibly Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate the operation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidate purchase of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidate transportation operations � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program � Coordinating procurement,, training, vehicle maintenance and public information � Participating in an organized county-wide marketing program No real or perceived barriers to coordination were identified.



II-4

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens The nonprofit Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens provides a variety of services to seniors in the two-county area. The Council's stated purpose is "to provide the senior adult community a safe and secure environment where they can obtain a hot meal, social and recreational activities and information." The Council's central administrative office is located at the senior center in Casa Grande. Other senior centers are located in Apache Junction, Coolidge, Eloy, Florence, Hayden and Superior. The Council provides transportation as a support service. Seniors are brought to the various Centers for meals and other program activities. Transportation is also provided to seniors to meet other basic needs such as medical appointments, grocery shopping, and other personal business. The transportation services provided by each of the Senior Centers are summarized on the following pages. Dorothy Powell Senior Adult Center The Dorothy Powell Senior Adult Center provides transportation to seniors within the Casa Grande city limits and delivers meals to seniors' homes. The agency also provides transportation to persons with disabilities of any age. Service is provided weekdays from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM using one vehicle plus a backup vehicle when needed. Three vehicles are used for meal delivery. Only the newest vehicle is wheelchair accessible. A 24-hour advance reservation is required for transportation service. A suggestion donation of $1.00 per trip is requested. Most of the trips provided are for general services for seniors � trips to the senior center, grocery stores and doctors' appointments. The Dorothy Powell Center provides 6,187 annual passenger trips. No information was provided on service hours or miles. Annual operating and administrative costs of $18,000 were reported. In terms of gaps in transportation service, the Dorothy Powell Center identified the following. � � � Service Gaps Expand hours of transportation for seniors after 2:30 PM Need for public transportation for seniors and others in Casa Grande Service is needed outside the city limits to Phoenix metro area doctor appointments, the fair grounds and to Central Arizona College.



II-5

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



The Center is "interested" or "possibly interested" in several potential transportation coordination options, as listed below. Interest in Coordination Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate the operation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidate transportation operations � Adjusting hours or frequency of service � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, and public information with other providers. Possibly Interested � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program With respect to real or perceived barriers to coordination, the surveys identified no perceived barriers. Hayden Senior Center The town of Hayden Senior Center provides transportation to older adults and persons with disabilities weekdays from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM. Service is provided to Silver Creek, Kearney, Hayden, Winkelman, Dudleyville, Mammoth, San Manuel, and Oracle. A total of five vans are used, four in daily operation and one as a back-up. A donation is requested for transportation service. A variety of trip purposes are served. The busiest days are Monday through Thursday. Friday is the least busy day. During low use times, vehicles are used for meal delivery in different communities. Additional destinations requested by riders include service to Phoenix and Tucson for doctor's appointments. Additional staff is need to respond to service requests. In FY 2003-2004 approximately 3,000 one-way passenger trips were provided. This included 1,100 annual service hours and 30,000 annual service miles. The average trip length is estimated to be 20 miles. Annual operating costs of $10,300 were reported. The source of operations funding was not identified. Capital funding for vehicle replacement is provided by the ADOT 5310 program.



II-6

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



In terms of gaps in transportation service, the Florence Senior Center identified the following. Service Gaps � Transportation service to doctor appointments in Kearney, Phoenix, Tucson, and sometimes Globe (10-12 times per month). Hayden Senior Center's interest in transportation coordination options are listed below. Interest in Coordination Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate the operation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidate purchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules � Joining together with another agency to consolidate transportation operations � � Adjusting hours or frequency of service Coordinating procurement,, training, vehicle maintenance and public information



Possibly Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency � Purchasing transportation from another organization � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program With respect to real or perceived barriers to coordination, the survey mentions "turf issues with counties, and liability concerns." Superior Senior Center The Superior Senior Center provides transportation to older adults within the city limits of the Town of Superior. Service is provided weekdays from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. A $0.25 donation is requested. A variety of trip purposes are served. Primary destinations include the Senior Center, doctor and hair appointments, meal delivery, shopping and periodic out-of-town trips. Two vans are used, one in daily operation and one as a back-up. One of the vehicles is wheelchair accessible. The busiest days are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM. The least busy times are from 2:00 to 3:00 PM. Vehicles are not used for other II-7

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



purposes when not transporting passengers. No additional service needs were identified. In FY 2003-2004 approximately 1,920 one-way passenger trips were provided. This include 480 annual service hours or and 4,560 annual service miles. The average trip length is estimated to be 18 miles. Annual operating costs of $18,900 were reported. The source of operations funding was not identified. Capital funding for vehicle replacement is provided by the ADOT 5310 program. In terms of gaps in transportation service, the Superior Senior Center identified the following. Service Gaps � None Superior Senior Center's interest in transportation coordination options are listed below. Interest in Coordination Interested � None Possibly Interested � Coordinating procurement,, training, vehicle maintenance and public information With respect to real or perceived barriers to coordination, no issues were identified. Apache Junction Senior Center The Apache Junction Senior Center provides transportation to older adults and persons with disabilities over the age of 18 living generally within the city limits of Apache Junction. Service is provided weekdays from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. A donation of $1.00 is requested for a round trip to and from the Center. A $2.00 donation is requested for outlying medical or shopping trips. Most trips (90%) are for nutrition purposes. Shopping and medical trips are also served. Trip requests that cannot be served include transportation to the Mayo Clinic, the VA Hospital, the VA Clinic, Scottsdale Memorial Hospital, Banner Mesa Hospital and doctors and dentists that are too far west. Two vans are used for the service. One is wheelchair accessible. There is no back-up vehicle. The busiest times are mornings and Thursdays all day. The least busy times are Tuesday afternoons. Home-delivered meals are served weekdays from 10:30 AM to around noon. Many residents are not served due to limits to vehicle availability and service area.



II-8

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



In FY 2003-2004 approximately 8,900 one-way passenger trips were provided. This include 2880 annual service hours and 43,000 annual service miles. The average trip length is estimated to be 5 miles. Annual operating costs of $39,900 were reported. Operating costs are covered by the Older Americans Act ($20,000), LTAF ($10,153), the City of Apache Junction ($6,600) and project revenue $3,100. Capital funding for vehicle replacement is provided by the ADOT 5310 program. In terms of gaps in transportation service, the Apache Junction Senior Center identified the following. Service Gaps � Unmet needs within Apache Junction � Unmet needs to medical and other facilities outside of Apache Junction Apache Senior Center interest in transportation coordination options are listed below. Interest in Coordination Interested � None Possibly Interested � None With respect to real or perceived barriers to coordination, the Center stated that there is no bus service in the area and taxis are too expensive. Pinal Hispanic Council The Pinal Hispanic Council provides demand responsive transportation service weekdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 using six non-accessible vans. Clients served include persons with mental illness, persons with disabilities, seniors, families and adults. The service area includes Eloy, Coolidge, Casa Grande, Arizona City, Picacho and Florence. Primary destinations are: doctor/counseling appointments, DES/Social Security, SOS/Recovery Center, grocery shopping, pharmacies and the courts. Most trips are to health and medical services (30%) and to social services (30%). Other trips are for education (15%) and recreation (10%), and personal business. Approximately 90% of the clients served are low income. In 2004 approximately 2,500 one-way passenger trips were served. Roughly 20,000 miles of service and 1,400 hour of service was provided. No financial information was provided.



II-9

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Service Gaps � � � Weekend service Service available on weekdays beyond 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Additional services for visiting relatives and friends, shopping outside the service area, other recreational activities, and services to non-members.



The Pinal Hispanic Council is interest in all types of transportation coordination options. Interest in Coordination Interested � All types of coordination No perceived barriers to transportation coordination were identified. Town of Florence (Dorothy Nolan Senior Center) The Town of Florence provides transportation to older adults weekdays from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM through the Dorothy Nolan Senior Center. Periodic field trips are also provided. Service is limited to the Florence town limits, with the exception of a shopping trip to Coolidge Monday afternoons. Two vans are use, one being wheelchair accessible. A $0.50 donation is requested within town. Most trips (70%) are for nutrition with other trip purposes spread among medical, social service, recreation, education, shopping and senior services. The busiest service hours are from 9:00 AM to noon. The least busy times are Tuesday and Friday afternoons. Additional destinations requested by riders include; service to Coolidge on other days and service to Casa Grande, Mesa, Phoenix, Tempe and Sky Harbor Airport, Tucson and Chandler. In FY 2003-2004 approximately 2,500 one-way passenger trips were provided. The service provided 1,152 annual service hours or and 7,500 annual service miles. Annual operating costs of $36,860 were reported. Operating costs are covered by the Town of Florence. Capital funding for vehicle replacement is provided by the ADOT 5310 program. In terms of gaps in transportation service, the Florence Senior Center identified the following. Service Gaps � Transportation service to doctor appointments and airports in Casa Grande, Coolidge, Tucson, Mesa and Phoenix, mostly in the mornings.



II-10

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Town of Florence's interest in transportation coordination options are listed below. Interest in Coordination Interested � None Possibly Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Joining together with another agency to consolidate the operation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidate purchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules � Joining together with another agency to consolidate transportation operations � � � � Adjusting hours or frequency of service Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program Coordinating procurement,, training, vehicle maintenance and public information Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers



With respect to real or perceived barriers to coordination, the survey mentions "liability, funding, staffing." It also states, "The use of volunteers would be great." Catholic Community Services Catholic Community Services (CCS) provides fixed route, fixed schedule and demand responsive transportation service for seniors using two vehicles. CCS serves the Coolidge Adult Center and the Eloy Senior Center. Service is provided to the Eloy/Toltek area, the City of Coolidge and to and from Casa Grande and Arizona City and Eleven Mile Corner, Valley Farms, Twilight Trails, Florence and Randolph. In Eloy, service is provided on Monday and Tuesday from 9:00 Am to 2:30 PM, on Wednesdays for 9:00 AM to 1:10 PM, Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 3:10 PM and on Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:40 PM. In Coolidge service is provided from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. A suggested donation of $1.00 is requested from riders. Most trips are for nutrition or other senior services. Primary destinations are the Wal Mart and Walgreen's, the Dorothy Powel Senior Center and dialysis treatment in Casa Grande. There are many requests for trips to doctor's appointments which are not served due to lack of time.



II-11

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



In FY 2003-2004, approximately 4,400 trips were provided in Eloy and 1,400 in Coolidge. In terms of service hours, 45 were provided in Eloy and 30 in Coolidge. Service miles totaled 13,300 in Eloy and 650 in Coolidge. The cost of this service is approximately $35,000 annually. Funding is provided primarily by the Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens. In the past funding for capital purchases was provided through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5310 program, which is managed by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). In terms of gaps in transportation service, the Catholic Community Services identified the following. Service Gaps � Not known With respect to interest in transportation coordination options, the following was identified. Interest in Coordination Interested � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, and public information with other providers. � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program Possibly Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate the operation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidate purchase of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidate transportation operations � Adjusting hours or frequency of service No real or perceived barriers to transportation coordination were identified. Garnet of Casa Grande Retirement and Assisted Living Community The Garnet Retirement and Assisted Living Community provides transportation its clients and to any older person who is assisted living eligible. Service is provide within a radius of approximately 15 miles from the agency Monday through Friday and Sundays. Transportation is provided weekdays from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM and on /Sundays from 8:00 to 1:00 PM. No fee is charged to residents. Most trips (90%) are for medical



II-12

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



purposes, followed by shopping (20%) and recreation (10%). Trip requests that cannot be served include transportation to department stores and malls and to the drug store more than once a day. One van is used for the service. There is no back-up vehicle. The busiest times are from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Least busy times are from 2:30 to 4:30 PM. When not transporting clients the van is used to run errands for management staff. No information was provided on one-way passenger trips provided or annual service hours or service miles. No information was provided as to operating costs. Transportation service is funded largely through residential fees. In terms of gaps in transportation service, the Garnet Casa Grande Retirement and Assisted Living Community identified the following. � � Service Gaps Trips to department stores in malls More frequent trips to drug stores



Garnet of Casa Grande's interest in transportation coordination options are listed below. Interest in Coordination Interested � None Possibly Interested � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program With respect to real or perceived barriers to coordination, the Garnet of Casa Grande stated "liability concerns and client characteristics." Horizon Human Services Horizon Human Services provides a variety of services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities and/or development disabilities, some of whom are elderly. Services are provided within a 45 mile radius of Casa Grande where Horizon's main office is located, along with several other facilities. The facilities in Casa Grande provide several outpatient services; crisis services (children and family services), vocational rehabilitation, men's and women's adult residential group home, adult independent living, and a substance abuse residential program. There is also a group home and habilitation program in Apache Junction. II-13

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Individuals using transportation services are registered clients of Horizon Human Services, the majority fitting the definition of Title XIX eligibility (access to subsidized behavioral health services). Typically, transportation service is in constant demand throughout the day and increases during certain program hours. In addition, persons with psychiatric disabilities may need specialized intervention by staff during a trip, in addition to needing supervision. Staff has specialized training, including certification in behavior management techniques and CPR/First Aid. Horizon has a fleet of 35 vehicles based at various facilities located in Casa Grande and Apache Junction. However, most of the vehicles (28) are automobiles used by staff to conduct home visits, provide services in the community and provide case management services. In addition, 4 of the 8 vans are assigned to group homes to provide transportation to residents in those homes and are not available for other transportation services. Only 4 of the 35 vehicles are wheelchair accessible. Typically transportation services are provided Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The busiest times are Wednesday and Thursday from 8:00 to 3:00 PM. The least busy times are Fridays from 1:00 to 5:00 PM. No fare is charged. Trip purposes include health/medical (78%), social services (10%), recreation (5%), shopping (5%) and education/training (2%). Primary destinations include; Horizon's facilities, shopping (Wal-Mart, bank, etc.), doctor appointments, social services such as food stamps, and library and other social activities. There are no major destinations for which there are requests for service but for which no service is provided. Transportation is paid from the agency's general operating budget which is supported through various grants provided to the agency. These include the Arizona Department of Health Services, Pinal-Gila Behavioral Health Association, Arizona Department of Economic Security, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Arizona Long Term Care, AHCCCS and the Administrative Office of the Court. Horizon's transportation operating and administrative costs totaled approximately $477,000 in 2004. Funding is provided for Title XIX and non-title XIX sources. Capital costs totaled roughly $260,000 in 2004. Of this amount $56,000 was provided through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5310 program, managed by ADOT. The remaining $204,000 was provided from other sources. The transportation program provided 50,024 passenger trips in 2004, operated 517,858 miles and operated 46,500 vehicle hours of transit service. In terms of gaps in transportation service, Horizon Human Services identified the following. Service Gaps � Additional service capacity to accommodate the roughly 20 one-way trips per month which are requested but not able to be serviced during weekday business hours. II-14

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Horizon Human Services is "interested" or "possibly interested" in several potential transportation coordination options. These include the following. Interest in Coordination Interested � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, and public information with other providers. Possibly Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency � Purchasing transportation service from another organization � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Joining together with another agency to consolidate the operation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidate purchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules � Joining together with another agency to consolidate transportation services � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program With respect to real or perceived barriers to coordination, the survey mentions "liability concerns, maintenance costs, funding, unique client characteristics and confidentiality issues." Arizona Foundation for the Handicapped The Arizona Foundation for the Handicapped (AFH) provides fixed route, fixed schedule transportation for its developmentally disabled clients who attend AFH Day Program. Two vehicles are operated. One provides service within Casa Grande. The other goes to Coolidge and Eloy. Service is provided weekdays from 7:00 to 9:00 AM and from 3:35 to 5:45 PM. At other times of the day the vehicles are used for recreation and medical trips. Low times for vehicle use are 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Cost information for transportation services were not provided. Funding comes from Vocational Rehabilitation and Developmental Disabilities, as well as revenue from some clients. The transportation program provided approximately 500 passenger trips in 2004, operating roughly 24,000 miles of transit service. The estimated average trip length is 50 miles.



II-15

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



In terms of gaps in transportation service, the Foundation identified the following. Service Gaps � Transportation for individuals who do not qualify for funding through Vocational Rehabilitation or Developmental Disabilities. � There used to be a bus route with several buses running between Casa Grande, Eloy, Coolidge, Arizona City, Stanfield and Maricopa. It was open to the public and is greatly missed. The Arizona Foundation for the Handicapped indicated the following interests in coordination. Interest in Coordination Interested � None Possibly Interested � None In terms of current coordination efforts, the Foundation started that there are other agencies in the area that are contracted by the State through VR/DD to transport clients to AFAH Day Program. These include PPEP, CLS and AIRES. With respect to real or perceived barriers to coordination, the survey mentions "liability concerns, availability of vehicles equipped to transport individuals in wheelchair, availability to have staff on vehicles to assist with medical and behavior needs of clients. Arizona Bridge to Independent Living The Arizona Bridge to Independent Living (ABIL) coordinates programs designed to empower persons with disabilities to live as independently as possible in the community. ABIL provides transportation only for clients attending their programs and typically only in metropolitan areas. Most clients (90%) have a physical disability and the remainder (10%) have a mental disability. Most (95%) are low income and unemployed. Most transportation is for recreational purposes (50%) and for program activities (40%). The remainder (10%) are for education and training. In terms of gaps in transportation service, the ABIL identified the following. � � Service Gaps Public transportation to services, education, employment and recreational opportunities. Residents of Pinal County cannot participate in ABIL programs because they do not have transportation. II-16

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



The ABIL indicated no interest in coordination as they do not provide transportation in Pinal County. Interest in Coordination Interested � None Central Arizona Council on Developmental Disabilities The Central Arizona Council on Developmental Disabilities transports clients with a wide range of disabilities, including elderly, developmentally disabled, physically disabled, cerebral palsy, autism, mental retardation, hard of hearing and the visually impaired. Transportation is provided in Pinal, Gila and Maricopa Counties from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. seven days a week using three vehicles. Major destinations are day programs, doctors, shopping and other daily activities. Roughly 1,000 trips are provided per year, covering 27,000 service miles and providing 1,500 service hours. Estimated transportation administrative and operating costs are $16,800 per year. In terms of gaps in transportation service, the Council identified the following. � Service Gaps More transportation service to enable clients to attend program activities.



The Central Arizona Council on DD indicated interest in the following activities. Interest in Coordination Interested � Providing transportation service under contract to another agency � Joining with another agency to consolidate operations � Joining with another agency to consolidate purchasing � Highlighting connections to other services on their schedules � Adjusting hour or frequency of service � Modifying routes to service major employers or other activities � � Coordinating procurement, training, vehicle maintenance etc. Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program



With respect to real or perceived barriers to coordination, the survey mentions "statutory barriers to pooling funds, liability issues, and unique client characteristics. II-17

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Portable Practical Educational Preparation (PPEP) PPEP'a Encompass program operates group homes and day programs for developmentally disabled and/or physically disabled adults. Transportation is provided using eleven vans, most of which are wheelchair accessible. Vehicle schedules address the dayto-day needs of clients. Vans operate weekdays from 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM. Client pickups and drop-offs are done on a fixed route basis, with other transportation changing daily in response to the changing job training, employment, medical and social needs of clients. The following trip purposes are served: adult day care (35%), education/training (30%), medical (10%), social/recreational (10%), service appointments (5%). Approximately 8,000 trips are provided annually. Roughly 1,400 service hours of transportation service is provided, operating nearly 28,000 service miles annually. Operating costs equal roughly $26,000 per vehicle per year. PPEP currently has a working agreement with the Tohono O'odham Nation to assist developmentally and/or physically disabled individuals on the reservation with needed services. In addition, PPEP has made it's vehicles available during evening and weekend hours in Casa Grande to support other community services. No survey was returned from this agency. Therefore transportation service gaps and potential areas of interest in coordination are not available. Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center (SMMHC) provides mental health services and opportunities to help families and individuals "effectively deal with challenges and lead productive, fulfilling lives." SMMHC facilities are located in various rural communities in the study area. A fleet of 29 vehicles is used to provide client transportation services. Two of these vehicles are wheelchair accessible. In addition to providing its own transportation service, SMMHC contracts with Discount Cab and Total Transit for service, as needed. Transportation services are provided in Apache Junction, Queen Creek, Kearny, Superior, Mammoth and Oracle. Service is provided on weekdays from 7:00 AM to 8:30 PM. When vehicles are not transporting clients they may be used to deliver medications, for home visits, and for delivering supplies and inter-office mail. Most trips (65%) are for health/medical purposes. Other trip purposes include social services (12%), counseling services (9%), recreation (5%), nutrition (3%), shopping and personal business (3%), and other. Primary destinations are the Center facilities in various communities, the Department of Economic Security (DES), local primary care physicians, Walmart and Fry's grocery stores, pharmacies, the Social Security Office, II-18

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



and libraries. Un-served but requested destinations include Superstition Springs Mall and out-of-town family trips. SMMHC does not have a separate budget for transportation. Those costs are included in the agency's overall budget. The transportation services, located in the various communities, served 240 passengers in 2004 and operated 340,000 miles and 2,080 hours of transit service. No fare is charged. Transportation is paid from the agency's general operating budget which is supported through various state and federal funding sources disbursed through the Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA)/Cenpatico. Approximately 1/3 of their vehicles were purchased using the FTA 5310 program, managed by ADOT. In terms of gaps in transportation service, SMMHC identified the following items. � � Service Gaps Unable to accommodate demand on some days. They turn down or have to re-schedule 6-7 requests per week. The availability of general public transportation would be very helpful.



The Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center indicated the following interests in coordination. Interest in Coordination Interested � None Possibly Interested � Purchasing transportation from another organization � Joining together with another agency to consolidate purchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules In terms of perceived barriers to transportation coordination, the survey mentioned lack of resources in staff time and vehicles. Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA) The Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA) is a nonprofit organization based in Apache Junction which provides education and support services regarding family abuse. They provide emergency no-fare transportation using one van within a 40 mile radius of Apache Junction, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. All clients are low income and an estimated 75% are unemployed. The highest percentage of trips (30%) are to get clients to a safe place. Health/medical (25%) and nutrition (25%) are the II-19

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



next highest trip purposes. Approximately 60 one-way passenger trips are provided per month. An average of 1000 miles and 30 vehicle hours of service are provided monthly. The average trip length is estimated to be 30 miles. Primary destinations include: social service appoints, medical appointments, education/ training, and safe shelters. CAAFA is funded by the Arizona Department of Social Services. The transportation operating budget is $7,500 per year. In terms of gaps in transportation service, CAAFA identified the following. � Service Gaps Some type of county-wide public transportation is needed. Northern Pinal County residents are geographically isolated from the rest of the county and they are not eligible to access Maricopa County services.



CAAFA is "interested" or "possibly interested" in several potential transportation coordination options, as identified below. Interest in Coordination Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate purchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules � Joining together with another agency to consolidate operations � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, and public information with other providers. � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program Possibly Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency � Purchasing transportation service from another organization � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Joining together with another agency to consolidate the operation of transportation services � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers With respect to real or perceived barriers to coordination, the survey mentions "unique client characteristics � we serve victims of violence, which requires a high level of flexibility and confidentiality." The CAAFA Safe Home Network has a Transportation Committee which worked with the City of Apache Junction to obtain over $265,000 for the purchase of nine vehicles to benefit seven nonprofit agencies.



II-20

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Casa Grande Community Hospital The Casa Grande Community Hospital provides transportation service to clients of the hospital. One operating vehicle and one back-up vehicle are used. Service is provided in a 25-30 mile radius of the hospital. Hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays, 8:00 AM to noon on Saturday, and Sunday as needed. Nearly all the trips provided are healthrelated. Primary destinations include the hospital, physicians' offices, dialysis and retail shopping outlets. When not being used for transportation services, the vehicles are used to bring supplies to and from the hospital. The cost of the service is approximately $40,800 a year. In terms of gaps in transportation service, Casa Grande Community Hospital had none listed. Service Gaps � None identified. The hospital's interest in transportation coordination options is shown below. Interest in Coordination Interested � Coordinating procurement, training, vehicle maintenance and public information No real or perceived barriers to coordination were identified. Central Arizona College Central Arizona College in Coolidge provides demand responsive transportation for students using a fleet of six vehicles, four in daily operation and two as back-ups. Transportation is primarily provided for athletics, for seniors and for students on field trips. They estimate that vehicles are operated 100,000 miles a year, mostly in the evening and on weekends. Major destinations are other colleges, museums and educational centers. Operating costs were not identified. Transportation services are supported by student fees. In terms of gaps in transportation service, Central Arizona College identified the following. Service Gaps � Many students have identified the lack of transportation as a barrier to continuing their education. II-21

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



The College's interest in transportation coordination options is shown below. Interest in Coordination Interested � Coordinating schedules with nearby providers � Highlighting connections to other fixed route or demand responsive services � Adjusting hours or frequency of service � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers Possibly Interested � Purchasing transportation service from another organization � Joining together with others to consolidate the purchase of transportation services. � Coordinating procurement,, training, vehicle maintenance and public information Identified barriers included lack of funds and large service area. Apache Bravo Young Marines The Apache Young Bravo Marines operates demand responsive transportation using volunteer drivers for its young Marine clients. One non-accessible van is used. Transportation is typically provided on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:30 to 5:30 PM and at various times on weekends. Most of the vehicle use (70%) is for education/ training. Other trip purposes include recreation (20%) and community services (10%). The most frequent destinations are the VFW Post 7968 office in Apache Junction, MCAS Yuma and Papago Peak for training, and Sacaton and Apache Junction for community service. No information was provided regarding costs, revenues or operating information such as annual passenger trips, service miles and service hours. In terms of gaps in transportation service, the Apache Young Marines identified the following. Service Gaps � None



II-22

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



The Young Marines indicated the following interests in coordination. Interest in Coordination Interested � None Possibly Interested � None No perceived barriers to transportation coordination were identified. Town of Kearney The Town of Kearney operates one accessible van for senior transportation. The vehicle operates twice a month in town and also provides recreational and medical trips out of town. Primary destinations are the casino, WalMart, movies and dinner, to Mexico twice a month, in-town shopping, and medical trips within Kearney and to Phoenix. The vehicle operates 17,000 miles a year. The annual budget is $13,000 from LTAF. In terms of gaps in transportation service, the Town of Kearney identified the following. � � Service Gaps Transportation from outlying areas to Kearney for doctors' appointments Limited service with only one van



The Town indicated the following interests in coordination. Interest in Coordination Interested � None Possibly Interested � Joining with other organizations to consolidate the operation of transportation service � Joining with others to consolidate the purchase of transportation service � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance and public information No real or perceived barriers to coordination were identified.



II-23

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Workforce Investment Program/CAAG The Central Arizona Association of Governments operates the Workforce Investment (WIA) program. WIA provides workplace training, education services and job placement for income qualified individuals in Pinal and Gila Counties. No vehicles are owned. Clients are reimbursed for eligible transportation expenses. In terms of gaps in transportation service, the WIA program identified the following. � � Service Gaps Transportation throughout the service area Many who need training and employment services cannot participate due to lack of transportation services



WIA staff indicated the following interests in coordination. Interest in Coordination Interested � Purchasing transportation from another organization � Joining with others to consolidate the purchase of transportation service No real or perceived barriers to coordination were identified. Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)/CAAG The Central Arizona Association of Governments operates the Retired Senior Volunteer Program in Pinal and Gila Counties. Approximately 600 senior volunteers are enrolled. Transportation is a high priority for seniors who need to access doctor appointments, prescription pick-ups, grocery shopping and senior center activities such as hot meals. Reliable and inexpensive transportation would enable many volunteers and those they serve to attend other social events and reconnect them to their communities. Preferred times would be 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. In terms of gaps in transportation service, the RSVP program identified the following. � Service Gaps Transportation throughout the service area (especially from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM for volunteers and also from 1:00 to 4:00 PM for others.



II-24

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



RSVP staff indicated the following interests in coordination. Interest in Coordination Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency � Purchasing transportation service from another organization � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Joining together with another agency to consolidate the operation of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules � Joining together with another agency to consolidate operations � Adjusting service or frequency of service � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, and public information with other providers. � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program With respect to barriers to coordination, RSVP program staff indicated turf issues concerning grants and other competitive funds. Pinal County Schools There are numerous school districts in Pinal County. Traditional public schools and special education school districts are listed below. There are also Juvenile Justice System Schools in the county. Traditional Public Schools Apache Elementary School District Apache Junction Unified School District Casa Grande Elementary District Casa Grande Union High School District Coolidge Unified School District Eloy Elementary School District Florence Unified School District J. O. Combs Elementary District Mammoth-San Manuel Unified District Maricopa Unified School District Oracle Elementary District Picacho Elementary District Ray Unified District Red Rock Elementary District II-25

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Sacaton Elementary District Santa Cruz Valley Unified District Stanfield Elementary District Toltec Elementary District Special Education Mary C. O'Brien Accommodation District Pinal County Special Education Program Villa Oasis Interscholastic Center for Education Commercial Transportation Providers Several commercial transportation providers operate in the study area. These include: Paul's Taxi Service Headquartered in Coolidge, service in also provided to Florence, Eloy and Casa Grande. Operating two vehicles, the base rate in Coolidge is $1.00 per mile. A round-trip to Casa Grande is $50 including a one-hour wait time. Casa Grande Executive Car Service Primarily an airport shuttle, vehicles can be chartered for a � day for $130 or for the full day for $250. The service operates four Lincoln Town Cars. Pinal Connections Primarily an airport shuttle, a trip from Casa Grande/Coolidge/Casa Grande would be $50 with a one hour wait time. Safe Ride and Statewide Express Transportation There are two contract providers typically used to provide AHCCCS (Medicaid) transportation services, Safe Ride and Statewide Express Transportation. These providers were certified through the AHCCCS system and selected for use as needed by health care provider agencies serving the area. Greyhound Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound on Interstate 10. Casa Grande/Phoenix 2 Trips/Day $13.50 one-way Casa Grande/Tucson 2 Trips/Day $15.50 one-way II-26

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Summary of Existing Transportation Services Table II-1 presents a summary of the public and specialized transportation services in the Pinal County area. The next chapter assesses service duplication and service gaps.



II-27

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



TABLE II-1 PROVIDER SERVICE SUMMARY (page 1) Real of Perceived Barriers to Coordination



Provider City of Coolidge Service Area: City limits Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM-5:30 PM Customer Focus: General public Vehicles: 3 18-passenger buses 1 18-passenger bus, backup



Perceived Service Gaps



Interest in Coordinaton



Service to Casa Grande Service to Florence Non-emergency medical trips to specialist in Casa Grande Service between Coolidge and Florence (court in Florence, shopping in Collidge)



Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency � Purchasing transportation service from another organization � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program Possibly Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate theoperation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidatepurchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules � Adjusting hours or frequency of service � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, public information with other providers



Turf issues



Pinal County Division of Public Health Service Area: Eastern Pinal County Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM Customer Focus: Seniors, disabled Vehicles: 7 vehicles, 5 operated daily



General transportation elsewhere in county VA hospitals in Tucson and Phoenix Other non-target groups



Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules � Adjusting hours or frequency of service � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, public information with other providers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program Possibly Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate transportation operations � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers



No steady source of funding Unable to contract with another agency



TABLE II-1 PROVIDER SERVICE SUMMARY (page 2) Real of Perceived Barriers to Coordination



Provider



Perceived Service Gaps



Interest in Coordinaton



Pinal County Human Services/ Palm Villa Adult Day Health Service Area: Coolidge area None identified Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:00-9:00 AM and 3:00-5:00 PM Customer Focus: Seniors Vehicles: 2 accessible vans



Interested � None Possibly Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate theoperation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidatepurchase of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidate operations � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, public information with other providers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program



Dorothy Powel Senior Center Service Area: Casa Grande city limits Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-2:00 PM Customer Focus: Seniors Vehicles: 2 vehicles (one is back-up)



Need more hours - after 2:30 PM Need for general public transit Service is needed outside city limits, to Phoenix, fairgrounds, Central Arizona College.



Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate theoperation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidate operations � Adjusting hour or frequency of service � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, public information with other providers Possibly Interested � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Highlighting connections to other services on schedules � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program



None



TABLE II-1 PROVIDER SERVICE SUMMARY (page 3) Real of Perceived Barriers to Coordination



Provider



Perceived Service Gaps



Interest in Coordinaton



Hayden Senior Center Service Area: Hayden, Silver Creek, Kearney, Doctors appointments in Kearney, Winkelman, Dudleyville, Mammoth, San Miguel, Phoenix, Tucson and sometimes Globe Oracle Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:30 AM-2:30 PM Customer Focus: Seniors Vehicles: 5 vans (1 is a backup, ? Accessible)



Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate theoperation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidatepurchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other service on schedules � Joining together with another agency to consolidate operations � Adjusting hours or frequency of service � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, public information with other providers Possibly Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency � Purchasing transportation service from another organization � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program



No public transit service in the area and taxis are too expensive



Superior Senior Center Service Area: Superior primarily Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-3:00 PM Customer Focus: Seniors Vehicles: 2 vans (1 is a backup, 1 Accessible)



None identified



Interested � None Possibly Interested � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, public information with other providers



None identified



Apache Junction Senior Center Service Area: Apache Junction primarily Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM Customer Focus: Seniors Vehicles: 2 vans (no backup, 1 Accessible)



Unmet needs in Apache Junction Unmet needs to medical and other facilities outside of Apahe Junction



Interested � None Possibly Interested � None



None identified



TABLE II-1 PROVIDER SERVICE SUMMARY (page 4) Provider Pinal Hispanic Council Service Area: Eloy, Coolidge,Casa Grande, Arizona City, Picacho and Florence Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM Customer Focus: Agency clients (mental illness, elderly, children, adults) Vehicles: 6 vans (none are accessible) Perceived Service Gaps Interest in Coordinaton Real of Perceived Barriers to Coordination



Better access to services, applintments and jobs. Service on weekends



Interested � All types of coordination



None identified



Town of Florence (Dorothy Nolan Senior Center) Service Area: Town limits primarily Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:00 PM Customer Focus: Seniors Vehicles: 2 vans (1 is accessible)



Transportation to doctor appointments and airports in Casa Grande, Coolidge, Tucson, Mesa and Phoenix, mostly in the mornings



Interested � None Possibly Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency of transportation services � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Joining together with another agency to consolidate theoperation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidatepurchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other services on schedules � Joining together with another agency to consolidate operations � Adjusting hour or frequency of service � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program � None Interested � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, public information with other providers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program Possibly Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidate theoperation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidatepurchase of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidate operations � Adjusting hours or frequency of service



Liability, funding, staffing



Catholic Community Services Service area: Eloy and Coolidge and to/from Casa Grande, Arizona City, Elenven Mile Corner, Valley Farams, Twilight Trails, Florence, and Randolph Days/Hours: Eloy, weekdays, 9:00 AM-2:30 PM Coolidge, weekdays, 8:00 AM-2:00 PM Customer Focus: Seniors Vehicles: 2 vans (no is a backup, ? accessible)



TABLE II-1 PROVIDER SERVICE SUMMARY (page 5) Real of Perceived Barriers to Coordination



Provider Garnet Retirement and Assisted Living Comm. Service Area: 15 miles radius of Casa Grande Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Customer Focus: Seniors Vehicles: 1 van (no backup, ? accessible)



Perceived Service Gaps



Interest in Coordinaton



Trips to deparatment stores in malls More frequent trips to drug stores.



Interested � None Possibly Interested � Highlighting connections to other services on schedules � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program



Liability concerns and client characteristics



Horizon Human Services Service Area: 45 mile radius of Casa Grande Days/Hours: weekdays, 7:00 AM-5:00 PM Customer Focus: Pyschiatric and/or developmentally disabiled Vehicles: 35 vehicles in three county service area Most are autos, 4 are accessible



Additional capacity to accommodate rougly 20 one-way passenger trips per month



Interested � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, public information with other providers Possibly Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency � Purchasing transportation service from another organization � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Joining together with another agency to consolidate theoperation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidatepurchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other services on schedules � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program



Liability concerns, maintenance costs, funding, unique client characteristics and confidentiality



Arizona Foundation for the Handicapped Service Area: Casa Grande Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:00-9:00 AM and 3:35-4:45 PM Customer Focus: Developmentally disabled Vehicles: 2 vans (no backup, ? accessible)



Transportatin for individuals who don't qualify for VR or DD funding Former public transit service is missed.



Interested � None Possibly Interested � None



Liability conerns, wheelchair equipment, staff to handle special medical and behavioral needs of clients



TABLE II-1 PROVIDER SERVICE SUMMARY (page 6) Real of Perceived Barriers to Coordination



Provider



Perceived Service Gaps



Interest in Coordinaton



Arizona Bridge to Independent Living Service Area: Mostly in metropolitan areas Days/Hours: Customer Focus: Persons with disabilities who ABIL programs Vehicles: 0 in rural areas



People need access to services, education employment, and recreatoinal activities Need access to ABIL programs



Interested � None Possibly Interested � None



Funding, liability, turf issues, and unique client characteristics



Central Arizona Council on Dev. Disabilities Service Area: Pinal, Gila, Maricopa Counties Days/Hours: Everyday, 6:00 AM-10:00 PM Customer Focus: Developmentally disabled Vehicles: 3 vans, no back-up vehicles



Clients need transportation 24/7. Their program activites are limited due to lack of transportation



Interested � Modyfying routes to service major employers or other activiteis Possibly Interested � Providing transportation service under contract to another agency � Joining together with another agency to consolidate theoperation of transportation services � Joining together with another agency to consolidatepurchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to others services on schedules � Adjusting hours or frequency of service � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, public information with other providers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program No survey provided



Barriers to pooling funds. Liability issues Unique client characteristics



Portable Practical Educational Preparation (PPEP) Service Area: No survey yet No survey provided Days/Hours: Everyday, 6:30 AM-6:00 PM Customer Focus: Developmentally disabled Vehicles: 11 van, most are accessible



No survey provided



TABLE II-1 PROVIDER SERVICE SUMMARY (page 7) Real of Perceived Barriers to Coordination



Provider



Perceived Service Gaps



Interest in Coordinaton



Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center Service Area: Pinal County Days/Hours: Weekdays, 7:00 AM-8:30 PM Weekends, 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Customer Focus: Families and individuals with mental health services Vehicles: 29 vehicles, 2 accessible Also contract with private operators



Service capacity limits on some days No general public transit



Interested � None Possibly Interested � Purchasing transportation service from another organization � Joining together with another agency to consolidatepurchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other services on schedules



Lack of resources in staff time and vehicles



Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA) Service Area: 40 mile radius of Apache Junction Need county-wide public transit Days/Hours: Emergency transportation 24/7 Northern Pinal County residents are Customer Focus: Family abuse geographically isolated from the rest Vehicles: 1 van (no backup, ? accessible) of Pinal County and aren't eligible for services in Maricopa County



Interested � Joining together with another agency to consolidatepurchase of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other services on schedules � Joining together with another agency to consolidate operations � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, public information with other providers � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program Possibly Interested � Providing transportation under contract to another agency � Purchasing transportation service from another organization � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Joining together with another agency to consolidate theoperation of transportation services � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers



Unique client characteristics Currently coordinating vehcile purchase with City of Apache Junction



TABLE II-1 PROVIDER SERVICE SUMMARY (page 8) Real of Perceived Barriers to Coordination



Provider Casa Grande Regional Medical Center Service Area: 25-30 miles radius of Casa Grande Days/Hours: Mon. and Wed., 8:00-4:30 PM Customer Focus: Patients Vehicles: 2 vans, one is back-up



Perceived Service Gaps



Interest in Coordinaton



None identified



Interested � Coordinating procurement, training, vehicle maintenance and public information



None identified



Central Arizona College Service Area: Statewide Days/Hours: Mostly evenings and weekends Customer Focus: Students Vehicles: 6 vehicles, 4 in daily operation



Many students have identified transportation as a barrier to continuing their education



None Interested � Coordinating schedules wwith mearby providers � Highlighting connections to other services � Adjusting hour or frequency of service � Modyfing routes to service major employer or other activity centers Possibly Interested � Purchasing transportation service from another organization � Joining together with others to consolidate the pruchase of transportation services � Coordinating procurement, training, vehicle maintenance and public information Interested � None Possibly Interested � None None identified



Apache Bravo Marines Service Area: Apache Junction area Days/Hours: Mon. and Wed., 4:30-5:30 PM Various times on weekends Customer Focus: Yound Marines Vehicles: 1 vans, not accessible



None identified



TABLE II-1 PROVIDER SERVICE SUMMARY (page 9) Real of Perceived Barriers to Coordination



Provider Town of Kearney Service Area: Pinal and Gila Counties Days/Hours: Reimbursement for transportation Customer Focus: Low income job seekers Vehicles: No vehicles



Perceived Service Gaps



Interest in Coordinaton



Transportation throughout service area Evening transportatin to community college



Interested � Purchasing transportatin from another organizatoin � Joining together with another agency to consolidate purchase of transportation services � Coordinating activites such as procurement, training, vehicle vehicle maintenenace, and public information



None mentioned



CAAG WorkForce Investment Program Service Area: Superior primarily Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-3:00 PM Customer Focus: Seniors Vehicles: 2 vans (1 is a backup, 1 Accessible)



Transportation throughout service area Transportation to training and employment activities



Interested � None Possibly Interested � Coordinating activities such as procurement, training, vehicle maintenance, public information with other providers



None identified



CAAG Retired Senior Volunteer Program Service Area: Pinal and Gila Counties Transportation options for volunteers Days/Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 AM- 1 PM mostly without cars Customer Focus: Seniors Vehicles: Volunteers use own vehicles



Interested Turf issues re grants and � Providing transportation under contract to another agency other competitive funds � Purchasing transportation service from another organization � Coordinating schedules and vehicle operation with other providers � Joining together with another agency to consolidate theoperation of transportation services � Highlighting connections to other services on schedules � Adjusting service hours or frequency of service � Modifying routes to serve major employers or other activity centers � Coordinating activites such as procurement, training, vehicle vehicle maintenenace, and public information � Participating in an organized county-wide transportation marketing program



III. SERVICE DUPLICATION AND SERVICE GAPS

This chapter presents an assessment of service duplication and service gaps relative to existing transportation operations in the Pinal County area. The identified areas of service duplication and service gaps will form the basis for identifying options for identifying and evaluating options for service coordination among existing providers. Service Duplication Duplication of transportation services can take several forms. The most obvious would be buses operating in the same area at the same times. Another form of "duplication" could be two or more different agencies serving the same clientele � senior services for meals and separate services for senior volunteers. Another potential duplication could be general public service in the same area as segregated services for seniors or persons with disabilities, when riders in those specialized services could effectively ride the general public service. Duplicative vehicle maintenance and duplicative administration are other potentials. Unused maintenance capability or dispatch are other potential examples of duplication. There is a wide variety of potential scenarios which could be construed as "service duplication." Sometimes what appears to be duplication initially is not really duplication when looked at more closely. An obvious example would be a van from the County Sheriff's office carrying criminals which pass a general public transit van on the same street going the same direction, at the same time. On one hand there may be "service duplication" but there is no real opportunity for coordination so the term loses its meaning. Given that understanding, this section examines service duplication on two levels. First, a gross view is taken on what appears to be duplication. Second, a more refined view is taken to determine areas where there is an opportunity for coordination. Five areas are examined: on-street vehicle operation, dispatch, vehicle maintenance, marketing, and administration.



III-1

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



On-Street Vehicle Operation Below is information on existing providers which is organized based on characteristics of existing on-street operation. Three categories are presented; service area, client base and days and times of service. Service gaps and potential areas of coordination may be identified based on this on-street operation information. Service Area � Casa Grande � Dorothy Powel Senior Center, Pinal Hispanic Council, Horizon Human Services, Garnet Retirement and Assisted Living Community, Arizona Foundation for the Handicapped, Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Casa Grande Community Hospital. J & M Cab, Pinal Connections Coolidge � City of Coolidge (Cotton Express), Catholic Community Services, Coolidge Senior Adult Center, Palm Villa Adult Day Health, Pinal Hispanic Council, Horizon Human Services, Central Arizona College Florence/Johnson Ranch � Town of Florence/Senior Center, Pinal Hispanic Council, Horizon Human Services, Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Palm Villa Adult Day Care, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse Kearney/Calvin/Riverside/Hayden-Winkleman � Hayden Senior Center, Pinal County Health Dept (On-the-Go-Express), Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center Mammoth/Oracle/San Manue/Dudleyville/Aravaipa � Pinal County Health Dept (On-the-Go-Express), Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Eloy/Arizona City/Chuichu � Catholic Community Services (Eloy Senior Center), Pinal Hispanic Council, Horizon Human Services, Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens (Santa Cruz Village Apartments) Apache Junction � Apache Junction Senior Center, Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Horizon Human Services, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA), Apache Bravo Young Marines Superior � Superior Senior Center, Pinal County Health Dept (On-the-GoExpress), Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA) III-2

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



�



�



�



� �



�



�



� � � � � �



Queen Valley � Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA) Queen Creek - Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA) Maricopa/Ak-Chin/Stanfield - Horizon Human Services, Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens Eleven Mile Corner � Horizon Human Services, Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center Oracle Junction/Saddlebrook - Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Pinal County Health Dept (On-the-Go-Express) Golden Canyon - Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA), Bravo Young Marines Gila River Indian Community � Gila River services and Horizon Human Services



�



Client Base Below is information on how the various providers could be grouped by client base. The categories used are: general public, seniors, developmental disabilities, mental health, and other. Persons with physical disabilities may be included in any of these other categories. � � General Public - City of Coolidge (Cotton Express), Pinal County Division of Public Health (low income focus) Seniors - Dorothy Powel Senior Adult Center, Palm Villa Adult Day Health, Town of Florence, Catholic Community Services, Hayden Senior Center, Superior Senior Center, Apache Junction Senior Center, Garnet of Casa Grande Retirement and Assisted Living Community, Pinal County Health Department Developmental Disabilities - Horizon Human Services, Arizona Foundation for the Handicapped, Central Arizona Council on Developmental Disabilities, Portable Practical Educational Preparation (PEPP), Pinal County Health Department III-3

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



�



� �



Mental Health - Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Horizon Human Services Other - Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA), Casa Grande Community Hospital, Central Arizona College, Apache Bravo Young Marines, Pinal County Schools .



Days and Times of Service Existing services are organized by characteristics of their days and hours of service below. Very limited service is available in the evening and on weekends. � Weekday Typical Business Hours - City of Coolidge (Cotton Express), Catholic Community Services, Pinal County Division of Public Health, Dorothy Powel Senior Adult Center, Palm Villa Adult Day Health (Coolidge Senior Center), Town of Florence (Florence Senior Center), Hayden Senior Center, Superior Senior Center, Apache Junction Senior Center, Garnet of Casa Grande Retirement and Assisted Living Community, Horizon Human Services, Arizona Foundation for the Handicapped, Central Arizona Council on Developmental Disabilities, Portable Practical Educational Preparation (PEPP), Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA), Casa Grande Community Hospital, Central Arizona College, Pinal County Schools Evenings - Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA), Apache Bravo Young Marines, Central Arizona College Weekends - Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA), Central Arizona College



�



�



Dispatch Most agencies have some type of radio contact with drivers. Some type of dispatch sharing could occur relative to these situations. � � � � Senior services DD and mental health Public and specialized County-wide III-4

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Vehicle Maintenance All agencies must maintain their vehicles. Sharing maintenance facilities and/or personnel could reduce duplication. � � � � � Marketing All agencies have the need tell the public or their clients about the transportation services they provide. Joint marketing opportunities could be available. � � � � � Senior services DD and mental health Public and Specialized County-wide By geographic area Senior services DD and mental health Public and Specialized County-wide By geographic area



Administration All agencies must perform management responsibilities relative to their transportation programs. Management tasks include: budgeting, reporting, grant application and grant management, driver training and supervision. There may be opportunities to coordinate various administrative functions among agencies. � � � � � Service Gaps The surveyed agencies identified various gaps in transportation service from their individual agency perspectives. The gaps include a variety of issues, including: service area, clients served, days of week, times of day, user fares, and others. Major service III-5

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Senior services DD and mental health Public and Specialized County-wide By geographic area



gaps, as identified by the providers, and others, are presented below. Overall service gaps are listed first, followed by the specific gaps identified by each agency. Overall Gaps in Transportation Service � � � � General public transportation service county-wide Non-emergency medical transportation within the county and to Phoenix and Tucson Transportation to work and work-related activities, including child care Shopping trips



Specific Service Gaps Specific service gaps were identified by the transportation providers who completed surveys. These gaps-by-agency are included in Table II-1 in chapter II, Transportation Service Inventory. Transportation service gaps as identified by staff from various areas within the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) are presented in Table III-1.



III-6

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



IV. COORDINATION OPTIONS

This chapter presents the options considered by the Study Advisory Committee for coordinating transportation services in the Pinal County Area. The first section presents the range of options considered, based on a national coordination model. The second section identifies specific coordination options for the Pinal County area. Nationally Recognized Coordination Options There has been considerable national research regarding options for coordinating public and specialized transportation over the last several years. Many states and local areas have been exceptionally active and there has been abundant nationally research. Based on a review of this research, a model was selected to show the spectrum of coordination activities available for the Pinal County area. The model selected was taken from the report, "Strategies to Increase Coordination of Transportation Service for the Transportation Disadvantaged," Report 105, Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP), 2004. The model, showing the range of possible coordination strategies, is presented below. The degree of coordination activity increases from the top of the list to the bottom.

All Types of Coordination Partners Working Together � Transportation advocacy coalition building � Information and referral � Joint planning, decision making � Coordinating council � Sharing technical expertise Organizations that Do Not Operate Service Working with Transportation Operators. � Use or subsidize services for client travel � Travel training � Mobility management Organizations that Operate Service Working Together � Provide vehicles � Provide technical assistance � Joint grant applications � Joint driver training � Shared vehicle storage/maintenance facilities � Joint procurement of vehicles, insurance, maintenance, fuel, hardware, software, technology � Vehicle sharing � Centralized functions (reservations, scheduling, dispatching) All Types of Coordination Working Together � Purchase or contract for service � Transportation brokerage � Consolidation of transportation programs



IV-1

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Options for the Pinal County Area As a starting point, each member of the Study Advisory Committee (SAC) was asked to provide his/her preliminary assessment of the types of coordination strategies which should be pursued in the Pinal County area, using the range of options included in the model. Each Committee member evaluated the options in two ways; first, in terms of its perceived impact � how much difference it would make in addressing existing transportation service gaps and service duplication. Second each option was assessed in terms of its likelihood of being implemented in the Pinal County area. The results of the Committee rankings are shown below. The first number refers to the perceived impact of the option, how much good it would do. The second number refers to the likelihood that it could actually be implemented in the Pinal County area. For example, the "5/2" score on the first option, "Transportation advocacy coalition building" indicates that five Committee members ranked that strategy as having high potential impact but only two ranked it high in terms of ability to implement. All Types of Coordination Partners Working Together _5/2 _ Transportation advocacy coalition building _5/6_ Information and referral _2/2_ Joint planning, decision making _5/6_ Coordinating council _1/3_ Sharing technical expertise Organizations that Do Not Operate Service Working with Transportation Operators. _7/3 _ Use or subsidize services for client travel _1/1_ Travel training _2/2_ Mobility management Organizations that Operate Service Working Together _1/0 _ Provide vehicles _2/3 _ Provide technical assistance _6/4 _ Joint grant applications _4/7 _ Joint driver training _3/2 _ Shared vehicle storage/maintenance facilities _0/2 _ Joint procurement of vehicles, insurance, maintenance, fuel, hardware, software, technology _2/2 _ Vehicle sharing _4/3 _ Centralized functions (reservations, scheduling, dispatching) All Types of Coordination Working Together _4/5 _ Purchase or contract for service _4/3_ Transportation brokerage _1/0_ Consolidation of transportation programs IV-2

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Based on this preliminary evaluation, overall the Committee was most interested in pursuing the following coordination activities.

Action All Types of Coordination Partners Working Together Transportation advocacy coalition building Information and referral Coordinating council Organizations that Do Not Operate Service Working with Transportation Operators. Use or subsidize services for client travel Organizations that Operate Service Working Together Joint grant applications Joint driver training Centralized functions (reservations, scheduling, dispatching) All Types of Coordination Working Together Purchase or contract for service Transportation brokerage Most Impact 5 5 5 7 6 4 4 4 4 Most Feasible 2 6 6 3 4 7 3 5 3



Before moving further in selecting a specific coordination demonstration project, the Committee requested that each of the options be described in more detail, along with examples of how each option might be implemented in the Pinal County area. Based on that request the information below was presented for discussion. 1. All Types of Coordination Partners Working Together 1-A Transportation Advocacy Coalition Building Work together to advocate for improved transportation services. This could include: increasing community awareness of transportation needs, increasing community awareness of optional transportation solutions, influencing state/federal actions, pursing funding. Pinal County Example: Conduct regular or ad hoc meetings to address issues, e.g., provide a transportation booth at a local fair, hold media events regarding vehicle delivery, develop a media and/or local official contact schedule to inform re transportation issues, lobby for changes to ADOT guidelines or for legislation to stabilize LTAF II funding or for other funding.



IV-3

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



1-B Information and Referral Develop a central office and/or telephone number and/or brochure for individuals needing transportation services. Detailed information would be provided regarding existing transportation services, including specific contact information. Pinal County Example: Update/expand information that is currently provided, on a limited basis, in the Arizona Community Action Association People's Info Guide (PIG). 1-C Joint Planning/Decision Making Partners could agree to joint planning and decision-making with respect to certain transportation job functions, such as rotating lead agency responsibilities for media contacts, public meetings, planning efforts, capital purchase schedules, etc. Pinal County Example: Interested agencies could work together to coordinate planning activities, funding requests or media contacts. 1-D Coordinating Council A Coordinating Council could be established to formalize partnerships among transit providers and programs. The functions of the Coordinating Council could include any of the items identified above. Pinal County Example: The Study Advisory Committee, or a broader group, could meet regularly once this study is complete. The Committee could be a voluntary group or a more formal County-appointed group. 1-E Sharing Technical Expertise Various transportation providers could partner to share specific technical information or expertise. This could include training materials, vehicle maintenance procedures, operating policies and procedures, budgeting or other functions. Pinal County Example: In a workshop format, partners could present examples of work forms such as pre-trip inspection forms, driver logs, dispatch forms, or driver training programs, vehicle maintenance procedures, etc. The best ideas could be incorporated by the other partners, as appropriate.



IV-4

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



2. Organizations that Do Not Operate Service Working with Transportation Operators. 2-A Use or subsidize services for client travel Vouchers or transit passes could be provided by human service agencies to clients for their use on transit services, for free or at a reduced cost. This option is often used by Medicaid non-emergency transportation and TANF programs to enable their clients to access existing transportation services. It is common for the funding agency to agree to reimburse the transportation provider the fullyallocated cost versus the farebox subsidized rate for services. Pinal County Example: The fact that the Cotton Express is the only public transit service in the county could greatly limit this option. However, some possibilities are: 1) DES/ AHCCCS could contract with Cotton Express to provide a set number of trips on a monthly or annual basis; 2) Horizon Human Services or Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center or Pinal County Health Department could provide passes or vouchers to their clients to use the senior transportation services. 2-B Travel Training This option could be offered to show riders how to use fixed route or specialized transportation services safety and independently. This small group or one-on-one training, is often provided by, or coordinated with, independent living centers or senior centers. Pinal County Example: Cotton Express staff, or another travel trainer, could meet a senior or DD client at her/his home, walk them to the bus stop, board the bus and ride with them until they understand the process and can take the trip independently. The goal is to familiarize the rider with bus schedules, stops, rider protocols, so the rider can use the fixed route bus and not need to request a curbto-curb trip. This could also be done with other types of shared services such as 2-A above. 2-C Mobility Management: This is a half-way point between the Information and Referral option (1-B above) and the Transportation Brokerage option (4-B below). It has more structure and a higher level of service than 1-B but does not actually schedule vehicles as in 4-B. The goal is to provide callers with the best transportation option given their circumstances (senior, physically disabled, mentally disabled, low income job seeker, geographic areas of trip origins and destinations, etc.). A Mobility Manager may also provide non-transportation solutions such as telecommuting, visiting nursing services, etc. IV-5

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



Pinal County Example: A staff person from one of the participating agencies, or an independent agency, could become an "area expert" on all available transportation services and present the best options as requested by callers. The caller would then contact the individual provider to request a trip. 3. Organizations that Operate Service Working Together 3-A Provide vehicles Agencies could develop a common vehicle back-up pool or provide vehicles to other agencies for special trips, either with or without a driver. Pinal County Example: Vehicles could be provided for special trips on evenings or weekends. Selected agencies could provide vehicles for each other for emergency back-up as needed. 3-B Provide Technical Assistance An agency with special expertise could provide special training or support to the group, or agencies could "swap" experts in needed areas. Pinal County Examples: Cotton Express staff could provide travel training for its service to the clients of other agencies. Agencies with exceptional vehicle maintenance procedures, or driver training, or customer service, or grant writing capability, or computer tech capability, could assist other agencies. 3-C Joint Grant Applications Two or more agencies could submit one or more joint grant applications. Pinal County Example: The senior centers in the area could submit a joint/coordinated grant application for 5310 vehicles and/or Older American's Act monies. A coordinated Pinal County transportation group could submit a joint 5310 application annually. 3-D Joint Driver Training Agencies could establish a schedule and hire an instructor to conduct joint training for elderly/disabled sensitivity, CDL licensing, on-the-road driving skills, dispatching, customer service, wheelchair transportation techniques, etc. Pinal County Examples: One agency would develop a master schedule for training in the area and other agencies could participate. This could include inIV-6

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



house training or using a school district, insurance company or other entity to actually provide the training. 3-E Shared Vehicle Storage/Maintenance Facilities Agencies in a similar geographic area could share vehicle storage and/or maintenance facilities. Pinal County Examples: Agencies in eastern Pinal County or other very rural areas could share maintenance and/or storage facilities. Agencies in the Casa Grande area could share facilities. One agencies could provide maintenance through a contract with other providers. 3-F Joint Procurement of Vehicles, Insurance, Maintenance, Fuel, Hardware, Software, Technology Joint procurement could provide volume discounts and could save on administrative time in arranging the procurement (especially if technical specifications are required). Pinal County Example: Several agencies could join together to contract with commercial providers for various services. 3-G Vehicle Share Agencies could share vehicles during unused times or for back-up service when needed. The sharing could include only the vehicle or a vehicle and driver could be shared. Pinal County Example: Vehicles could be shared for regularly scheduled activities or only for special events. A smaller back-up pool of vehicles could be used if vehicles were shared. 3-H Centralized Functions (Reservations, Scheduling, Dispatching) A variety of centralized functions could be developed. This could include procurement of various services or commodities, a central reservation line for various geographic areas, joint scheduling, driver training, vehicle dispatch, etc. Pinal County Example: In Pinal County this could be done in the eastern portion of the county, in the Casa Grande area and/or in other areas.



IV-7

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



4. All Types of Coordination Working Together 4-A Purchase or contract for service A sponsor agency contracts with a transit service operator to provide transportation for a specific group of riders over a defined length of time. Pinal County Example: Cotton Express could provide service to Palm Villa Adult Day Health. Palm Villa would contract for all or part of the 14,000 annual trips with the City of Coolidge/Cotton Express. The cost to Palm Villa would not be farebox, but the Cotton Express actual operating cost per hour. The contract would be revised annually to reflect current operation performance/cost. 4-B Transportation Brokerage A third-party (broker) organization contracts with sponsor/funding agencies (human services, senior centers) to provide transportation for their clients. The broker in turn subcontracts with a variety of public, nonprofit, or private sector transportation providers to actually operate the service. The broker could be a public agency, a private nonprofit organization or a professional brokerage management firm. Core functions include provider/carrier procurement, contract management, client registration, recordkeeping and accounting, quality assurance and customer relations. Pinal County Example: A new or existing organization could contract with a number of other agencies (independent living centers, senior centers, other human service programs) needing transportation. Once individual clients are screened (certified to ride under a specific contract), the rider calls the broker to arrange the trip. The broker agency then schedules the trip with one of its contract providers, based on cost and availability. In the Pinal County area, the County or the Council for Senior Citizens, or a new agency would be logical brokers. Other potential agencies are Horizon Human Services and Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center. 4-C Consolidation of Transportation Programs: Under this option, one or more transit services would be consolidated into one operation. The consolidated transportation operator would then provide service for all the "member" agencies. All agencies would contribute funding to support the provision of transportation services. Pinal County Example: Pinal County or the Council for Senior Citizens, or another agency, could become the consolidated provider. The agency would provide services for those agencies which contribut funding. In some areas of the IV-8

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



country Rural (or Regional) Transportation Authorities are established with taxing authority which funds most of the service provided. Based on this information, the Committee was poised to make a decision on the elements to include in a transportation coordination demonstration project for the Pinal County area.



IV-9

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



V. SELECTION OF A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

The Committee was challenged in determining which coordination options would be most effective in meeting two critical project goals: 1. Address existing transportation needs, and 2. Be "implementable" given the political, social and economic characteristics of the area. In order to move forward effectively, the Committee decided to develop a mission/vision statement to clarify what they were trying to accomplish through a coordination project. They next considered barriers that would need to be overcome in achieving that mission/vision. After addressing those two issues they moved forward in selecting a specific transportation coordination demonstration project. Project Mission and Vision Statement After extensive discussion, the Committee identified the following as their mission and vision statement. Our mission is to improve the availability of quality transportation services in the Pinal County area, building upon and expanding existing resources. Our vision is an affordable system that meets individuals' transportation needs and supports the human services, medical, business, educational and recreational goals of the area. Once the mission/vision statement was identified, they considered barriers which would need to be overcome to implement a specific coordination project. Barriers to Overcome The Committee identified numerous issues which appeared to be barriers to effective coordination. These barriers are listed below. � Lack of political support Recent efforts with various cities and towns, and with Pinal County government, regarding the provision of intra-city and intercity public transportation, had not been successful. When the study began, there was no strong support for coordinating specialized transportation services at the top levels of County administration.



V-1

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



�



Limited existing service, focused on agency-specific clients Although there were a lot of vehicles operating in this large rural county, the days and hours of operation were limited and (except for the small public transit service provided by the City of Coolidge) most services were narrowly focused on specific client groups.



�



Service boundary issues The only public transit provider in the county, the Coolidge Cotton Express, is limited to operating only within the city limits. Many other providers had narrowly defined service areas.



�



Lack of Funding Given escalating gas and insurance costs, and funding cuts, agencies were struggling to maintain existing services. No funding was available to expand services.



�



Turf issues There was a perception of turf issues by some agencies.



�



Lack of staff resources Agencies expressed a willingness to consider coordination options but were concerned that staff time would be needed and that there appeared to be no obvious funding source to support the administration of an effective coordination project.



�



Funding Program Restrictions Agencies were funded by specific client-oriented programs, such as Title III of the Older American's Act and Head Start. Their first priority, therefore, is to serve their own clients.



�



Insurance Restrictions Agencies believed their current insurance policies restricted who could ride on their vehicles.



V-2

Pinal Transportation Coordination Project



�



Client Confidentiality Horizon Human Services and other agencies believed that HIPPA regulations (from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) limited their ability to coordinate. For example if non-Horizon clients ride on Horizon vehicles they would know, or believe that, other clients on the bus were Horizon Clients which would violate the confidentiality of those clients.



�



Inability to Tap into AHCCCS Funding At least one of the providers (Pinal County Health Department) was an AHCCCSapproved transportation provider but they were not used (or reimbursed) for Medicaid-eligible trips. This limited the amount of transportation dollars going to nonprofit providers in the area, as well as the overall level of service provided.



�



No Transportation Lead Agency There was no obvious lead agency to facilitate or broker a coordination project in the Pinal County area. However, four agencies were identified as potential lead agencies; Pinal-Gila Community Child Services, Pinal County Division of Public Health, Pinal-Gila Council of Senior Citizens, and Community Action Human Resources Agency (CAHRA)



Rather than let these perceived barriers stymie the selection of a demonstration project, the Committee decided to move forward with a four-part project and to address each specific barrier as it arose. The Coordination Demonstration Project Based on extensive Committee discussion, facilitated by the consultant team, the following elements were selected for inclusion in the Pinal Transportation Coordination Demonstr