South Dakota Transit Conference

1. South Dakota Transit Conference Volunteer Driver Programs Presented by Helen Kerschner (April, 2011) The Beverly Foundation Located in Albuquerque 30 Years of Experience Research and Demonstration Senior Mobility & Transportation Mission At the Beverly Foundation new ideas and options are fostered to enhance mobility and transportation for seniors

2. Time To Give Up The Keys?

3. Transportation Options Which Of These Options Is Available… and Will Work For Me?

4. Reports From The Field • Increasing Costs • Increasing Demand • Need to Provide Assistance • Need for More… • Declining Resources • Solvency Concerns

5. The Solution Volunteer Driver Programs From… “Little Women Doing Little Things” To… “The Hope of The Future”

6. Profile of Volunteer Driver Programs 543 Cases – 49 States + 2 Beverly Foundation STAR Search Data 2000 - 2007

7. Why Are They Gaining in Popularity? Because They… … include volunteer drivers And Because TheyCAN…. … include volunteer vehicles … provide passenger assistance … go to and through the door … offer trip-chaining … provide transportation at no charge … travel to distant destinations … stay with passengers at the destination … offer socialization to passengers … eliminate the need for trip scheduling They Can Meet Needs of Many Passengers

8. Let’s Talk About The Bottom Line Consider the cost of… …organizational infrastructure …paying drivers! …owning a vehicle! …making dead-head rides! …taking one passenger in a multi-passenger vehicle! …offering a trip-chaining option …scheduling rides Volunteer driver programs CAN save $$$$$!

9. Not All Volunteer Programs Are Alike Three Cost Factors Organization Menu of Service Free Standing Vehicles Owned/Leased & Volunteer Vehicles Volunteer Vehicles Only Drivers Paid & Volunteer Drivers Volunteer Drivers Only

10. Organizing Examples Menu of Services with Volunteer Driver Programs Traditional Public Transit… Ride Connection Traditional Community Transit… Prairie Hills Transit Hospital-Based paid driver programs… St. Rose’s Senior Service paid driver programs… Senior Resource Free-Standing Services with A Volunteer Driver Program Franchise… ITN Community Group… Neighbor Ride Faith in Action Sponsorships… FIA Austin Not-For Profit Groups (RSVP)… RSVP of Dane County

11. Drivers/Vehicles/Assistance* Program Data Drivers *Beverly Foundation 2011 STAR Search Survey Data

12. Driver/Vehicle Examples Paid & Volunteer Drivers (Delmarva Community Services, Inc. – MD) Owned &/Or Leased & Volunteer Vehicles (St. John’s Council on Aging – FL) Volunteer Drivers Only (Senior Helpline Service – CA) Volunteer Vehicles Only (Na Hoaloah – HA)

13. Other Cost Saving Methods Reduce Paid Staff Costs drivers schedule their own rides (Rides & Smiles – CA) Reduce Vehicle Costs purchase Prius vehicles (Sr. Resource Center - CO) Reduce Assistance Costs train volunteers to provide concierge services (JFS – CA) Reduce Fuel Costs reimburse drivers with gas cards (Catholic Chair. – NM) Reduce Other Costs low cost software to replace paper scheduling (FIA - TX)

14. Other Positive Factors Expand Service Area (YCCAC – Sanford, ME) Provide Transportation to People with Dementia (Catholic Charities – San Jose, CA) Tap Into Destinations for Support (JFS – Albuquerque, NM) Empower Riders to Recruit their Own Drivers (TRIP – Riverside, CA) Provide Medical Advocacy (AAA of Merrimack Valley – Lawrence, MA) Go to Different Types of Destinations (Jewish Family Service – San Diego, CA)

15. What About Customer Friendliness? Volunteer Driver Programs Can provide a different kind of availability. Can meet several adaptability requirements. Can offer personal types ofaccessibility. Can accommodate acceptability standards. Can oblige affordability needs. What Passengers Really Want!!! The 5 A’s of Senior Friendly Transportation!

16. Senior Friendliness Is Critical The Five A’s of Senior Friendliness availability accessibility acceptability adaptability affordability

17. Personal Favorite Medical Motors – Rochester, NY Mobility Management Community Collaborative Started: 2008 TRAC (Transportation Access Coordination) Lead Agency Medical Motors Participating Agencies County Office on Aging Eldersource 2 Volunteer Driver Programs Catholic Family Center & LifeSpan

18. Ten Things You Need To Know… …about Volunteer Driver Programs … have paid &volunteer or volunteer only drivers … have owned vehicles and/or volunteer vehicles … charge fees or operate solely on donations … are free standings or located within a menu of service … have a defined or flexible service area … purchase an expanded ins. policy or a new policy … use high-end or inexpensive software … provide limited or extensive passenger assistance … stay at the destination (short time or long time) … travel short distances or long distances … go to life-sustaining and/or life-enriching destinations

19. Ten Things You Need To Know… …about Volunteer Drivers Volunteer drivers are dependable “employees”. Volunteer drivers can easily work side by side with paid staff. Volunteer drivers are not 9-5 employees. Volunteer drivers generally are willing to “go the extra mile”. Volunteer drivers are not “free”. Volunteer drivers are good drivers. Volunteer drivers need not worry about liability. Volunteer drivers are the best recruiters of volunteer drivers. Volunteer drivers drive because they want to give back…not .. to get mileage reimbursement. .. to generate service credits for when they get old. .. to go to a recognition banquet once a year. Volunteer drivers are the hardest volunteers to recruit… but once you’ve got them….…you’ve got them.!

20. A Review Of Key Elements … drivers (paid and/or volunteer) … vehicles (owned and/or volunteer) … financial resources (fees and/or donation only) ... organization (menu of service or free standing)… insurance (expanded policy or new policy) … data management (high end or inexpensive software) … service area (defined or flexible) … passenger assistance (door-to-door or more) … stay at the destination (short time or long time) … escorts (family member or volunteer drivers) … socialization (neighbor or volunteer drivers) … destinations (life-sustaining and/or life-enriching)

21. Low-Cost Options Are Out There

22. Special Thanks! AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety American Public Transportation Association CTAA National Center on Senior Transportation American Society on Aging California Association for Coordinated Transportation U Mass Boston APTA NCST

23. Organizational Examples Organization/Vehicles/Vehicles Public Transit - Ride Connection (OR) Free/Owned&Vol/Pd&Vol Community Transit - YCCAC (ME) Menu/Owned&Vol/Pd&Vol Community Transit - Prairie Hills Tr. (SD) Menu/Pd&Vol/Owned&Vol General Transit – St. John’s County Council (FL) Menu/Pd& Vol. Aging Services – Merrimack Valley AAA (MA) Menu/Vol/Vol Jewish Family Services (CA) Menu/Vol/Vol St. Rose Dominican Hospital Transit (NV) Menu/Owned/Pd&Vol ITN (ME) Free/Owned & Vol/Pd&Vol FIAC Austin (TX) Free/Vol/Vol TRIP (CA) Free/Vol/Vol Neighbor Ride (MD) Free/Vol/Vol

24. Their Drivers & Vehicles • Paid Drivers • Volunteer Drivers • Owned/Leased Vehicles • Volunteer Vehicles • Community Transit… (1, 2, 3 & 4) • Hospital-Based paid driver programs (1 & 2, 3 & 4) • Human Service paid driver programs… (1, 2 & 3) • Senior service paid driver programs… (1, 2 & 3) • Faith in Action Sponsorships (2 & 4) • Not-For Profit Groups (2 & 4)