Public Transportation Coordination – Barriers, Constraints & Opportunities

1. Public Transportation Coordination –Barriers, Constraints & Opportunities Texas Transportation Commission November 16, 2006

2. Overview • Background • Early Successes • Barriers and Emphasis Areas • Draft Recommendations/Next Steps

3. 1. Background House Bill 3588 (78th Legislature): Statewide Coordination of Public Transportation Coordinate transportation funding and resources between any local, state or federally funded transportation provider Eliminate waste and duplication of services Generate efficiencies/increase service levels Further State’s efforts to reduce air pollution

4. Integrating Two Public Transportation Delivery Modes System Based Focus is on developing a seamless system of options to maximize individual participation Transportation is the goal Client Based Focus is on individual person meeting health, social service or training needs Transportation is a means to some other goal

5. What is Coordination? People from different agencies working together to improve transit for the customer Technique for better resource management Shared responsibility, shared resources Way to leverage scarce resources Expanded role for private sector Support 5 goals of Texas Transportation Commission

6. 2. Early Successes Concho Valley Coordinating and consolidating services Community Council of South West Texas Coordinating across long distances and multiple providers to meet customer needs Houston-Galveston Area Council Harris County Innovations: Coordinating training, cooperative purchasing model to leverage purchasing power, and Harris County Rides highlights

7. 3. Barriers and Emphasis Areas Alternative Fuels Central Texas; a rural provider perspective • TxDOT PTN requirement to purchase alternative fuel vehicles • Increased costs for alternative fuel vehicles, maintenance, fuel • Limited access to alternative fuels, parts and mechanics with necessary skills • Operating limits due to low miles/gallon

8. Barriers and Emphasis Areas Need for Reliable Vehicles • Public transportation vehicle fleets operate well beyond intended service life Lack of Coordination w/ Other Agencies • HHS agencies are often unable to identify costs • Restrictions on HHS program trips Jurisdictional Boundaries • Conflicting service delivery

9. Barriers and Emphasis Areas State & Local Funding Options • Legislation limits flexibility to use other sources of local revenue for public transportation (sales tax exemption) Federal Funding Restrictions • Instability of timing for release of federal program funds • Restrictions on use of large urban 5307 funds for operating

10. 4. Draft Recommendations/Next Steps Re-examine TxDOT’s alternative fuels policy Provide incentives for public/private partnerships that will permit private investment in public transportation Provide supplemental project funding Encourage/enable regions to develop pilot projects to test regional coordination Support/pursue needed legislative changes

11. Draft Recommendations/Next Steps(con’t) Facilitate increased communication/ participation between local, state and federal agencies Provide additional funding for further planning efforts Develop programs to support regional coordination concepts Study group continues through January ‘09