Office of Public Transit Presentation to IPTA Okoboji, IA June 22, 2011

2. Office of Public TransitPresentation to IPTAOkoboji, IAJune 22, 2011

3. OPT Staff Introductions Michelle McEnany, DirectorPamella Lee, Transit programs managerKristin Haar, Compliance and training officerSreeparna Mitra, Grants managerRyan Ward, Transit programs administratorMichael Tiedens, Transit programs administrator Brent Paulsen, Technology and research managerLaurie Carnahan, Administrative support

4. Today’s Presentation Topics • Statewide mobility manager introduction • Federal issues • RTAP resources • DBE program • DOT physicals • Deadhead definition • Sightseeing trips reminder • Charter and school transportation reminders • Title VI/LEP resource presentation

5. Today’s Presentation Topics • State issues • PTAC update • Liens (facility and vehicle) • Signage policy • Counting rides • Restricted client • ICAAP applications • PTIG/STA Special/JARC/NF applications received • Upcoming due dates

6. State-wide Mobility Manager Introduction • Angie O’Brien • Under contract with IARC to serve as Iowa’s statewide mobility manager • Will assist transit and planning agencies in creating mobility management positions • Phone: 515-451-3383 • E-mail: iarcmobilitymanager@live.com

7. Federal Issues • RTAP resources • Procurement pro • Website builder • GTFS builder • www.nationalrtap.org • RSS feeds • Fellowships

8. Federal Issues • Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program New rules (Federal Register /Vol. 76, No. 19 / Friday, Jan. 28, 2011) • Allows the establishment of DBE goals every three years rather than annually. For our reporting: • Next projection worksheet to Iowa DOT will be due in May 2013 • Projection worksheets to include three-year projections (for FY2014-16) Note: Semiannual DBE reports of actual goals achieved will still be due twice a year as before.

9. Federal Issues • DBE counting standards • Entire amount performed by DBE subcontractor • Entire amount of fees and commissions charges by DBE firms for providing a bona fide service (lawyers, planners, consultants) • If the DBE subcontracts, count only if to other DBEs • Only DBE portion of a joint venture • 60 percent of expenditures to DBE suppliers • 100 percent of expenditures to a DBE manufacturer

10. Federal Issues • DBE counting example

11. Federal Issues

12. Federal Issues • DOT physicals • Noncity, noncounty employed drivers are required to have physicals • 28Es and nonprofits are not considered units of government by FMCSA • Medical two-year term • CDL five-year term • January 2012 states must link certification to CDL

13. Federal Issues • Deadhead definition • Deadhead hours/miles: Hours/miles traveled by a transit revenue vehicle when there is no reasonable expectation of carrying passengers. Examples: • In the case of fixed routes, deadhead is the travel between the garage/lot and the beginning of the route and the travel from the end of the route back to the garage/lot. • For demand response service, deadhead is the travel from the garage/lot to the first passenger pickup and the travel from the last passenger drop-off to the garage/lot. • Trips made for purposes of vehicle maintenance or fueling.

14. Federal Issues • Sightseeing trips reminder • Sightseeing trips are never considered public transportation • From FTA C 9300.1B, “Public Transportation: Transportation by a conveyance that provides regular and continuing general or special transportation to the public, but does not include sightseeing, school bus, charter, or intercity bus transportation ...” • Examples: Trips around a local lake, Christmas light tours, fall colors tours – all not allowed

15. Federal Issues • Charter and school transportation reminders • New federal charter and school transportation rules went into effect in 2008 • Charter: 49 CFR Part 604 • School: 49 CFR Part 605

16. Federal Issues • Charter service means, but does not include demand response service to individuals: • Transportation provided by a recipient at the request of a third party for the exclusive use of a bus or van for a negotiated price. The following features may be characteristic of charter service: • A third party pays the transit provider a negotiated price for a group; • Any fares charged to individual members of the group are collected by a third party; • The service is not part of the transit provider’s regularly scheduled service, or is offered for a limited period of time; or • A third party determines the origin and destination of the trip as well as scheduling.

17. Federal Issues • Charter service means, but does not include demand response service to individuals: • Transportation provided by a recipient to the public for events or function that occur on an irregular basis or for a limited duration and: • A premium fare is charged that is greater than the usual or customary fixed route fare; or • The service is paid for in whole or in part by a third party. • Transit systems may perform charter services, following the rules, but must report those services to Iowa DOT on a quarterly basis. Rides and miles will not count toward formula statistics and fuel taxes must be paid.

18. Federal Issues • Exclusive school transportation by a public transit agency is prohibited. • However, tripper service is allowed: • Regularly scheduled mass transportation service which is open to the public, and which is designed or modified to accommodate the needs of school students and personnel, using various fare collections or subsidy systems. Buses used in tripper service must be clearly marked as open to the public and may not carry designations such as “school bus” or “school special.” These buses may stop only at a grantee or operator's regular service stop. All routes traveled by tripper buses must be within a grantee's or operator's regular route service as indicated in their published route schedules.

19. Federal Issues • Title VI/LEP resource presentation • Iowa DOT has contracted with thebigword for telephone interpreter services to help fulfill our limited English proficient (LEP) obligations under Title VI. • The Iowa DOT’s contract is available to subrecipients to assist in providing meaningful access to LEP persons. • Telephone interpreting service available 24/7/365 • Over 250 languages supported • Rapid pickup and interpreter connection • 3,000 fully trained telephone interpreters • $0.85 per minute ~ pay as you go • No start-up or maintenance fees

20. Federal Issues • thebigword handout • thebigword demonstration • To sign up, contact Katie Brown • 646-770-8053 • katie.brown@thebigword.com • www.thebigword.com

21. State Issues • Public Transit Advisory Council (PTAC) • Members appointed by OPT director • Areas of representation: • Urban systems > 200,000 • Large urban systems 50-200,000 • Small urban systems < 50,000 • Two regional systems • Members • Brad Miller – Des Moines DART • Mark Little – Waterloo MET • Doug Roelfs – Burlington Urban Service • Hugh Lively - Region 3/RIDES • Randy Zobrist – Region 9/River Bend Transit

22. State Issues • PTAC • Mission of the council • Provide the Iowa DOT’s Office of Public Transit guidance and feedback on all transit issues in Iowa • Scope of council • All statewide funding and policy issues related to public transit in Iowa. • Meetings • Quarterly; First Thursday of February, May, August and November • Agendas shall be provided at least seven days in advance and posted on the IPTA website forum

23. State Issues • Liens (vehicle and facility) • Phase I – Vehicles • Part A – New vehicles • Application for Certificate of Title and/or Registration (form 411007 or form 411182) • Under Security Interest Information, the Iowa DOT/OPT must be listed as the First Security Interest Holder (see form on next slide) • One form per vehicle • Government agencies • $10 fee is waived and form is submitted to your transit program administrator in the Iowa DOT’s Office of Public Transit • Nongovernment agencies • $10 fee per vehicle (payable to your local county) • Forms submitted to local county treasurer • Copy of form submitted to your transit program administrator in the Iowa DOT’s Office of Public Transit

24. State Issues • Liens (vehicle and facility) • Part B – Current fleet vehicles with federal interest • Application for Notation of Security Interest (form 411046) • The Iowa DOT/OPT must be listed as the Holder of Security Interest on the form (see form on next slide) • One form per vehicle • Government agencies • $10 fee is waived and form is submitted to your transit program administrator in the Iowa DOT’s Office of Public Transit • Nongovernment agencies • $10 fee per vehicle (payable to your local county) • Forms submitted to local county treasurer • Copy of form submitted to your transit program administrator in the Iowa DOT’s Office of Public Transit • TPA’s will be contacting each transit manager to determine vehicles that are applicable (currently hold federal interest)

25. State Issues • Liens (vehicle and facility) • Phase I – Vehicles (continued) • Part C – Removing liens • Lien on a particular vehicle can be removed when the useful life has been met • Government agencies • Submit a formal written request to your transit program administrator in the Iowa DOT’s Office of Public Transit • Nongovernment agencies • Submit a Cancellation of Security Interest (form 411168) to the local county • Copy of form submitted to your transit program administrator in the Iowa DOT’s Office of Public Transit • All forms can be found on the Iowa DOT’s forms website • Phase II – Facilities • The TPA’s will be contacting all transit systems that have facilities funded partially or in whole with FTA or State of Iowa dollars at some point in the near future.

26. State Issues • Liens (vehicle and facility) • Form 411007 (new vehicles)

27. State Issues • Liens (vehicle and facility) • Form 411046 (current vehicles)

28. State Issues • Counting rides • Passengers are counted every time a person boards the vehicle for the purpose of a trip • Trip is defined as having an origin and a destination • The count must distinguish types of rides and how they pay (revenue vs. nonrevenue) • Passenger counting must be accurate • Passenger counting must be consistent • Procedures are more important than technology • Should not be counted as a ride: • Employees riding a vehicle for work-related purposes • Drivers

29. State Issues • Signage policy • Open to the public: Service open to the public is a condition for receiving federal and state funding. FTA requires that vehicles be clearly marked to show that the vehicle is open to the public. Under all funding programs, the Iowa DOT, with input from transit providers, requires transit systems to establish a vehicle marking policy including the following standards. • Transit system name: Each vehicle shall display the name of the designated public transit system on each side of the vehicle. If name does not include “Transit” or “Public Transit,” this should be added. Placement of name on front and back of the vehicle is recommended. • Vehicle ID: Each vehicle shall display a vehicle ID number on the right front corner and on the back of the vehicle. The number shall also be displayed at the front of the interior, in an area visible to passengers

30. State Issues • Signage policy – continued • Transit phone number: It is strongly recommended that the transit system phone number for ride requests/route information be displayed on each side of the vehicle. • Rail crossing stops: The rear of each vehicle shall bear a sign stating “This vehicle stops at RR crossings.” • Ethanol sticker: State law requires all public agencies in Iowa to use ethanol-blended gasoline in any gas engine and to display a gasohol or ethanol “bumper sticker.” • Access sign: The vehicle entrance accessible by wheelchair is required to display the universal accessibility symbol. • Securement location sign: The wheelchair securement location(s) within the bus must be signed.

31. State Issues • Signage policy – continued • Priority seating sign: Front seats are required to be signed as priority seating for elderly and persons with disabilities. • Emergency exit sign: All emergency exits shall be signed, including any specific directions to operate the exit, as needed. • No smoking sign: By state law, all public transit vehicles are required to be signed with no smoking stickers. The sign must be visible to passengers when boarding the vehicle.

32. State Issues “The Good”

33. State Issues “The Bad”

34. State Issues “The Ugly”

35. State Issues • Signage policy – proposed changes • Transit phone number : Policy to be changed from “recommended” to “required.” Agency website may also be used if so desired if it contains contact and route information. • “Open to the public:” Will be required on all small urban and regional transit systems’ buses, displayed on passenger side of vehicle. The Iowa DOT will provide the signage. • Wordage location: “Public Transit” will be required to be on all four sides of the vehicle. Required on all small urban and regional transit systems’ buses.

36. State Issues • Restricted client (RC) service • Previous definition: Service is open only to the clients of a specific agency or a specific population group. • Current definition: Charter • Reporting category for RC has been removed from the online statistical reporting system

37. State Issues • Iowa Clean Air Attainment Program (ICAAP) • Purpose is to help finance transportation projects and programs that result in attaining or maintaining the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) • More than $14.9 million has been awarded for 44 transit projects since 1995

38. State Issues • ICAAP • Projects awarded Jan. 11, 2011

39. State Issues • Public Transit Infrastructure Grant (PTIG) • Program created by 2006 General Assembly • Funds vertical infrastructure for public transit • All 35 transit systems are eligible • Projects should be capable of completion in 18 months • 2011 General Assembly • Anticipate an appropriation of $1.5 million • Limit of 40 percent of total appropriation per transit system

40. State Issues • PTIG

41. State Issues • State Transit Assistance Special Projects • Immediate opportunity • Projects must contribute to coordination of public transit and human service transportation in Iowa • Two-year funding limitation • Year 1: 80/20 • Year 2: 50/50 for operating

42. State Issues • STA Special Projects

43. State Issues • Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) • Established to address the unique transportation challenges faced by welfare recipients and low-income persons seeking to obtain and maintain employment. • Eligible activities • Capital, planning and operating expenses for projects that transport low income individuals to and from jobs and activities related to employment, and for reverse commute projects

44. State Issues • Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) • Large urban allocations • FFY2011 allocation $517,279 • FFY2010 funds remaining 112,750 • Contingency 23,633 • Total available $653,662 • Funds requested $678,124

45. State Issues • JARC

46. State Issues • Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) • Small urban/regional allocations FFY2011 allocation $503,062 FFY2010 funds remaining 354,550 Contingency 123,006 Total available $980,618 • Funds requested $415,149

47. State Issues • JARC

48. State Issues • New Freedom (NF) • Seeks to reduce barriers to transportation services and expand the transportation mobility options available to people with disabilities beyond the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. • Project must be new as of Aug. 10, 2005 • Project must go over and beyond that requirements of the ADA • Eligible activities • Capital, planning and operating expenses for projects that transport disabled individuals.

49. State Issues • New Freedom project examples • Extending paratransit services past normal fixed-route hours of operation • Operating paratransit services on days when fixed-route service does not operate • Price increase for a lift with higher capacity or a vehicle with additional tie-downs • Mobility manager positions • Remember, this program is for disabled individuals • Someone might be elderly, but they may not be disabled

50. State Issues • New Freedom • Large urban allocations FFY2011 allocation $297,991 FFY2010 funds remaining 134,603 Contingency 0 Total available $432,594 • Funds requested $534,546