Research Pays Off: Can Travel Training Services Save Public Transportation Agencies Money? (original) (raw)

Potential cost savings from taxi paratransit programs

This paper reports the findings of a study [Burkhardt, et al., 2009] that examined the roles that taxis currently play in Federally-mandated paratransit services for persons with disabilities in the United States. For paratransit programs required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) [Federal Register, 1979], the use of taxis can be a key cost reduction strategy that transit agencies can employ. Exemplary taxi paratransit programs were identified; they demonstrate that taxi paratransit services can provide cost-effective and high quality services. A Using available data and phone interviews, the advantages and disadvantages of using taxis in paratransit programs were documented. The findings demonstrate how taxis’ involvement in paratransit programs varies among 29 localities in the US. Next, case studies which included in-depth analyses, site visits, and focus group discussions with paratransit riders identified factors associated with successful taxi paratransit programs. ...

Mobility Training for the Retarded: An Issue of Public Transit Accessibility

1981

The pressing need for uniform data reporting and accounting procedures has been noted by officials at many levels of government. In order to serve more than one agency, a transportation provider must frequently comply with distinct accounting and record-keeping procedures for each agency. In addition, billing structures and methods of billing for transportation vary from program to program and agency to agency. These variations may lead to confusion on the part of clients, providers, and agency administrators (5). Several demonstration programs are currently under way to address these billing and accounting issues (1,5). The presentation of the seven charging proc;d~res described in this paper should aid in the design of model administrative structures that, under the mandate of the demonstration programs " •.• should be flexible enough to allow transportation providers to report information in formats familiar to the transportation industry, and yet consistent with the mandate...

Two Options for Travel Needs of Mentally Retarded: Implications for Productivity and Cost-Effectiveness

1982

3. Institute for Public Transportation. Statewide Study of the Feasibility of Coordinating and Consolidating Specialized Transportation Services. New York State Department of Transportation, Albany, Oct. 1978. 4. L. Robins, A. Pagano, and C. McKnight. Economies of Scale in Paratransit: Special Service Agencies and Taxicab Companies. UMTA, May 1981. s. A. Kidder, L. Sen, G, Amedee, and D. McKelvey. Costs of Alternative Transportation Systems for the Elderly and the Handicapped in Small Urban 25

Initial evaluation of a public transportation training program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Short report

Journal of Transport & Health, 2020

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) including Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) often face serious transportation challenges that impede healthcare access, community participation, and employment opportunities. Travel training, which makes use of one-on-one instruction, may help people with IDD overcome transportation barriers. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a comprehensive travel training program on the travel skills of individuals with IDD. Methods: Participants were a convenience sample of all individuals with IDD (n ¼ 87) who received travel training from the Kennedy Center in 2016 and 2017. Pre-and post-test scores on the Progressive Evaluation of Travel Skills, as well as primary mode(s) of public transportation used, purpose of use, and number of training sessions were recorded in a secure database. Data was de-identified which involved a process of removing any personally identifiable information. A secondary analysis was completed to test the effect of travel training on transportation skill acquisition by using multilevel analyses. Specifically, the effects of condition (Intellectual Disability (ID) without ASD, ID and ASD, ASD without ID), time (pre-training, post-training), and condition x time interactions on transportation skill T-scores were analyzed. Results: Participants were 69 men and 18 women with IDD and/or ASD (mean age ¼ 23.6). Trainees made statistically significant gains on the competencies needed for independent travel. A significant condition x time (training) interaction was observed. Prior to training, people with ID (with and without ASD) had less developed travel skills than those with ASD (and no ID). Upon completion of the training, those with ID made larger gains in travel skills than those with ASD/ no ID in which both groups had comparable skill levels. Conclusions: The results of this study provide preliminary support for the use of a structured and comprehensive travel training program to improve overall travel skills needed for public transportation.

ADA Special Services: Price Elasticity for the Provision of Free Service In the State of Illinois -FINAL REPORT

Instituting a free fare for ADA complementary paratransit service in the state Illinois will increase the demand and the associated costs of providing the specialized service. The purpose of this study is to estimate the increased demand by modeling fare elasticity and using previous industry experience. Using the UIC/UTC model resulted in an estimated average increase in annual ADA trips between 71% and 95% in the Chicago area. The range in estimated annual ADA trips increase at a 90% confidence level would be between 37% and 135%. The ranges vary in Chicago, suburbs and downstate based on their fare elasticity. Given previous industry free ride experiments, the latent demand exhibited by the large number of disabled persons living within ¾ mile of a fixed route and the expected diversion of wheelchair riders currently using fixed routes, we believe it is not unreasonable to expect increases in ridership approaching 100%. Below is a range of annual costs based on the 2007 cost per trip for city, suburban and downstate service:

How can Paratransit Users be Attracted to Fixed-Route Bus Services? A Case Study on Accessibility to Transit in Chapel Hill and Carrboro

Research Papers in Economics, 2010

This thesis addresses the challenges that individuals with disabilities are facing when using public transportation and that also transit agencies encounter that provide these transportation services. The high cost of special transportation for the disabled and elderly and the increased demand for these services have negative repercussions for both these population groups and the transit agencies. Therefore a solution is recommended that has not been recently highlighted in research studies and shall benefit both parties: The attraction of individuals who use demand-responsive services (or paratransit respectively) to fixed-route transit. A methodology that particularly serves this purpose is elaborated and applied here. The pedestrian and transportation infrastructure is analyzed in terms of accessibility in order to identify the current potential that these users could get attracted to fixed-route transit. To increase this potential in the future, also recommendations for improvement are provided. This methodology has been applied to Chapel Hill and Carrboro, North Carolina, where Chapel Hill Transit (CHT) provides fare-free fixed-route and demand responsive bus services. The analysis of the pedestrian and transportation infrastructure shows that-according to the criteria developed in this study-one quarter of all bus stops in Chapel Hill and Carrboro is currently fully accessible and almost 40% of the bus stops are limitedly accessible. More than one third is not accessible. Inadequate boarding and alighting areas and the absence of pedestrian sidewalks and crosswalks are the most frequently occurring barriers to fixed-route services for individuals with physical impairments. Accordingly, the potential to attract individuals who use paratransit in Chapel Hill and Carrboro is currently low: Only 13% of users currently have full access to fixed-route transit, applying a walking distance of ¼ mile from the user's residence to the bus stop. In order to get access to fixed-route transit, 21 % of the users require improvements of the bus stops and 42 % require sidewalk improvements. By improving 29 specific bus stops, 28% of all paratransit users could have access to fixed-route transit in the future, which is an increase of 15 %. In order to actually and successfully attract users with disabilities to fixed-route transit, a combination of different practices needs to be implemented. Hence the improvement of the transportation and pedestrian infrastructure is only one element of an approach that seamlessly integrates all users and services in one transportation system. Consequently, this analysis and the recommended improvements serve to make public transportation more attractive for all possible users. II Acknowledgements When the decision for my stay at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was made, I wanted to seize the opportunity to do research that is immediately related to the place of this stay and its people. In order to pursue this aspiration I got involved with the Disability Awareness Council of Orange County, NC, the advocacy of the needs and rights of the disabled community in the Chapel Hill region. This involvement was the foundation for the development of a research design, which required extensive and thorough fieldwork along the streets of Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

BARRIERS TO USE OF TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Supported by general revenues from the State of Texas. 16. Abstract Implications of Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 with regard to use of public transit and paratransit by people with disabilities are discussed in terms of physical, psychological, and communication barriers. Recent trends in amelioration of those barriers are described. A survey of several selected transit organizations who have been identified as innovative in their approach to removing barriers to access and use were surveyed by telephone and their experiences summarized. Technology to address physical and communications barriers is discussed with regard to ingress and egress from vehicles, securement of mobility aids, information transfer to sensory and cognitively disabled riders, and operational communications. Major findings are that physical barriers are being overcome, but initial resistance to even considering public transit remains. Not much was found to help those with cognitive disabilities use transit, except for some good training programs. Lifts have much improved through standards activities, but wheelchair restraints remain cumbersome and hard to use unless dedicated fittings on mobility aids are available. Occupant protection for those riding on their mobility aid remains controversial. A simple idea much underused is announcing stops and other route guidance information, and some gains have been made via GPS technology and computerization to automate this function.

An Integrative Theory-Driven Framework for Evaluating Travel Training Programs

Since the 1970s, travel training programs, which provide a short-term training to people with disabilities and older people to teach them independent travel skills required to use fixed-route transportation, have spread across the United States. But the authors note that currently, there is no integrative framework for evaluating the training programs, although it is crucial for improving program implementation and developing knowledge and theories related to travel training. Therefore, this research aims to build an integrative theory-driven evaluation framework of the programs on the basis of prior studies on travel training and the literature on program evaluation and learning and training theories. The framework considers (1) a wide range of key elements related to the delivery systems and outcomes of travel training; (2) diverse stakeholders that engage in designing, operating, and assessing travel training; and (3) the short-term, intermediate, and long-term outcomes of the programs. Based on the framework, the authors develop a flexible logic model for travel training programs to help scholars and practitioners design and conduct actual evaluation studies. Thus, this research is expected to make theoretical and practical contributions to theory-driven program evaluation and travel training programs.

Improving Pathways to Transit for Persons with Disabilities

2016

Persons with disabilities can achieve a greater degree of freedom when they have full access to a variety of transit modes, but this can only be achieved when the pathways to transit – the infrastructure and conditions in the built environment – allow full access to transit stops, stations, and vehicles. Since passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, many transit agencies and governmental jurisdictions have made significant progress in this area. Policy initiatives, incremental enhancements, modifications, and other measures undertaken by transit agencies and their partners have significantly improved access to transit for persons with disabilities, others who rely on public transportation, and individuals who chose to utilize these services. This research study explores, through case study work, efforts that have been effective in improving pathways to transit. Interviews and site visits were conducted with five transit agencies, along with their partners, that...