Coordinated Human Service and Public Transportation Planning 2.0NYSDOT PerspectiveNYPTA Spring ConferenceJune 11, 2009

Coordination 2.0Or is it Coordination 10.0??What is it?Why do it?How do we do it?

OverviewPlanning in review – initial efforts considered Version 1.0 – building foundations for a network to create Coordination 2.0Moving forward , we will need to build on 1.0 and add requirements to ensure funds continue to flowSelf –assessment is critical to getting to 2.0Adopt your work, review it, and update itKnow the cycle of documentation and applications for funding. Get your work updates in ahead of that.

Guidance from the StateNovember 2007Emphasis on local developmentAsked MPOs or County governments to take the leadIdentified the four elements critical to coordination NYSDOT did not provide specific instruction on:Who should be the lead agency or how to achieve consensusThe specifics of a Plan Adoption process, How to provide general documentationLife cycle of a coordinated planDealing with malcontents and non-participants

What does the state need to do its part?First of all, we need a good plan. No money will come without it. (Yes, ladies and gentlemen, there’s a cautionary tale)We need copies of updated plans.FTA has become more proscriptive, and we need to keep plans in line with the guidance and the regulation.The 4 required elements we need in the plan*:1) make an assessment of available services 2) make an assessment of needs 3) develop strategies to address gaps for target populations 4) prioritize the strategies to identify projects to be fundedIf these 4 items are not included, you don’t have a coordinated plan and you won’t be eligible for funding. More importantly, you won’t be serving the needs of the community.Designated Recipients must be able to certify that the elements are included and that a project represents a strategy in the plan

Coordination 1.0 In ReviewWhat did you do?Does your plan include the FTA’s required elements?Inventory of current transportation services Who provides what and where and whenIdentification of gaps in service and needs of the target populationsWho has mobility limitations and why – service? Info? Develop strategies to meet those needs and gapsThese are concepts – provide services to meet second shiftsDevelop a priority order of those strategiesSome methodology and outreach to identify importanceMeeting these elements is important and required!

Coordination 1.0 In ReviewWho led the work?Political, Transportation or Human Service Entities?Was there a consultant on board?Was there a steering committee who directed the e effort; Is there some forum for continuing this effort?Documenting outreach is criticalAre there segments not included? How did you create opportunities for Public input?How do you address non-participants?

Who benefitted? Can you measure the changes based on actions taken and funding received?Did people gain more access to the system?Did more people get to work / necessary activities?Did Transit companies provide more service?Did political entities accomplish public goals? (YES, this is important!)How did you measure this?It is vitally important you collect both objective (data-driven) and subjective (anecdotal) information in your evaluation of what you did. You should know what you did, and just as importantly, how it impacted people.Coordination 1.0 In Review

Coordination 1.0 In ReviewWere you able to adopt this planning document as a consensus document?What are pitfalls with this effort?Financial commitment? Expectations of delivery?County Support?Requirements say 4 to 5 years for updateIs that reasonable when applications occur every year?Do you have a process to amend the plan?

Coordination 2.0As the second generation of plans begin, FTA is looking for a process that Designated Recipients use to certify that the plan contains the required elements, is adopted and certified that it contains the awarded projectsFor NYSDOT For 5310, this means every planFor 5316 & 5317 this means every rural plan and urban plan that applies to our programFor authority areas, these are the MPOs, local officials and the transit authorities and agencies working within them.

Coordination 2.0What is our process?Let’s assume no changes in the current law (SAFETEA-LU) when re-authorization occurs.These are proposed changes, but are not enactedJoint 5310/5316/5317 Mobility potJARC under Formula programs and NF under 5310Therefore, do not change your process to anticipate this until such time changes are made to the law.NYSDOT is seeking input from around the State to streamline efforts to certify these plans

NCHRP’s Best Practice ExamplesOrganize your activitiesThis may sound like a “well, duh” item, but it is vitally important that everything is written down, placed into an easy-to-follow agenda and that everyone is on the same pageGood Stakeholder IdentificationConduct Good OutreachKnow What Exists in transportation, Find out what doesn’tYou can’t develop a transportation plan without knowing all possible solutions, from Taxis to Buses and everything in between.Identify Gaps and NeedsIf you do the first 4 correctly, this one should be easy.Develop and Prioritize StrategiesThe more feedback here, the better the strategies becomeChoose Projects that meet the StrategiesRe-evaluate your plan as often as is needed. It might be only every 3 years, or it may need to be 6 months, if something changes. The bottom line: change happens, and it’s better to be prepared.

DRAFT guidance will be out during the summer that will stress:Relying on locally-developed planning Asks that localities perform a self-assessment of their plans for the required elementsRecognizes funding updates to the plan.Options for adopting plansCoordination 2.0

Coordination 2.0Cycles for updates:5310 is back to applications every January5316/5317 (Rural) will align with that timeIf changes are going to be made to plans, should they happen before this time so that updates are incorporated into documentsA good idea might be: if you’ve got a January application, get your updates done before Thanksgiving.

National ResourcesFramework for Action – (unitedweride.gov)National Resource Center for Human Service Transportation CoordinationNational Center on Senior Transportation Mobility Services for All Americans (MSAA) Transportation Planning Capacity Building Peer Program

Conclusions, Part 1Requirements are not that overwhelmingApplication Cycles are importantSelf-Assessment is criticalDocument, document, documentOutreach to stakeholders and publicprocess for changes to documentRecognition of the funded projects and their impact on the plan

Conclusions, continuedEvaluate what went right and what went wrongKnow what new possibilities existKeep the commitment of prior stakeholders, gain the commitment new onesDevelop new strategies or re-evaluate older ones as time goes by or as neededContinue to be inclusive and flexible

Questions?Richard D. QuodominePublic Transportation BureauUrban Systems Specialist518-457-8346rquodomine@dot.state.ny.us