Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families (2014)

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T R A N S I T C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M TCRP REPORT 164 TRANSPORTAT ION RESEARCH BOARD WASHINGTON, D.C. 2013 www.TRB.org Research sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration in cooperation with the Transit Development Corporation Subscriber Categories Public Transportation Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Elizabeth Ellis KFH Group, Inc. Bethesda, MD Heather Menninger Roy Glauthier Valerie Sedig AMMA TrAnsIT plAnnInG Riverside, CA Beth Hamby Holly Chase Jason Quan Bennett Powell KFH Group, Inc. Bethesda, MD

TCRP REPORT 164 Project B-42 ISSN 1073-4872 ISBN 978-0-309-28387-8 Library of Congress Control Number 2014932568 © 2013 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein. Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, FAA, FHWA, FMCSA, FTA, or Transit Development Corporation endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. 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C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M S AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report is the result of research conducted through TCRP B-42 by the KFH Group, Inc., in associa- tion with AMMA Transit Planning. Elizabeth (Buffy) Ellis, AICP, of the KFH Group was the Principal Investigator and lead author. Other primary authors include Heather Menninger and Roy Glauthier of AMMA Transit Planning. Additional contributors include Valerie Sedig of AMMA Transit Planning as well as Beth Hamby, Holly Chase, Jason Quan, and Bennett Powell of the KFH Group. The research team gratefully acknowledges the support of the TCRP Senior Program Officer, and of the Project Panel members and Chair, whose efforts steered this project along its course with valuable guidance and input. We also sincerely thank the various transit systems and other agencies work- ing to improve transportation for veterans, military service members, and their families that shared their experiences and insights with us. And importantly, we want to acknowledge and honor our fellow Americans who served or are now serving our country in uniform. Photo Credits: All photos courtesy of the research team except when noted. Cover photos courtesy of Brad Weaver, Riverside Transit Agency in Riverside, California and of the research team. CRP STAFF FOR TCRP REPORT 164 Christopher W. Jenks, Director, Cooperative Research Programs Dianne S. Schwager, Senior Program Officer Jeffrey Oser, Senior Program Assistant Eileen P. Delaney, Director of Publications Theresa C. Crean, Senior Editorial Assistant TCRP PROJECT B-42 PANEL Field of Service Configuration Lyn Hellegaard, Missoula Ravalli Transportation Management Association, Missoula, MT (Chair) David A. Bruffy, Mountain Line Transit Authority, Morgantown, WV Alice T. Cannon, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL Arthur Ellison, American Legion, Anaconda, MT Mary Handley, Delmarva Community Services, Inc., Cambridge, MD James Hollis, Gulf Coast Center/Connect Transit, Texas City, TX Karl M. Johanson, Council on Aging & Human Services, Colfax, WA Maureen McCloskey, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Washington, DC Cheryl E. O’Konek, WMATA, Washington, DC Betty A. Petrie, Central New York Regional Transportation Authority, Syracuse, NY Matthew Lesh, FTA Liaison Nicole DuPuis, APTA Liaison Scott Bogren, CTAA Liaison Peter Ahearn, Disabled American Veterans Service Liaison Cindy Frene, National Rural Transit Assistance Program Liaison Mary Leary, Easter Seals Project ACTION Liaison Sandra R. Mason, Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy Office Liaison Michael Reardon, U.S. Department of Labor Liaison David M. Riley, Veterans Health Administration Liaison Jack Stevens, Armed Forces Services Corporation Liaison

TCRP Report 164: Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Mil­ itary Service Members, and Their Families is a resource for improving transportation options for veterans, military service members, and their families that builds on the concepts of transportation coordination and mobility management. The audience for this research includes local community organizations such as public transit agencies that are seeking to better provide transportation options for veterans, military service members, and their families. The resource provides guidance and tools for assessing transportation needs of veterans, service members, and their families and for improving public transit, specialized transpor- tation, volunteer services, and other local transportation options to meet those needs. This report begins with foundational information on community transportation services and initiatives currently available for veterans, service members, and their families. Subse- quent chapters guide readers through an organized process for improving transportation options, building on the framework of coordination. The chapters address concepts and requirements for improving existing transportation services and for implementing new transportation options. Chapter topics include: leadership, outreach, planning, coordina- tion and mobility management, services, business practices, communication, and evalua- tion. While each chapter can be used independently, users of the report may benefit more by taking advantage of the entire document. Most of the chapters conclude with “tools” appropriate to the chapter’s topic as well as a list of additional resources, suggesting reports and websites that offer more information. For example, in Chapter 5, Planning, the tools include examples of survey instruments to help identify transportation needs of veterans, service members, and families and, in Chap­ ter 9, Communication, the tools include examples of messages to communicate the trans- portation improvements as well as suggested media, from the more traditional print media to more current social media. F O R E W O R D By Dianne S. Schwager Staff Officer Transportation Research Board

Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Table of Contents Page Chapter 1 Introducon: Why This Resource with “Community Tools?” .......... 1-1 It Takes a Community ..................................................................................................... 1-1 Objec ves and Background ............................................................................................ 1-2 Organiza on of the Report .............................................................................................. 1-3 Transporta on Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Families and Why Those Needs Are Different ...................................................................... 1-4 Chapter 2 Current Transportaon for Veterans and Service Members: “What’s There Now?” ..................................2-1 Transporta on for Veterans ............................................................................................ 2-1 New Transporta on Programs and Services for Veterans .............................................. 2-4 Transporta on for Military Service Members and Families ...................................................................................................... 2-8 Addi onal Resources .............................................................................................…..... 2-10 Chapter 3 Leadership: “Who’s in Charge?”.....................................................3-1 Step 1: Recognize a Leader ............................................................................................. 3-1 Step 2: What Does Leadership Involve? ......................................................................... 3-2 Step 3: Find Core Partners at the Outset ........................................................................ 3-3 Step 4: Iden fy Other Transporta on Planning Efforts That May Be Related and Consider Linkage ..................................................... 3-4 Step 5: Iden fy Your “Community” for Purposes of Improving Community Transporta on ............................................................. 3-5 Step 6: Sustain Leadership and Momentum................................................................... 3-5 Step 7: Strengthen Leadership with Training, Webinars, and Peer-to-Peer Resources............................................................ 3-6 Step 8: Recognize the Many Ongoing Efforts to Assist Veterans and the Military—Avoid Adding to the Confusion ........................................... 3-8 Addi onal Resources ....................................................................................................... 3-9

Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Table of Contents Page Chapter 4 Outreach: “Geng the Right People to the Table” .........................4-1 Step 1: Idenfy Organizaons and Individuals to Involve.......................................................................................................... 4-1 Step 2: Determine Your Engagement Strategy ............................................................... 4-3 Step 3: Contact Organizaons and Individuals ............................................................... 4-4 Step 4: Implement the Engagement Strategy................................................................. 4-8 Step 5: Connue and Maintain Engagement .................................................................. 4-9 Step 6: Learn from Successful Coordinaon Experiences of Others............................. 4-11 Community Tools ........................................................................................................... 4-12 4.1 Easter Seals Project ACTION Toolkit on Outreach .................................................. 4-13 4.2 Checklist of Organizaons and Agencies to Potenally Include for Outreach....................................................................................... 4-14 4.3 Transit Planning 4 All: Resources for Community Engagement for Transit Planning .............................................................................................. 4-16 4.4 Suggested Quesons to Ask with Inial Contact to Collect Baseline Informaon......................................................... 4-17 Addional Resources ..................................................................................................... 4-19 Chapter 5 Planning: “What Do We Do Now?” ................................................ 5-1 Step 1: Idenfy Needs—From Perspecve of Partner Organizaons ....................................................................................... 5-1 Step 2: Idenfy Needs—From Perspecve of Individuals ......................................................................................................... 5-5 Step 3: Assess Data and Document Needs ..................................................................... 5-7 Step 4: Idenfy, Compile, and Review Available Transportaon Resources ............................................................................... 5-10 Step 5: Idenfy Gaps..................................................................................................... 5-14 Step 6: Idenfy Strategies and Responses.................................................................... 5-15 Community Tools ........................................................................................................... 5-17 5.1 Example of Short Survey for Organizaons That Work Directly with Veterans and Their Families ...................................................... 5-18 5.2 Sample Quesons to Ask in an Intercept Survey of Veterans to Learn About Transportaon Needs and Issues .......................................... 5-19

Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Table of Contents Page 5.3 Examples of GIS Maps and Informaon About Useful Census Data Products ..................................................................................... 5-21 5.4 Online Survey to Idenfy Transportaon Services for Veterans, Developed by Colorado’s Veterans’ Transportaon Task Force ................... 5-26 5.5 United We Ride’s “Community Transportaon Opons Directory” .......................................................................................... 5-30 5.6 Two Approaches to Idenfying Strategies That Respond to Needs .................................................................................. 5-31 Addional Resources ..................................................................................................... 5-34 Chapter 6 Coordinaon and Mobility Management: “Start with What You Have” .....................................................6-1 Step 1: Define Coordinaon and Mobility Management..................................................................................................... 6-1 Step 2: Centralize Informaon........................................................................................ 6-2 Step 3: Enhance Exisng Public Transit for Improved Service to Target Groups .................................................................................. 6-6 Step 4: Coordinate with Other Public Transit Services and Regional Providers for Trips Beyond the Community ............................... 6-9 Step 5: Coordinate with and Support Community-Based Transportaon Services .................................................................................. 6-10 Step 6: Coordinate with and Support Community Organizaons Serving Target Groups..................................................................................... 6-13 Step 7: Connect Individuals with Transportaon Resources— Mobility Management .................................................................................... 6-14 Step 8: Consider the Built Environment........................................................................ 6-18 Community Tools ........................................................................................................... 6-21 6.1 Example of a Lisng of Veterans Transportaon Opons ...................................... 6-22 6.2 United We Ride’s “Community Transportaon Opons Directory” ...................... 6-24 6.3 Naonal RTAP’s Tool for Developing GTFS Data for Google Transit ..................... 6-25 6.4 Organizaons and Opportunies for Mobility Management Training .................. 6-26 6.5 Resources on Travel Training .................................................................................. 6-28 Addional Resources ..................................................................................................... 6-29 Chapter 7 Services: “We’re On the Road Now!”..............................................7-1 Opon 1: Develop “One-Call/One-Click” Transportaon Informaon Center........................... 7-1

Table of Contents Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Page Opon 2: Implement New Public Transit Services ......................................................... 7-2 Opon 3: Support Other Community Transportaon Services ...................................... 7-6 Opon 4: Iniate Volunteer Driver Program .................................................................. 7-7 Opon 5: Design and Operate a Voucher Program........................................................ 7-9 Opon 6: Support Private Vehicle Ownership.............................................................. 7-11 Community Tools ........................................................................................................... 7-14 7.1 Google Drive: One Opon for Scheduling Rides and Volunteer Driver Schedules ..................................................................... 7-15 7.2 Steps to Consider for a Volunteer Driver Program, Developed by the Beverly Foundaon ........................................................... 7-16 7.3 TRIP (Travel Reimbursement and Informaon Program) Volunteer Driver Model ................................................................................. 7-18 7.4 Independent Transportaon Network®— ITNAmerica Volunteer Driver Model ............................................................. 7-19 Addional Resources ..................................................................................................... 7-20 Chapter 8 Business Pracces: “Let’s Make a Deal” ..........................................8-1 Organizaonal Opons .................................................................................................... 8-1 Funding Transportaon Services ..................................................................................... 8-3 Nuts and Bolts: Praccal Operang Issues ................................................................... 8-10 Community Tools ........................................................................................................... 8-21 8.1 Fact Sheet: Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilies, Secon 5310...................................................... 8-22 8.2 “Applicability of Third-Party Contract Clauses,” Exhibit 6-2 from 2013 FTA Triennial Review Workshop Workbook .......................................... 8-24 8.3 Value of Volunteer Hours by State, 2011 .............................................................. 8-26 8.4 Data Collecon and Reporng: Common Operang and Financial Data and Performance Measures for Transportaon Services ....... 8-27 8.5 Sample Agreements 8.5.1 Volunteer Agreement and Release from Liability ................................ 8-28 8.5.2 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) .............................................. 8-30 8.5.3 Vehicle Sharing...................................................................................... 8-32 Addional Resources ..................................................................................................... 8-35 Chapter 9 Communicaon: “Can You Hear Me Now?” ....................................9-1 Step 1: With Whom Are You Communicang?............................................................... 9-1 Step 2: What Should Be Communicated?....................................................................... 9-2 Step 3: Types of Communicaon Tools........................................................................... 9-3

Table of Contents Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Page Step 4: Geng Your Message Out.................................................................................. 9-7 Community Tools ............................................................................................................. 9-8 9.1 Messages for Specific Audiences .............................................................................. 9-9 9.2 Communica on Tools Matrix ................................................................................. 9-10 Addi onal Resources ..................................................................................................... 9-13 Chapter 10 Evaluaon: “How Are We Doing?”.............................................. 10-1 Step 1: Restate Objec ves in Order to Measure .......................................................... 10-1 Step 2: Define Your Measurements .............................................................................. 10-4 Step 3: Establish Evalua on Repor ng Program .......................................................... 10-4 Step 4: Report Your Outcomes ..................................................................................... 10-8 Community Tools ......................................................................................................... 10-10 10.1 Suggested Goals, Objec ves, and Performance Measures ................................ 10-11 10.2 Sample Monthly Progress Repor ng Form ........................................................ 10-14 10.3 Example of Feedback Survey to Evaluate Partner and Stakeholder Involvement ...................................................................... 10-15 Addi onal Resources ................................................................................................... 10-17 References ......................................................................................................................... 11-1 Appendix A: Informa on on Transporta on Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Families, Based on Research Project’s Phase 1...................................................A-1