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From page 1... ... NAtioNAl CooperAtive HigHwAy reseArCH progrAm Responsible Senior Program Officer: Gwen Chisholm-Smith December 2013 C O N T E N T S Summary, 1 Introduction, 2 The Census and Urban Areas, 2 The Federal Transit Policy Context, 4 Federal Transit Funding Programs for Urban Areas, 5 Federal Requirements Resulting from Acceptance of Urban Transit Funding, 9 Starting Up or Expanding a Transit Operating Agency -- Key Issue Areas, 14 Checklist of Suggested Start-up Steps to Address Federal Requirements for New Urban Area Transit Operators, 17 Case Studies, 22 Case Study #1: Shore Transit, 22 Case Study #2: Mountain Line, 24 Case Study #3: JEFFTRAN, 27 Conclusion, 29 Appendix A, 29 Appendix B, 31 Appendix C, 32 NEW URBAN AREAS: A TRANSIT GUIDANCE BRIEF This digest presents the results of NCHRP Project 20-65, Task 45. The digest primarily addresses issues likely to be encountered in starting transit service or making the transition to providing urban transit service. Read the entire page →
From page 2... ... 2A series of three case studies are included in this digest. These case studies examine the start-up of urban transit service, funding issues, and administrative and organizational challenges. Read the entire page →
From page 3... ... 3composed of adjacent census tracts and groups that have a high population density and a total population greater than 50,000 persons. Urban areas are defined by automated computer programs based on the following criteria: 1. Read the entire page →
From page 4... ... 4fell below 50,000 persons, and as a result they were removed from the urban area list. A list of new urban areas is shown in Appendix B Read the entire page →
From page 5... ... 5nizations (MPOs) are required to adopt targets for performance measures within their planning area. Read the entire page →
From page 6... ... 6using funds from this program triggers oversight and governance requirements. For small urban areas, the governor of the state receives the funding and determines how to allocate the money. Read the entire page →
From page 7... ... 7(Source: FTA FY2013 Apportionment Tables.) A small transit-intensive city operates more vehicles and has higher ridership than expected for a city its size, due to special populaons or high levels of state and local funding for transit projects. Read the entire page →
From page 8... ... 8efforts at the metropolitan level.12 Sections 5303 and 5305 funds support "cooperative, continuous and comprehensive"13 transit planning at the metropolitan level.14 Funds are apportioned relative to states' populations inside urbanized areas; funds are then transferred to MPOs. For additional information on MPOs, see "Working with the MPO" in this digest. Read the entire page →
From page 9... ... 9federal share is increased to 90% for capital projects that remedy deficiencies in ADA or Clean Air Act compliance, or provide bicycle access to transit. Section 5311 funds can often play an important role for transit operators in urban areas. Read the entire page →
From page 10... ... 10 Triennial Review Area Descripon 1. Legal Eligibility and authorizaon to request, receive, and dispense funds; acons taken on grantees' behalf are properly delegated and executed 2. Read the entire page →
From page 11... ... 11 Detailed information on each triennial review oversight area can be obtained through the FTA Triennial Review Program Workbook.17 Additionally, the checklist included as Exhibit 6 later in this digest discusses important steps a new urban area operator will need to take, and a significant portion of the checklist focuses on triennial oversight review areas. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Environmental Justice Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. Read the entire page →
From page 12... ... 12 their agencies to proactive and responsive public involvement. The FTA requires state DOTs, MPOs, and transit agencies to employ locally developed processes and procedures for public involvement that are tailored to local dynamics and needs. Read the entire page →
From page 13... ... 13 DBEs. An ongoing monitoring program will help speed the reporting of DBE utilization. Read the entire page →
From page 14... ... 14 their disability prevents them from using even a fully accessible fixed-route system or because the existing fixed-route system does not yet meet ADA requirements. Paratransit should provide service between a rider's origin and destination.23 Under the ADA, complementary paratransit service must be provided to eligible individuals between any origin or destination point within ¾ of a mile of any route in the fixed-route bus system during the same days and hours as the bus route. Read the entire page →
From page 15... ... 15 •• A local government identified as willing to operate transit service. For more information on this scenario, see the "JEFFTRAN" case study in this digest. Read the entire page →
From page 16... ... 16 the designation of the MPO in each region. During designation, it is very important to connect the MPO with transit providers operating in that region. Read the entire page →
From page 17... ... 17 vice to meet the area's transit needs, regardless of the state in which the need may be located. CHECKLIST OF SUGGESTED START-UP STEPS TO ADDRESS FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW URBAN AREA TRANSIT OPERATORS The checklist in Exhibit 6 contains suggested steps for transit operators in new urban areas to meet federal requirements during agency start-up. Read the entire page →
From page 18... ... 18 Agency Governance and Organizaon Esmated Timeline Governance and Ownership of the Transit Operator ▫ Idenfy the owner and operator of transit vehicles in the urban area. Within 6 months of designaon as a UA ▫ [For operators not owned by local governments] Read the entire page →
From page 19... ... 19 (continued on next page) Agency Governance and Organizaon, connued Esmated Timeline Working with the MPO, connued ▫ Work with MPO professional staff to iden fy transit vision and needs for the region. Read the entire page →
From page 20... ... 20 FTA Triennial Review Areas, connued Esmated Timeline Purchasing and Contracng ▫ Develop and adopt wrien standards of conduct for procurement of goods and services. Standards should include evaluaon of contractor capacity, ethical guidelines, termination processes, and auding of contractors. Read the entire page →
From page 21... ... 21 FTA Triennial Review Areas, connued Esmated Timeline Public Involvement and Fare Seng, connued ▫ Offer reduced fares for the elderly and persons with disabili es on fixedroute service. Fares cannot be more than half of the regular fare. Read the entire page →
From page 22... ... 22 CASE STUDIES Lessons learned by agencies that began urban service in the 2000s are useful to agencies starting operation in the 2010s. To identify potential issues and solutions, this project includes case examples on three transit agencies that began receiving urban formula funding after the 2000 Census. Read the entire page →
From page 23... ... 23 work include acting as an economic development district and administering workforce development programs. Today, the TCC serves as the area's transit operator. Read the entire page →
From page 24... ... 24 is an important contributor to Shore Transit's budget. The purpose of these funds is to support service to non-urbanized areas. Read the entire page →
From page 25... ... 25 ticipating in Mountain Line -- leaders recognized a need for a regional entity to serve as a focal point for funding and providing service. A regional transit agency would relieve local governments of liability, offer collective political clout, and bring economies of scale to purchases and staffing. Read the entire page →
From page 26... ... 26 professionals. A fleet management system tracks maintenance and service time of vehicles. Read the entire page →
From page 27... ... 27 CASE STUDY #3: JEFFTRAN Transit Agency: JEFFTRAN Urban Area: Jefferson City, Missouri Operating Agency: City of Jefferson City Website: http://www.jeffcitymo.org/transit/ Agency Snapshot Annual Budget $2.2 million Annual Ridership 345,000 Year Established 1976 Fleet Size 22 buses Number of Routes 6 Number of Operators 19 Number of Other Employees 16 Paratransit Service Yes Farebox Recovery Rate 15% ﬁxedroute; 5% paratransit Transit was introduced to Jefferson City, Missouri, in the early 20th century and run by private entities for several decades. In 1976, the city government assumed responsibility for the local transit system. Read the entire page →
From page 28... ... 28 Implementing these new procedures proved challenging initially; staff were reluctant to adopt the necessary changes and did not understand the critical importance of compliance to receive federal funding. These issues were addressed in the agency's first triennial review with the FTA. Read the entire page →
From page 29... ... 29 less money for operating funds available through Section 5307 than from the Missouri DOT. Meeting the requirements for federal funding programs has been JEFFTRAN's biggest challenge since being declared an urban area. Read the entire page →
From page 30... ... 30 to the FTA Headquarters handbook. This webpage includes more discussion on topic areas covered in the triennial review: http://www.fta.dot.gov/region4_ 7507.html National Transit Database Urban transit service providers and designated recipients are required to collect information for the NTD. Read the entire page →
From page 31... ... 31 the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Read the entire page →
From page 32... ... 32 Lake Havasu City, AZ Lexington Park-California-Chesapeake Ranch Estates, MD Los Lunas, NM Manhattan, KS Mankato, MN Midland, MI New Bern, NC San Marcos, TX Sebring-Avon Park, FL Sierra Vista, AZ Staunton-Waynesboro, VA Walla Walla, WA-OR Watertown, NY West Bend, WI Williamsburg, VA Woodland, CA APPENDIX C: CHECKLIST FOR URBAN AREAS CONVERTING FROM RURAL TO URBAN TRANSIT SERVICE Exhibit 6 in this digest presents a checklist of suggested start-up steps for agencies that are offering transit service for the first time. However, not all urban service providers are starting service from scratch. Read the entire page →
From page 33... ... 33 Checklist for Transit Operators Converting from Rural to Urban Systems Agency Governance and Organizaon Esmated Timeline Governance and Ownership of the Transit Operator ▫ [If necessary] [For operators not owned by local governments] Read the entire page →
From page 34... ... 34 Agency Governance and Organizaon, connued Esmated Timeline Working with the State DOT ▫ Maintain relaonships with state DOT offices overseeing transit grants, long-range planning, and creaon of the STIP. Formal liaison relaonships may smooth this process. Read the entire page →
From page 36... ... Transportation Research Board 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 These digests are issued in order to increase awareness of research results emanating from projects in the Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) Read the entire page →

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... NAtioNAl CooperAtive HigHwAy reseArCH progrAm Responsible Senior Program Officer: Gwen Chisholm-Smith December 2013 C O N T E N T S Summary, 1 Introduction, 2 The Census and Urban Areas, 2 The Federal Transit Policy Context, 4 Federal Transit Funding Programs for Urban Areas, 5 Federal Requirements Resulting from Acceptance of Urban Transit Funding, 9 Starting Up or Expanding a Transit Operating Agency -- Key Issue Areas, 14 Checklist of Suggested Start-up Steps to Address Federal Requirements for New Urban Area Transit Operators, 17 Case Studies, 22 Case Study #1: Shore Transit, 22 Case Study #2: Mountain Line, 24 Case Study #3: JEFFTRAN, 27 Conclusion, 29 Appendix A, 29 Appendix B, 31 Appendix C, 32 NEW URBAN AREAS: A TRANSIT GUIDANCE BRIEF This digest presents the results of NCHRP Project 20-65, Task 45. The digest primarily addresses issues likely to be encountered in starting transit service or making the transition to providing urban transit service.