Welcome & Introductions. We encourage you to take notes during the presentation so you can refer back to them during our open discussion at the end.

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2 Welcome & Introductions We encourage you to take notes during the presentation so you can refer back to them during our open discussion at the end.

3 WHY we are here today Federal Transportation Bill MAP 21 = More performance & transit system review Transportation Finance Bill More State $$ = More accountability Comprehensive Regional Transit plans Exec. Order 530 More state-wide coordination More efficient use of state $$ Formation of a Regional Coordinating Council

4 WHO is GATRA? GATRA is one of the largest and more diverse regional transit authorities serving 28 communities

5 Key Legislative Guidelines Local control/ local input/ local approvals Communities pay only for service within their communities Public/private partnerships

6 GATRA Funding Funding for GATRA comes from local, state and federal sources. 12% 1% Revenues by Source Transportation revenues 6% Federal grants 8% Local communities State operating appropriations 10% Federal, state and other capital appropriations Other 63%

7 GATRA Ridership Has been increasing every year since 2007.

8 GATRA s Services Today Year-round accessible public bus service ADA plus community-wide Senior Dial-a-Ride Long distance medical transportation Shuttle service to MBTA commuter rail stations Brokerage operator for Southeastern MA Region Human Service Transportation (HST)

9 Fixed-route Bus Service 24 fixed routes Central hubs in Taunton, Attleboro, Plymouth, and Wareham Generally operate 6:00 am 6:30 (Mon. Fri.) 9:00 am 5:00 pm (Saturday) All GATRA vehicles are ADA accessible

10 Challenges Funding No peak night service No Sunday service Tourism (Plymouth) Service considered life line Region is growing: Economic growth Commercial growth (Gillette stadium, Plainridge casino)

11 GATRA Dial-A-Ride Curb-to-curb transportation For seniors (60 +) and persons with disabilities Available in all 28 communities Coordinate service with a variety of operators, including 11 Councils on Aging Connecting to MBTA The Ride Norwood/ Walpole/ Sharon to Patriot s Place in Foxboro Scituate to Cohasset

12 Challenges Limited service hours Limited regional access (i.e. Rhode Island) Long distance service needs Limited Saturday service, No Sunday service Services not consistent throughout region Aging population = increased service needs

13 Long-distance Transportation MedWheels (United Way partnership) For eligible persons in the 11 communities within United Way of Attleboro-Taunton area Miles for Health For eligible persons in Franklin, Foxboro, and Wrentham Boston Hospital Bus For eligible persons in Duxbury, Hanover, Marshfield, Kingston, Pembroke, North Plymouth and Scituate

14 Challenges Limited service options Difficult to connect to other regions Services not consistent throughout region

15 Special Services Shuttle services to MBTA commuter rail stations in Franklin, Mansfield, Hanson, Attleboro, Kingston, Pembroke, and Lakeville HST Brokerage Operator in Southeastern MA $25 million dollar operation

16 GATRA s wider role in region Technology Adapt new technologies to improve service Planning Work with Regional Planning Organizations to ensure allocation of Federal and State monies align with regional priorities Connections Coordinate with local agencies to provide connections to regional employment, health care facilities, shopping hubs, and entertainment centers

17 GATRA s Ride Match What is Ride Match? An online searchable database of transportation providers in Massachusetts A single point of access to information about travel and transportation options A network of multiple transportation providers meeting a variety of travel needs

18 GATRA s Ride Match Online search tool A to Z List of providers Provider login Useful Links section

19 GATRA s Ride Match Why GATRA Created Ride Match Consolidates provider information Improves customer service Improves service accuracy and efficiency Tracks unmet needs Becomes a planning tool for future services

20 Ride Match Statistics Over 11,000 online searches performed Began tracking searches in June 2013 Over 36% of searches for medical transportation Most popular destinations: Boston, Brockton, Fall River, New Bedford, Plymouth, Providence, Taunton, Attleboro, Mansfield, Jamaica Plain, Foxboro, Hyannis, Worcester, Raynham, Framingham, Quincy, Dartmouth, Franklin, Pawtucket, Plainville, Wareham, Dorchester, Ashmont, Bourne

21 Ride Match Statistics Google Analytics Map of Ride Match Searches by Location Boston Brockton Attleboro Plymouth Taunton Fall River New Bedford

22 Ride Match Reporting Ride Match Report: Searches by Location

23 Unmet Transportation Needs Survey Summary & Results February 2014, GATRA, SRPEDD, SRTA, and BAT conducted a survey, analyzing key factors related to transportation in the SE Massachusetts The survey was sent to 169 stakeholders from several key agencies and non-profit organizations The survey was closed on February 28, individuals responded to the survey

24 Unmet Transportation Needs Survey

25 Unmet Transportation Needs Survey

26 Unmet Transportation Needs Survey Need to get to medical appointments & hospitals 1. Boston medical appointments or hospital trips 2. Brockton VA 3. Fall River hospitals 4. South Shore medical appointments 5. Providence VA Specific locations people could not reach 1. Market Basket in Raynham 2. BCC Campus in Fall River from Taunton 3. Norwell Friendship Home in Norwell 4. Bridgewater State University 5. County Court/Judicial Center in Fall River 6. Industrial Parks in Fall River and Taunton

27 Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) Background Exec. Order 530 signed in 2011 Established Paratransit Commission (Section 1, EO530) Listening sessions held across the state (Section 5, EO530) Released the EO530 report in 2012 Report made recommendations for improving the community transportation system across Massachusetts

28 Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) EO530 highlight areas to improve: Efficient vehicle utilization via commingling and trip coordination Paratransit eligibility, applications, screening, and transfer between RTAs Beyond ADA paratransit: accessible taxis, travel training, and volunteer drivers Removing physical barriers to infrastructure Improving service quality Central repository of information for the traveling public

29 Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) 3 overarching recommendations of the EO530: Establish the Statewide Coordinating Council on Community Transportation (SCCCT) Hire a Statewide Mobility Manager Establish Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) That s why we are here today

30 Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) What is the role of the RCC? Provide an open forum for discussion about local unmet needs and framework in which service delivery is initiated Improve core services in the region Provide innovative services and/or new connections to existing services such as travel training or volunteer driver programs

31 Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) Stakeholders on the RCC Regional Transit Authorities (GATRA) Regional Planning Organizations (SRPEDD, OCPC, MAPC) Disability-serving agencies under EOHHS Elder Affairs ADRCs, AAAs, COAs MA Office of Disability Veterans Services Labor and Workforce Development One Stop Career Centers and WIBs

32 Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) RCC formation & first steps Hold a planning meeting with key stakeholders (April 2014) Establish officers for the RCC and meeting dates Present full results of Unmet Transportation Needs Survey (from February 2014) Identify local needs and gaps in service Identify first project(s)

33 Transportation Finance Bill Requires RTAs to prepare Comprehensive Regional Transit Plans (Section 11) Establish Study Advisory Committee: Local employers Business associations Employment centers Labor organizations RTA riders

34 Goals of the Study Advisory Committee Overarching regional transportation planning & objectives Needs identification Strategic planning Current service evaluation

35 GATRA s Role Moving Forward Lead multi-agency coordination on the regional level to identify unmet needs and gaps in service Improve coordination between RTAs to maximize connectivity between systems Identify opportunities for route restructuring Expand Mobility Management efforts (Ride Match, travel training) Make adjustment to services based on rider and community needs

36 Open Discussion of Challenges Discussion starters: Is the overall need for transportation increasing? Do we need expanded night and weekend hours? Do transit routes in different regions need to link up? Is there a lack of long-distance medical transportation in certain towns (i.e. Carver and Lakeville) Do we need more direct routes between cities in Southeastern MA (i.e. Attleboro to Fall River, or, New Bedford; Taunton to Brockton) Do we need more designated bus stops along routes (homeless shelters; mobile home parks) Do we need to improve Paratransit/Demand Response (Curb-tocurb) transportation