Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP)for Erie and Niagara Counties

andNiagara Frontier Transportation Authority

January 2007

Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP)for Erie and Niagara Counties

andNiagara Frontier Transportation Authority

January 2007

This report was prepared with financial assistance of the U.S. Department of Transportation.However, the contents represent only the view of the authors and do not necessarily reflect

the review or approval of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

HSTP Index: Section: Page: Introduction……………………………………………………….. 1 Background………………………………………………………... 2 - Section 5310 (Elderly and Individuals with Disabilities).…….. 3 - Section 5316 (Job Access and Reverse Commute)…………… 3 - Section 5317 (New Freedom)…………………………………. 4 Key Elements of the HSTP………………………………………… 4 Goals and Objectives………………………………………………… 5 Current Coordination Efforts………………………………………. 5 Outreach Plan for HSTP…………………………………………… 7 Regional “Snapshot”: Demographic Profile……………………….. 8 Needs Assessment from Other Sources……………………………. 12 - Gaps identified………………………………………………... 13 Needs Determination……………………………………………….. 13 Low Income/TANF Population…………………………………….. 14 Social Service Assistance Trends………………………………….. 18 Work Participation Rates…………………………………………... 20 Disabled and Senior Population…………………………………… 20 Economy and Employment…………………………………………. 24 Major Employment Opportunities………………………………….. 24 Analysis of Employment Opportunities……………………………. 27 Barriers to Permanent Employment………………………………… 31 Public Transit Access……………………………………………….. 33 Public Transportation Resources…………………………………… 33 Other Transportation Resources……………………………………. 34 Transportation Demand…………………………………………….. 34

Public Transit Ridership and Service………………………………. 34 JARC and New Freedom Application Process…………………… 35 Further/Future Strategies for Coordination………………………. 36 Schedule for HSTP Activities……………………………………. . 37 References………………………………………………………… 39 Maps: Page: Map 1: MPO Planning Area – Erie and Niagara Counties………… 8 Map 2: Low-Income Household Population in Erie and Niagara Counties…………………………………………... 15 Map 3: Low-Income Household Population in the City of Buffalo………………………………………………….. 16 Map 4: Low-Income Household Population in the City of Niagara Falls…………………………………………….. 17 Map 5: Social Service Assistance – TANF Cases………………….. 19 Map 6: Seniors 65 and Older Population……………………………. 21 Map 7: Disabled Population…………………………………………. 22 Map 8: Employment, Health Care, Daycare, Shopping and Human Service Locations with Public Transit Overlay (6 AM until 6 PM)………………………………… 28 Map 9: Employment, Health Care, Daycare, Shopping and Human Service Locations with Public Transit Overlay (6 PM until 10 PM)……………………………….. 29 Map 10: Employment, Health Care, Daycare, Shopping and Human Service Locations with Public Transit Overlay (After 10 PM)…………………………………….. 30 Tables: Page: Table 1: 1990 & 2000 Population – Erie and Niagara Counties…….. 11 Table 2: NAICS Based Industry Employment & Wages – Buffalo-Niagara MSA 2005………………………………… 25

Appendices: Appendix A: Known Transportation Providers in Erie and Niagara Counties Appendix B: JARC/New Freedom Funding Application Appendix C: Acronyms in HSTP

FINAL DRAFT – JANUARY 2007 Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP) for Erie and Niagara Counties Introduction

The Greater-Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council (GBNRTC) is the interagency transportation planning group that establishes transportation policies and programs for the Niagara Frontier. In 1975, GBNRTC was designated by New York State to be the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), which is responsible for transportation planning in Erie and Niagara Counties. The GBNRTC provides a regional decision-making forum for the development of a multi-modal, integrated transportation system that best fits the Niagara Frontier (i.e., Erie and Niagara Counties, the defined regional planning area). As MPO, the GBNRTC is responsible for developing a long-range transportation plan (LRP), as well as a short-range program of projects (Transportation Improvement Program, or TIP) that are funded with federal transportation money.

The GBNRTC operates within a structure based on the principle of collaborative planning, and is composed of member agencies representing the City of Buffalo, City of Niagara Falls, Erie County, Niagara County, New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) and Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA). The GBNRTC receives further input on development and transportation issues from its strategic stakeholders, which include the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, Seneca Nation of Indians, and Empire State Development Corporation.

As the area’s MPO, the GBNRTC has taken the lead in an effort to develop a regional public transit-human services transportation plan (HSTP). GBNRTC has worked in collaboration with the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) - the region’s public transportation provider, member agency of the GBNRTC, and designated recipient for FTA funds - to respond to the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) requirements, which were adopted into law in August 2005.

The purpose of this plan is to help improve transportation services for persons

with disabilities, older adults, and individuals with lower incomes in the Erie and Niagara Counties area. The plan will provide a framework for the development of projects that will address the transportation needs of the target population, by ensuring that this two-county area and its human service agencies coordinate transportation resources offered through multiple Federal Transit Administration (FTA) programs. The end result of this plan will offer a new annual application and evaluation process for human service agencies to request Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC, Section 5316), New Freedom (Section 5317) funding; and to incorporate the results of the application process for Elderly and Individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310) funding into a cohesive structure. This structure will become a part of this area’s ongoing Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which includes all federally funded transportation projects being implemented. The HSTP, as a part of this region’s TIP, will also become a part of the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).

As part of outreach efforts that the GBNRTC has been engaged in, this plan will also

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identify other initiatives throughout the community that are currently focused on coordinating transportation resources. GBNRTC seeks to encourage collaborative planning and transportation service implementation efforts in Erie and Niagara Counties. Using transportation resources in a more efficient manner will result in enhanced access for clients, minimized duplication of service, and more cost-effective service.

The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)i has noted in a report: “…although transit providers and human services agencies operate similar services for similar types of riders, transportation is often provided through separate, parallel delivery systems. Reasons for this separation include differences in funding sources, administrative and regulatory requirements, and the importance of transportation to the missions of different types of agencies. The results of this separation are often duplication of services or of administrative efforts, inefficient use of vehicles and other resources, poor service quality, and unmet transportation needs”; and further adds: “Planning, designing, funding, and delivering transportation services for the transportation disadvantaged in a coordinated manner can help to address such problems.” Through the HSTP, GBNRTC hopes to challenge the above-mentioned difficulties. With financial resources being stretched to crisis limits, and the demand for transportation services increasing, it is critical for all parties involved in providing transportation services to consider a more collaborative approach to using all available resources; to improving communication (either through the GBNRTC or some other named clearinghouse) among agencies to avoid duplicating services; and to strive for coordinating delivery systems through strategies such as mobility management or brokerage services.

The ultimate goal (strategy) of the HSTP is to identify gaps in transportation service based on a demographic and demand assessment profile, and to fill those gaps with appropriate transportation projects solicited through the Sections 5316 and 5317 application process. The plan will introduce the mechanism for applying for those funds; the actual application package will be available for distribution by early January 2007. The idea, over time, is to gradually build a coordinated, cohesive regional transportation system that can be used by all transportation disadvantaged individuals.

The plan itself is also intended to be flexible; the process and information contained in this plan may change over time as federal guidelines become clearer, and as local entities indicate the needs of an effective human services transportation plan. FTA, in guidelines recently released, recognizes that plans will evolve as they mature; and in fact, FTA is still working to clarify program and plan specifics. GBNRTC, in collaboration with its member agencies and various other agencies working to improve transportation access for their member clients, will continue to investigate methods and strategies for coordination that are within the feasibility of implementation. Background

In late 2005, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced transit program changes authorized through SAFETEA-LU. Included was a requirement for local areas to develop a coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan for all FTA human

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service transportation programs that provide funding for transportation services: • Section 5310 - Elderly and Individuals with Disabilities Program, • Section 5316 - Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) Program, and • Section 5317 - New Freedom Program.

Section 5310 (Elderly and Individuals with Disabilities Program) provides grant

funding, usually for capital projects, for private nonprofit groups to meet the transportation needs of elderly and disabled persons when other transportation services (public and private) are unavailable, insufficient, or inappropriate to meeting those needs. Eligible capital expenses may include buses/vans and related vehicle equipment; vehicle shelters; vehicle rehabilitation; preventive maintenance and extended warranties (within specified limits); computer hardware and software; initial component installation costs; vehicle procurement, testing, inspection and acceptance costs; lease of equipment when lease is more cost effective than purchase; acquisition of transportation services under contract, lease or other arrangement; the introduction of new technology and transit related intelligent transportation systems (ITS); and new mobility management and coordination programs among public and/or human service transportation providers. Within New York State, the Section 5310 State Management Plan states that the money can be used only for the purchase of vehicles. Funds are distributed to each State based on its share of elderly and disabled population; States apply for grant funds on behalf of local private not-for-profit agencies and certain eligible public bodies. Grants are distributed on an annual basis, with an 80 percent federal and 20 percent local match. The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), through its Transit Bureau, administers the program in New York State. It has a well-established process, which includes an inter-agency review committee, for selecting fund grantees on a discretionary basis. GBNRTC is one member of the review committee that annually reviews grant applications for this area. At this time, GBNRTC will incorporate the annual list of Section 5310 grant recipients as a part of the HSTP yearly program results. GBNRTC has informally requested the opportunity to prioritize local Section 5310 applications, with consideration to its HSTP, when it submits its annual application reviews. Recently released information from the FTA, however, indicates that program changes will be adopted soon to reflect SAFETEA-LU requirements. The HSTP will be revised accordingly once those changes are adopted.

Section 5316 (Job Access Reverse Commute Program) is a formula program for local government authorities/agencies (including federally recognized Indian tribes) and non-profit agencies, to develop transportation services to transport welfare recipients and low-income persons to and from jobs (Job Access); and to transport residents of urban centers, rural and suburban areas to suburban employment opportunities (Reverse Commute). Job Access grants can be used for capital and operating costs of equipment, facilities, and capital maintenance related to providing access to jobs. Costs to promote transit for workers with nontraditional work schedules, the use of transit vouchers, and the use of employer-provided transportation are also covered. Reverse Commute grants can be used for operating, capital and other costs associated with providing reverse commute service by bus, train, carpool, vans or other transportation services. Eligible activities for JARC funding include late-night and weekend service, guaranteed ride home service, shuttle service; expanded fixed-route public transit routes; demand-responsive service; ridesharing and carpooling activities; transit related aspects of bicycling; local car loan programs that assist individuals in purchasing and maintaining vehicles for shared rides; marketing promotions for JARC activities; supporting

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the administration and expenses related to voucher programs; using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools and/or implementing Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS); integrating automated regional public transit and human service transportation information, scheduling and dispatch functions; deploying vehicle position-monitoring systems; and establishing regional mobility managers or transportation brokerage activities. Federal funds for the program are allocated on a formulary basis, with 60 percent going to areas with population over 200,000; the federal/local share is 80/20 for capital projects and mobility management, and 50/50 for operations projects.

NFTA is the designated recipient for the funds and will act as the “pass-through”

agent for those organizations that will receive funding. For 2006, FTA has approximately $489,500 available in Erie and Niagara Counties for JARC funding.

Section 5317 (New Freedom Program) is a new formula grant program for public or alternative transportation services and facility improvements to address the needs of persons with disabilities that go beyond those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Funds will cover capital and operating costs to these programs to provide that new service. Examples of eligible activities for New Freedom funding include: enhancing public transportation beyond the minimum requirements of the ADA; providing “feeder” services; making accessibility improvements to transit and intermodal stations; providing travel training; purchasing vehicles to support new accessible taxi, ridesharing, and/or vanpooling programs; covering the administration and expenses of new voucher programs for transportation services offered by human service agencies; supporting new volunteer driver and aide programs; and supporting new mobility management and coordination programs among public and/or human service transportation providers. Federal funds are allocated on a discretionary basis, with 60 percent to areas with population over 200,000. Matching share requirements are 50/50 for operating, and 80/20 for capital projects. In Erie and Niagara Counties, FTA has approximately $289,200 in New Freedom funds available in 2006. As with the JARC funds, NFTA is the designated recipient for the funds and will act as the “pass-through” agent for agencies receiving funds.

SAFETEA-LU requires that projects selected for funding under the above-named programs be “derived from a locally developed, coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan”, and that the plan be “developed through a process that includes representatives of public, private and nonprofit transportation and human services providers and participation by the public.” Key Elements of the HSTP

Key elements, as described by FTA, of a coordinated plan should include (1) an assessment of available services; (2) an assessment of needs; and (3) strategies to address identified transportation gaps for target populations, which are based on the assessments of unmet needs and already available services.

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Goals & Objectives Initial goals for a coordinated transportation plan are as follows:

To improve the delivery of transportation services for the target population To generate efficiencies in operation that can lead to increased levels of service To encourage cooperation and coordination with a consistent means of project

development and selection for allocation of the identified financial resources

These goals may be expanded as appropriate for the region; and will be developed in consultation with stakeholder groups. Specific performance measures for plan effectiveness will be established. Current Coordination Efforts

At this time, GBNRTC recognizes that there are several agency groups already working to improve over-all transportation services for their clientele (i.e., the HSTP target population) in the region. GBNRTC, in collaboration with NFTA, has established working relationships with these community groups and transportation providers. These groups are actively working to implement strategies to achieve an efficient, effective and coordinated transportation system for the targeted population within the Buffalo-Niagara region. GBNRTC will rely on these groups to comment on the HSTP and offer suggestions/options for enhancing coordination efforts. GBNRTC fully supports the activities that these committees currently have underway.

GBNRTC and/or NFTA has worked with or is aware of coordination efforts with the following groups:

The Center for Transportation Excellence (CTE) is a privately funded initiative that has been created to establish “a standard of best practices for organizations in the health and human services transportation industry through the provision of comprehensive driver training, a state of the art fleet maintenance facility, mobility management and community advocacy for integrated human-centered transportation systems.” The CTE is governed by a Board of Advisors comprised of community stakeholders from the public, private and non-profit sectors from both Erie and Niagara Counties, which include representatives from other groups mentioned in this plan including the Developmental Disabilities Alliance of Western New York (DDAWNY), the Erie County Transportation Subcommittee, the Homeless Alliance of Western New York, the WNY Volunteer Transportation Collaborative, the NFTA and the Erie County Departments of Social and Senior Services. The new CTE facility currently under construction will offer centralized training, route coordination and dispatch and fleet services beginning in the Spring of 2007.

DDAWNY (Developmental Disabilities Alliance of Western New York) has an

established transportation committee; it not only has representatives from its member human service agencies, but also from private and public transportation providers. This committee is continually working to maximize existing transportation resources for its clientele. One survey of DDAWNY member agencies noted limited abilities in providing transportation for clientele to work activities. DDAWNY also has a relationship with the Buffalo and Erie

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County Workforce Investment Board’s one-stop center, which offers employment services for disabled individuals seeking employment; the one-stop center has indicated difficulties in placing disabled individuals due to a lack of consistent, affordable transportation. DDAWNY has recently received NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) grant funds to establish a database (number of vehicles, hours of operation, etc.) of all existing transportation services in the Erie County area in order to match disabled individuals with transportation to work opportunities. They are in the process of hiring a coordinator to monitor the database and match individuals with needed rides. The program is expected to be underway by mid-2007.

The Erie County Transportation Subcommittee is an informal “group of professionals – representing private and government entities involved with transportation issues – working collectively to meet the transportation needs of Erie County by advocating for businesses/consumers, identifying gaps in transportation services and serving as a focal point for improving and expanding transportation services”, per the subcommittee’s mission statement. In 2005, it established a website that identifies human service agencies that provide transportation. There have been some initial discussions that this subcommittee might reorganize and fold their activities into the CTE subcommittee structure.

In Niagara County several organizations and agencies, including the Niagara County Department of Social Services; Niagara County Office for Aging; NFTA; The Health Association of Niagara County Inc. (HANCI), Council On Aging; and The Dale Center have been meeting periodically over several months to discuss transportation issues and explore opportunities for collaboration in providing improved service. Also, the Coalition of Agencies in Service to the Elderly (C.A.S.E.) has compiled and periodically updates a Niagara County Transportation Guide that provides information and contacts for Niagara County service providers.

The Homeless Alliance of Western New York formed a Transportation Task Force in 2005 to respond to transportation barriers preventing people from achieving self-sufficiency. The Task Force consists of various stakeholders in the community, including service providers, attorneys, and advocates for the low-income population in Erie County. The Homeless Alliance has recently completed a transportation needs assessment study (“Left Behind: How Difficulties with Transportation are a Roadblock to Self-Sufficiency”, September 2006). The Alliance identified two prominent needs from the survey:

“1) The need for transportation that is affordable to those who are most economically disadvantaged”, and “2) The need for public transit routes from urban areas to suburban (and to a slightly lesser degree) rural worksites”

The survey identified further concerns with limited nighttime routes, accessing public transit safely, winter travel difficulties, and the need to improve access to transportation for persons with disabilities.

The WNY Volunteer Transportation Collaborative is comprised of Western New York faith-based, health and human service agencies, and government programs that provide support transportation through the generosity of volunteer drivers. The collaborative works to

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increase the awareness of the transportation needs of specialized populations; recruits, screens, and trains volunteer drivers for WNY agencies, provides transportation information and referral services and offers direction for the future of transportation services in WNY, with a primary focus on volunteer drivers.

The NFTA has developed numerous partnerships and cooperative relationships with the Departments of Social Services (DSS) in Erie & Niagara Counties, as well as job developers and employers to identify and address job access transit needs. For several years, NFTA has been responding to the “spatial mismatch” between transit dependent individuals seeking employment and the location of new employment centers and job opportunities, by reevaluating the public transit needs of the community and redeploying or expanding service where possible. Since November 2000, in conjunction with Erie and Niagara County DSS’s, NFTA has provided over 60,000 monthly passes to low-income individuals through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Community Solutions for Transportation (TANF/CST) funded “Get-a-Job, Get-a-Ride” pass programs.

These efforts recognize the difficulties in providing seamless and consistent transportation to the target population; and the various groups/agencies are working to assess and provide solutions to improving transportation options for all. These efforts are acknowledged as a part of the HSTP, and will be used as reference marks when local JARC/New Freedom applications are evaluated. Outreach Plan for HSTP

The GBNRTC released a proposed HSTP process at the Human-Centered Transportation Summit that took place on September 21st, 2006. This summit, hosted by the Center for Transportation Excellence and Erie County Senior Services, and attended by numerous local human service agencies, looked at ways to address current and future transportation needs for persons who are transportation disadvantaged. The 250 attendees included a range of transportation and human service professionals as well as transportation consumers, the audience that GBNRTC is including in the HSTP development. Attendees are being given the opportunity to comment on the draft HSTP (30 days). The draft was also posted on GBNRTC’s website (http://www.gbnrtc.org), with notices about the draft sent to the GBNRTC/CTE mail-listserves (and others). Provisions will be made to send the revised, finalized HSTP to interested parties. A formal working group entirely devoted to the HSTP project selection process will be established; GBNRTC is taking the appropriate steps to formulate that group. Coordination efforts with the previously mentioned transportation committees will continue.

GBNRTC has assimilated comments and incorporated suggestions/changes into a final draft HSTP by December 2006, for approval by the GBNRTC Planning and Coordinating and Policy Committees at their January 2007 meetings.

At the same time, GBNRTC has begun activities to solicit applicants for the JARC and New Freedom funding program process, through the GBNRTC/CTE mail-listserves and GBNRTC’s website.

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Regional “Snapshot” Demographic Profile

GBNRTC’s planning area (see Map1) includes the corporate limits of Erie and Niagara Counties. Erie and Niagara Counties are located in the western portion of New York State and encompass approximately 1,567 square miles. There are 69 separate municipalities in Erie and Niagara County, including 6 Cities (Buffalo, Lackawanna, Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, Lockport, and Niagara Falls) and 64 towns and villages. Three Indian Reservations (Cattaraugus, Tuscarora, and Tonawanda) are also within the GBNRTC planning area.

Map 1. MPO Planning Area – Erie & Niagara Counties

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In between 1990 and 2000, Erie and Niagara Counties population decreased slightly with the greatest drop (nearly 11%) in the City of Buffalo. The City of Niagara Falls also declined in population over the same period with a loss of about 10%.

Erie County’s 2005 population estimate, per the Census Bureau, was 930,703; a

decline of 19,562 over the 2000 Census population of 950,265. Niagara County also experienced a decline in population between the 2005 population estimate of 217,008 and the 2000 Census population of 219,846. Census estimates show that over the past five years (2000-2005), Erie and Niagara Counties have experienced a drop in population of approximately 2% and although small, the downward trend of population loss continues.

Despite the population loss within Erie and Niagara Counties over the past decade,

several towns and villages within the region are experiencing significant population increases. The Towns of Clarence, Lancaster, Pendleton and Wheatfield, along with a number of other towns and villages, are examples of municipalities outside of the City of Buffalo and the City of Niagara Falls that have increased their population and that upward trend continues. (See Table 1.) As the Census data has shown, individuals are migrating from within the Cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls and moving further into suburban areas. This scenario is also true for employment. The planning area is experiencing suburban - and to some degree - rural sprawl as residents and employers move further from the city centers. However, significant populations of transit dependent individuals remain in the urban core.

In 2000, there were 135,192 persons in the region living below the federal poverty

level, comprising approximately 11.6% of the total population of Erie and Niagara Counties. There were 27,362 families living below the poverty level with 22,540 in Erie County and 4,822 in Niagara County. The number of persons living below the poverty level in Erie and Niagara Counties increased slightly with the 2003 Census estimates. Poverty among individuals in Erie County increased from 12.2% in 2000 to 13% in 2003. Likewise, Niagara County experienced an increase in persons living below the poverty level from 10.6% in 2000 to 11.4% in 2003.

Also based on 2000 Census data, 185,142 (15.8%) of the population is persons 65

years of age or older; and 207,012 people (17.7%) aged 5 years or older are living with a disability. The Census in its “Disability Status:2000 Report” noted that persons with disabilities were less likely to be employed and that a substantially higher proportion of disabled persons lived in poverty. While both Erie and Niagara Counties had a lower percentage of disabled persons than the U.S. average (19.3%), the City of Buffalo ranked 10th

in places of population greater than 100,000 with people aged 5 and older with disabilities (26.2%).ii

The 2000 Census identified 66,395 households in the two-county area with no vehicles

available, which is 14% of all households. 40% of the 0-vehicle households are classified as living below poverty level. For households comprised of persons 65+, 37.5% do not have access to a vehicle.

Research done by social service, educational and other institutions points to a number

of trends for the next 20 to 25 years. The Federal Reserve Bank of Buffaloiii notes that by the Year 2030, 1 in 5 persons in upstate New York will be over the age of 65; due mainly to

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medical advances that have increased life expectancy, as well as to the continuing trend of 25-to-34-year olds migrating from the region. The Institute for the Future of Aging Servicesiv notes the following as “givens” for the nation by 2030: population on the whole is aging; younger disabled persons are surviving birth and will have extended longevity; and there is an increasing gap between “haves and have-nots.”

The assumptions for this region, drawn from the above data and projections, are that

the percentages of low-income persons have remained fairly constant (with minor fluctuations up or down within economic cycles) over the past two Census decades and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future. The number of elderly persons will continue to increase at least to 2030, and their rates of disability will rise with aging. Disability rates on the whole are likely to increase with improved birth survival rates and increases in life longevity. There will always be a sub-group of population, whether due to age, disability, and/or income levels that will be dependent on transportation service other than the personally owned vehicle. The need to address and resolve transportation issues for the target population will only increase with time.

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Population Totals - Erie and Niagara Counties Municipality 1990 Population 2000 Population Numeric Change Percent Change

Erie CountyAlden town 10372 10470 98 0.94%Amherst town 111711 116510 4799 4.30%Aurora town 13433 13996 563 4.19%Boston town 7445 7897 452 6.07%Brant town 2119 1906 -213 -10.05%Buffalo city 328123 292648 -35475 -10.81%Cattaraugus Reservation 1789 1999 210 11.74%Cheektowaga town 99314 94019 -5295 -5.33%Clarence town 20041 26123 6082 30.35%Colden town 2899 3323 424 14.63%Collins town 6020 8316 2296 38.14%Concord town 8387 8518 131 1.56%Eden town 7416 8076 660 8.90%Elma town 10355 11304 949 9.16%Evans town 17478 17594 116 0.66%Grand Island town 17561 18622 1061 6.04%Hamburg town 53735 56196 2461 4.58%Holland town 3572 3602 30 0.84%Lackawanna city 20585 19045 -1540 -7.48%Lancaster town 32181 39019 6838 21.25%Marilla town 5250 5709 459 8.74%Newstead town 7440 8404 964 12.96%North Collins town 3502 3376 -126 -3.60%Orchard Park town 24632 27637 3005 12.20%Sardinia town 2667 2692 25 0.94%Tonawanda city 17284 16135 -1149 -6.65%Tonawanda Reservation 10 12 2 20.00%Tonawanda town 82464 78155 -4309 -5.23%Wales town 2917 2960 43 1.47%West Seneca town 47830 46002 -1828 -3.82%

Totals 968532 950265 -18267 -1.89%

Municipality 1990 Population 2000 Population Numeric Change Percent ChangeNiagara County Cambria town 4779 5393 614 12.85%Hartland town 3911 4150 239 6.11%Lewiston town 15453 16257 804 5.20%Lockport city 24426 22279 -2147 -8.79%Lockport town 16596 19653 3057 18.42%Newfane town 8996 9657 661 7.35%Niagara town 9880 8894 -986 -9.98%Niagara Falls city 61840 55677 -6163 -9.97%North Tonawanda city 34989 33262 -1727 -4.94%Pendleton town 5010 6050 1040 20.76%Porter town 7110 6920 -190 -2.67%Royalton town 7453 7725 272 3.65%Somerset town 2655 2865 210 7.91%Tuscarora Reservation 772 1028 256 33.16%Wheatfield town 11125 14086 2961 26.62%Wilson town 5761 5950 189 3.28%

Totals 220756 219846 -910 -0.41%Table 1. 1990 & 2000 Population – Erie & Niagara Counties

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Needs Assessment from Other Sources

A number of studies and surveys have been conducted in recent years with regard to transportation issues relating to the target population, and GBNRTC has referred to information from:

The Homeless Alliance of Western New York, through its Transportation Task Force, has recently (September 2006) completed a survey of transportation needs among homeless and low-income individuals throughout Erie County, especially with regard to their use of public transportation.

The New York State Office of Mental Retardation & Development Disabilities

(NYSOMRDD) requires that each county prepare a Local Government Plan for Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities, to be updated annually. Each plan specifically notes the number of individuals with unmet needs, and identifies priority initiatives to meet those needs. With regard to transportation, for example, Erie County’s 2006-2008 Plan identifies this priority initiative: “Develop new options and strategies that provide transportation services and supports that enable individuals to live, work and increase their participation and integration into the community. Transportation supports should be available after school, evenings, weekends and holidays to support community inclusion.” It is noted that human service agencies serving mentally/developmentally disabled individuals often offer travel training for their clients to use public transportation. However, for many clients, the need is for on-demand transportation rather than fixed-route service.

In 2005, Dr. Daniel Hess of UB’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning conducted a study, “Access to Employment for Adults in Poverty in the Buffalo-Niagara Region” (Urban Studies journal, vol. 42, no. 7, June 2005). The analysis used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map residence (by income) and employment locations, and determined measures of transportation access to employment for low-income persons.

When the Erie County transportation subcommittee conducted a transportation inventory survey in Fall of 2004 in order to craft its “Ride Finder” website (http://www.ecridefinder.bfn.org) - which identifies transportation providers in the two-County area - it also asked survey respondents about their unmet transportation needs. Respondents identified destinations/geographic areas, population groups, or times of day or week when transportation was not available or difficult to obtain.

In 2003, the Erie-Niagara Regional Partnership (ENRP) Transportation Subcommittee undertook a Job Access Demonstration Project in conjunction with NFTA and GBNRTC. Areas of transit-dependent population were identified as well as areas of job growth opportunity; the analysis resulted in improved public transit access to 2 corridors within the region.

As part of GBNRTC’s compliance with Environmental Justice directives in 2001, the residential, employment, and transportation patterns of low-income and minority populations were analyzed, in order to identify transportation projects that addressed their needs and more fairly distributed the benefits of transportation investments.

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NFTA’s Hublink (now Metrolink) study in 1997 did an extensive analysis of travel patterns and mobility needs for transit dependent populations, as well as a survey of demand and unmet needs for Paratransit service. Much of the Hublink study data is valuable and still relevant, but needs to be updated. To understand the current size and capacity of the whole transportation system in Western New York, it is suggested that a new vehicle survey should be conducted (number of vehicles, etc. serving all populations). A joint survey could serve as an excellent opportunity to demonstrate coordination among the various human service and transportation agencies in Western New York. CTE has expressed interest in partnering with another agency or agencies to accomplish this. Such an effort could build on the current efforts of DDAWNY to establish a database of existing transportation services.

From all of the above surveys/studies, the same themes became evident, and can be summed up as gaps in public and other transportation service:

Early morning, evening, and weekend service of any kind is limited or lacking, especially for workers accessing major employment centers in the Main/Transit corridor and the Orchard Park/East Aurora corridor

Destinations not adequately served: medical facilities; schools and other educational facilities; employment opportunities, especially those off bus routes and in suburban/rural areas; social/recreation facilities; and shopping areas

Limited public transit routes in many suburban and rural areas There is a mismatch between the bus route and schedule and child care and job

locations. There is a need for transportation, both public transit and alternative means, that is

affordable to those who are most economically disadvantaged Similarly, public transit becomes costly with transfers and travel beyond the first fare

zone; alternative means also can be cost-prohibitive or are not available Current public paratransit is only available within ¾ of a mile on either side of a bus

route Travel between counties, depending on the service, is not available Some transportation services have geographic limits There are not enough vehicles and drivers to provide service, whether fixed-route or

on-demand, for seniors and disabled Excessive wait and travel times in any kind of transportation service Restrictive advance notice requirements Route/schedule information is not readily available Evening workers (2nd & 3rd shift workers) may be able to use transit one-way, if

available, but need transportation option for the return trip. Taxi cost is high for low-income employees.

Information about public transit is not available by telephone during evenings after 6:30 pm. Internet-based schedule information is available only to households with Internet access.

Needs Determination

This plan identifies the following, through maps and the ensuing narratives, in order to more clearly delineate and define transportation service gaps:

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Geographic distribution of low income/TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) population

Geographic distribution of disabled and elderly population Geographic distribution of employment centers/employment support services Geographic distribution of medical centers/support services and/or human service-

related activities Identifying non-geographic barriers to transportation service use Identifying transportation gaps between the client population’s residential locations

and employment or medical/human service opportunities

Note: GBNRTC/NFTA produced a series of GIS maps for this HSTP analysis, and only summary maps are included in this document. Detailed maps are available upon request.

Low Income/TANF Population The Cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls have realized increases in the percentages of

persons living at poverty level over the past decade. In 2000, 26% or 75,000 individuals lived below the federal poverty level in the City of Buffalo and 19.5% or 10,705 individuals lived below the poverty level in the City of Niagara Falls. Maps 2, 3 and 4 show the locations of low-income households. As shown on Map 3, there are families, especially within the east and west sides of the City of Buffalo, living well below the federal poverty level. These communities are considered extremely low-income neighborhoods.

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Map 2: Low-Income Household Population in Erie and Niagara Counties

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Map 3: Low-Income Household Population in the City of Buffalo

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Map 4: Low-Income Household Population in the City of Niagara Falls

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Social Service Assistance Trends

In September 2006, there were approximately 12,500 open TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) cases in Erie County and 700 in Niagara County. These cases included all forms of public assistance including Family Assistance Cash, Safety-Net (single individuals) Cash and Safety-Net Family Voucher. Further, there are individuals and households in Erie and Niagara Counties also receiving other forms of government assistance including Medicaid-SSI, Family Health Plus, child care, food stamp and energy assistance. These individual and family cases are not included in the TANF case totals for Erie and Niagara County. When all forms of “public assistance” are added, a large percentage of the regional population receives some form of government assistance. The government assistance caseload in the region gives a more complete picture of need in Erie and Niagara Counties.

Due to the level of public assistance provided, coordination efforts among agencies are

vital to ensure that resources are being utilized in the most effective and efficient manner possible.

Map 5 shows where current TANF cases are located in the region.

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Map 5: Social Service Assistance – TANF Cases

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Work Participation Rates

The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability issues an annual report on the performance of County Departments of Social Services (local social services districts). One relevant measure that describes the Counties’ need for JARC projects is the work force participation rate of TANF and SNA MOE (Safety Net Assistance Maintenance of Effort) recipients (together referred to as TANF All Families).

The TANF reauthorization provisions of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 sets a 50%

TANF All Families work participation rate for states and local districts. Failure to meet the 50% rate will subject states and local districts to substantial financial penalties. For July-December 2006, Erie County’s TANF All Families work participation rate was 45% and Niagara County’s rate was 45%, as compared with the state median of 39%. Erie and Niagara Counties Department of Social Services identified current service gaps in public transportation and the lack of flexible transportation as primary barriers to work. Identifying needs is the first step towards achieving an HSTP goal of improving service for the target population. Disabled & Senior Population

Transportation is an issue vital to quality of life for older adults and the disabled population. When physical and cognitive impairments prevent this population from driving or using public transportation, caregivers often become primary transportation providers. For most of us, transportation is a link to independence, quality of life and social interaction. This is especially true for older adults and the disabled who no longer or never drove and are therefore reliant on others for their transportation needs. For this reason, it is important to coordinate all forms of transportation alternatives for older persons and people with disabilities in our communities. Through a coordinated effort, the HSTP plan can promote the increased availability of low-cost, flexible transportation options for older adults and the disabled population.

Map 6 identifies the location of seniors 65 and over; Map 7 identifies the location of

disabled persons in the region.

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Map 6: Seniors 65 and Older Population

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Map 7: Disabled Population

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Approximately 16% of the total population within Erie and Niagara Counties is

persons 65 years of age or older; and 207,012 individuals 5 years or older are living with a disability.

As the maps show, a large percentage of the senior and disabled population lives

outside of the City of Buffalo in living-assisted and senior housing complexes that are usually located in suburban and rural settings. While these settings provide calm and quiet environments, they are not located in areas with high levels of public transit service. Van service is available within many of the larger facilities; however, the van service is primarily for emergency and hospital visits. Access to non-emergency and casual visits or shopping with the vans is usually prohibited. The location of independent living facilities for seniors and disabled individuals in the suburbs creates a further transportation barrier: home health aide workers find it difficult to reach these locations to take care of clients. Their services allow senior and disabled persons to live independently and not in more costly, acute care facilities.

The disabled population in the region has transportation options available with

NFTA’s public paratransit service Paratransit Access Line (PAL), and with non-profit human service agency providers and private service providers. In order to be eligible to use paratransit service, an individual’s disability must prevent him or her from using the existing accessible fixed route bus service provided by NFTA Metro. In accordance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and its regulations, Section 37.123(e), there are three specific circumstances under which a person would be considered ADA eligible for paratransit service:

The individual is unable, as a result of a physical, visual or mental impairment,

and without the assistance of another individual (other than the driver of the bus) to board, ride, or disembark from any vehicle in the fixed route system, which is accessible to individuals with disabilities.

The individual with a disability could utilize an accessible vehicle but such a vehicle does not operate on the route he/she wishes to travel.

The individual with a disability has a specific impairment related condition, which prevents travel to a boarding location or from a disembarking location on the fixed route system.

Providing mobility for the senior and the disabled population in the region, although

challenging, is a priority and the need is growing. In fact, there is an increasing demand for PAL paratransit service. Between 2003 and 2006 there was a 20% increase in planned client trips. Requests for paratransit eligibility applications have also increased.

Private providers and non-profit human service agencies that provide transportation in

the region also play a significant role in providing mobility for the disabled population. Door to door service is provided to day treatment programs, adult daycare facilities and rehabilitation programs; however, individuals must be enrolled in specific programs and have

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adequate funding available to access these programs. As shown on the map above, the distribution of the disabled population has expanded throughout the region with specific clusters on the north and west sides of Buffalo, Cheektowaga and Lackawanna. Coordination between private and other providers and the public transit system is crucial to the mobility of the disabled and senior population. Economy and Employment

The overall description of the area’s economy and employment from NFTA’s original JARC Plan is still valid in 2006. Downtown Buffalo continues to be the area’s primary employment center, however, as area employment and population shifts to suburban areas, mobility becomes a greater need and transportation systems must respond accordingly. Major retail/shopping centers are no longer located within the City of Buffalo. The majority of entry-level service-related jobs (health care, “call centers”, light manufacturing) are also locating outside the city center.

In the Buffalo/Niagara area alone, the unemployment rate is under 5%. Employment

has decreased by nearly 20% in the Central Business District (CBD) and increased nearly 10% in the suburbs during the last fifteen years. Only 10% of all jobs in the region are located in downtown Buffalo and over 60% of all regional jobs are now located outside the City of Buffalo. Buffalo, like many cities across the nation, is experiencing the same phenomenon of jobs following the residential exodus to the suburbs. An increasing number of city residents are becoming "reverse commuters", and there is a potential for more reverse commuting with improved public transportation. This trend has altered urban travel behavior and patterns for the transit dependent population in Erie and Niagara Counties. Traditionally, public transit service was designed to serve densely populated urban areas such as Buffalo and Niagara Falls, as well as providing peak period service for suburban and rural commuters. As area employment and population shifts continue to occur, it is becoming more difficult to provide traditional public transportation in the region. Major Employment Opportunities

In July 2006, in the Buffalo Niagara Region, there were approximately 564,000 individuals employed, an increase of 3,000 from July 2005. The unemployment rate in the planning area has remained the same in the past year at 4.4%. The distribution of jobs held by residents of the Buffalo Niagara Region is as follows:

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Census of Employment and Wages 2005Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area

Industry Title Business Locations

Average Employment

Total, All Industries 27,766 526,760Total, All Private 27,095 437,137Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting 127 1,457Mining 22 202Utilities 29 2,380Construction 2,512 19,184Manufacturing 1,430 63,941Wholesale Trade 1,644 21,848Retail Trade 3,881 61,894Transportation and Warehousing 684 13,804Information 345 9,200Finance and Insurance 1,669 26,905Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 952 7,053Professional and Technical Services 2,373 22,899Management of Companies and Enterprises 215 8,651Administrative and Waste Services 1,390 31,364Educational Services 365 12,388Health Care and Social Assistance 2,991 68,052Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 387 6,412Accommodation and Food Services 2,417 40,364Other Services 2,820 18,363Total, All Government 671 89,623Unclassified 845 779

Table 2: North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Based Industry Employment and Wages – Buffalo-Niagara MSA 2005

Erie County has the largest number of jobs, with Buffalo and the first-ring suburbs

making up the greatest part of the regional employment area. The majority of large employers are located in Erie County, particularly in the areas of education, government, manufacturing, retail and health care services. Government, education, health & social services jobs dominate 28% of the area’s economy. The United States Government and the

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State of New York are the largest employers in the region. Private employers within the top ten include Tops Market and Kaleida Health. In Niagara County, the largest employers are the Seneca Gaming Corporation and Delphi.

Western New York's economy improved markedly in 2005, resulting in both lower unemployment and improved private sector job figures. Unemployment has trended down in the Western New York region, which includes Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties. In October 2005, the region's unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, its lowest October level since 2000.

Private sector job growth has been steady; with the region experiencing over-the-year increases every month (except March 2005) since February 2004. In October 2005, the region's private sector job count grew over the year by 2,400 to 546,200, its highest level for the month since 2000. Area job growth was sparked by several key industries, including finance.

Finance was bolstered by expansion at Greater Buffalo Savings Bank, a subsidiary of Great Lakes Bancorp Inc., that is on track this year to open nine local branches and hire more than 100 new employees. Citicorp is planning to build a 90,500 square-foot office building in Amherst to house its global payments data center. Several hundred jobs are expected to be added to the company's existing 400 positions in Erie County.

Insurer GEICO recently moved into its new $40 million operations center, shifting nearly 800 employees from temporary offices. The move will allow the company to expand more quickly towards reaching its final employment target of 2,500. Over the next 15 months, 600 new claims representatives will be hired, with a total of 1,400 employees in place by the end of 2006.

Minnesota-based health benefits company Definity Health is also expanding and has opened a new service center in Tonawanda. HealthNow New York, the parent company of Bluecross/Blue Shield of Western New York, unveiled plans for a new headquarters in downtown Buffalo. When completed in the spring of 2007, the new 425,000 square-foot building, which will house the company’s 1,300 employees, will represent one of the largest private sector investments in decades for Buffalo.

Retail trade also experienced robust activity in 2005. The region is attracting more big-box retailers, such as Lowe's and Kohl's. Each company built three stores in the local market; combined, they created more than 1,000 jobs in the area. Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Tops, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Wegmans Food Markets are also expanding in the region.

In manufacturing, much attention has been focused on the Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing of auto parts maker Delphi Corp. in early October. Delphi was formerly a subsidiary of General Motors and is one of Western New York's largest employers. The company is seeking large wage and benefit concessions from its unionized workforce as part of a financial reorganization, in hopes of competing with lower-cost suppliers.

The picture is considerably brighter for many other local manufacturers. For example, New Era Cap, which will move its headquarters to the former Federal Reserve Bank Building in Buffalo, expects to create 240 positions. Fire truck manufacturer American LaFrance began

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filling orders for a new kind of truck called the homeland security vehicle, which should lead to job expansion. Delaco Steel Corp. plans to build a factory and warehouse, and employ about 100 workers. Greatbatch, a maker of pacemaker batteries, is expanding and will add about 150 workers. Other manufacturers including DuPont, Allegheny Technologies, BMP America, Associated Brands, and Cobey have announced expansion plans that are expected to occur over the next several months.

There has also been job growth in Western New York's public sector due to the expansion of Seneca Nation casinos (which are classified as part of local government) in Niagara and Cattaraugus counties. The casinos and related hotels and restaurants, when completed and fully operational, should employ over 4,000 workers (3,000 in Niagara County alone). This estimate does not include a third casino planned for Erie County. These gains have helped offset job losses in the public sector, notably in the City of Buffalo and Erie County, where financial shortfalls resulted in staffing cutbacks.

The region has also experienced an increase in the number of “call-centers”. The Walden Avenue/Galleria Mall and Airport business corridors continue to experience new commercial development and expansion. Big box retail, lodging, restaurants, and business park expansion are adding new jobs.

A new commercial development (Union Ship Canal) is nearing completion on reclaimed city-owned property south of Downtown Buffalo. The communities south of the city continue to experience new retail and service sector jobs.

The City of Niagara Falls also recently increased job opportunities within their downtown core with the opening of the new casino. Job growth in areas related to tourism, retail and lodging also continues to increase in Niagara Falls and surrounding communities. In summary, the Western New York economy made great strides over the past year, with financial activities playing a large role in the area's turnaround. A combination of ongoing job growth and lower unemployment rates suggest that the region's economy should continue to do well going into 2006 and beyond. The continued growth in the job sector, especially in areas of service and manufacturing will allow for job development for TANF and low-income individuals entering the job market for the first time, provided they have an accessible, convenient form of transportation to reach these job opportunities. Having an understanding of how specific business industry sectors are growing will impact travel demands for the regional job seekers.

Analysis of Employment Opportunities

The map below represents employment centers in the planning area of Western New York with the overlay of the public transportation system. It is clear from these maps that a “spatial mismatch” does exist between available public transit service and specific employment, medical, and human service locations. Downtown Buffalo has the highest concentrations of existing jobs with over 45,000 jobs reported in May 2006. Downtown Buffalo also has concentrations of apartments/homes, lodging, restaurants, government/educational institutions, healthcare facilities and tourism destinations. Clearly Downtown Buffalo is a major destination for employment, medical visits and human service sites within the region; and public transit service is readily available.

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Map 8: Employment, Health Care, Daycare, Shopping and Human Service Locations

with Public Transit Overlay (6AM until 6PM)

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Map 9: Employment, Health Care, Daycare, Shopping and Human Service Locations

with Public Transit Overlay (6PM until 10PM)

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Map 10: Employment, Health Care, Daycare, Shopping and Human Service Locations

with Public Transit Overlay (After 10 PM)

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Although Downtown Buffalo has the highest concentration of jobs, other major employment centers with a diverse concentration of support/service, technical, educational and professional employment, also exist within the region. These employment centers include a mix of public/private companies and educational & governmental facilities located in transit corridors throughout the region. Many new job opportunities are locating outside of the city and mobility to these corridors is necessary to obtain and maintain employment. Transit corridors with increases in employment locations include:

Millersport/Transit Road Main Street/Transit Road Genesee/Walden/Airport Route 5/Hamburg Grand Island/Niagara Falls

Other areas of employment concentrations in the region include the Towns of Amherst

and Tonawanda. These northern suburban growth areas all have major residential development, regional retail mall and shopping centers, educational facilities, services, manufacturing, lodging, distribution, retirement centers, health care, and hi-tech businesses. These suburban areas are important locations for entry-level employment, particularly in services. Barriers to Permanent Employment

In the region, there are job opportunities available to the general public including individuals leaving public assistance. Unlike the general public however, for individuals currently or receiving public assistance, there is no direct correlation with demand occupations in the local economy. Since 1996, Erie and Niagara Counties have operated Job Clubs and Job Placement programs for TANF/Family Assistance cases to prepare them for career path jobs. In addition to transportation barriers for TANF individuals, soft skill training and other necessary skill development is required before an individual is ready to join the work force and obtain a demand occupation.

In 2006, 2,000 people were placed in jobs in Erie and Niagara Counties through job readiness programs. The entry-level jobs areas included:

Retail Food Service Health Care Laborer Cleaning/Maid Child Care Office/Clerical Distribution/Light Manufacturing Construction

There are a number of deficiencies including local transportation services that represent

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significant barriers to moving eligible recipients into permanent employment in an efficient manner. These include such things as:

Transportation - Many Erie County and Niagara County residents receiving TANF/Family Assistance live within the City of Buffalo and the City of Niagara Falls which are areas well served by public transportation, however job opportunities are more than likely located in areas outside of the City of Buffalo and the City of Niagara Falls. In addition, although a high percentage of TANF individuals in the region reside along a bus route, service may be limited, require several transfers and may not be available at all for second and third shift workers. Transit service in rural towns is limited on weekdays and may not exist on weekends. Most fixed-route service operates during traditional commuter hours during the weekday. Weekday evening suburban service is limited and very limited on the weekends except for specific pre-arranged service. Affordable taxi service in rural areas is a transportation barrier. Taxi rates for TANF/social service programs are available and regulated. For non-TANF individuals residing in rural areas taxi service is not an option and can become expensive. Access to information about transit routes, schedules and services has greatly improved in term of telephone coverage and Internet access. Although all NFTA schedules and a trip planner are on NFTA’s website – "http://www.NFTA.com" – NFTA.com it is not accessible for persons without Internet connections. Households without telephones have difficulty calling for transit information or to arrange taxi service.

Child Care - The location of childcare services and the extent they are accessible to

transit is a significant barrier. Care available during non-traditional work shift hours, sick child care, special needs care, infant care, employer-provided care, care in the isolated rural areas and payment for care for other than employment-related activities (i.e. substance abuse treatment and medical appointments) are all problems facing public assistance clients with children.

Educational – Social and educational skill levels are barriers to obtaining and

maintaining employment. Job placement counselors found that employers highlighted deficiencies in the critical major skill areas of written and verbal communication, problem-solving ability and organizational/decision-making. In addition, the ability to work in teams is rapidly becoming a required skill for even entry-level positions. Many individuals entering the work force for the first time require job coaches to provide support, advice and guidance.

Part-time Jobs without Benefits – A significant number of jobs in the region are in the

service sector and many are part-time with low wages. This results in a situation where people may be able to find and keep a job, but it will not provide the resources to allow them to become self-sufficient. This type of employment also does not provide a sufficient level of resources to sustain a family.

Competition from Students and Spouses - Many of the employment opportunities that

would normally be available to TANF individuals are taken up by college students looking for part-time employment to supplement their college expenses and by spouses as second wage earners. Given the difference in skill levels between these

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two groups, the welfare to work candidate often loses. Public Transit Access

While many employment centers are directly served by NFTA’s public transit system, the level of service to each is highly variable. Downtown Buffalo and regions within the first and second ring suburban areas have the highest level of service. Service to far reaching suburban/rural areas of the region will have medium level of service and service to rural areas and service on Saturday, Sunday and late night weekdays will have medium to low level of service. The public transit system does operate bus service directly to a number of companies in the region and has been working directly with job developers, industrial development agencies and municipal governments to be proactive in providing public transit service for new and relocating companies. However, as tax breaks and low utility incentives are offered for businesses to locate in areas not directly served by the public transit system, it becomes increasingly more difficult to serve new business locations. The public transit system condones, to some degree, urban and rural sprawl as they attempt to stretch their system to serve the new job locations outside of existing public transit service.

NFTA has used state and federal, JARC and Welfare-to-Work funding to provide new

service designed to fill gaps and unmet transit needs for welfare recipients and low-income individuals in getting to and from jobs and other employment-related services. This service has often been for late nights and weekends. Significant examples include:

• Route 6 – Sycamore serving Walden Galleria and Greenfield Rehab Center in

Lancaster • Route 34 – Niagara Falls Blvd. Serving Niagara Falls Boulevard retail centers

and Audubon Industrial Park • Route 44 – Lockport serving Weinberg Campus, Crosspoint Business Park and

Audubon Office Park • Route 48 – Williamsville serving Eastern Hills Mall, Erie Community College

and Windsong Office Park • Route 1 – William serving Appletree Business Park • Route 2 – Clinton serving Bank of America Center • Route 24 – Genesee serving Buffalo-Niagara International Airport (BNIA),

Larkin Building and Wende Correctional Facility • Route 55 – Pine serving Summit Business park • Route 200 – North Tonawanda/Wheatfield community circulator serving

Niagara Falls Boulevard • Route 201 – Lockport community circulator serving the City and Town of

Lockport

Public Transportation Resources

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) is a regional multi-modal transportation agency responsible for air, water and surface transportation for Erie and

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Niagara Counties in Western New York. The cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls are the urban core of the region. NFTA's public transit operation consists of a regional bus system, a light rail system and complementary paratransit service. With a fleet of 330 buses, 27 rail cars, and 49 paratransit/Metrolink vans providing over 8.7 million miles of revenue service, NFTA carries about 27 million passengers annually. As it stands, where public transit is readily available now, it is the region’s most economical travel option; is well-established and subsidized; and has available capacity for additional passengers on almost all routes. It is an option that can be exploited by exploring further human service agency-public transit partnerships (beyond those currently in place) in offering transit voucher programs, tailored service routes or feeder services between in-demand destinations, or deviated fixed-route service. As noted, these are eligible activities for funding under the JARC program.

Other Transportation Resources An addendum to the HSTP identifies all other known transportation providers in the Erie and Niagara Counties area. This list includes Section 5310 operators, private providers, taxi companies, and human service agencies that offer transportation services. It is expected that this list will evolve as the HSTP incorporates other agency information and/or survey results

Transportation Demand

Transportation demand is difficult to evaluate. The number of trips that people generate as they go about their daily lives depends upon their personal schedules and the locations of their origins and destinations. The choices in transportation modes will depend upon the locations of their origins and destinations, and their available resources. The public transportation system can provide for a major portion of the mobility of individuals in the region; however coordination with other private providers and human service agencies with strong consideration given to a mobility management system, can only enhance the transportation network in the region. Public Transit Ridership and Service After a decade of declining public transit ridership and service in the Buffalo-Niagara region, since 2000 the NFTA has increased the region’s public fixed-route and paratransit service levels by 13%. Currently, NFTA provides over 12 million miles of public transit service in the region. Most of the increase has been focused on providing improved service to job opportunities in specific corridors or to new employment centers. Over the past three years, total NFTA system ridership has been increasing by 1 to 2% annually, reversing a long trend of declining public transit usage. In the 2005-2006 fiscal year, NFTA carried 23.9 million passengers on the region’s bus, light rail and paratransit PAL system. NFTA’s paratransit service has experienced the most dramatic growth rate, with an 81% increase in the number of PAL trips provided between 2000 and 2006. NFTA currently provides 83,000 PAL trips a year.

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JARC and New Freedom Application Process

GBNRTC as the lead agency is providing information packages about the funding process, including FTA eligibility criteria and the application itself. It will establish a working group to review incoming applications. GBNRTC Planning and Coordinating Committee (PCC) members, in consultation with GBNRTC Policy Committee members, will approve the HSTP working team. The HSTP Review Team representatives will be familiar with local human service agencies, the target HSTP population, and the transportation issues affecting the HSTP target population. GBNRTC has proposed a 7-member Review Team to consist of representatives from:

• Erie County Department of Social Services • Niagara County Department of Social Services • Erie County Office for the Aging • Niagara County Office for the Aging • Erie County Workforce Investment Board • Niagara County Workforce Investment Board • New York State Department of Labor, Division of Employment Services

GBNRTC staff will initially screen applications and score them according to the

established evaluation criteria (scoring matrix). GBNRTC will then distribute application summaries and scores to the HSTP working team, so they may review and prioritize the list and make recommendations for projects for funding allocations. The recommended list will be submitted to the GBNRTC’s Transportation Projects Subcommittee (TPS), and TPS will make the final recommendation of HSTP projects for approval by the PCC. The PCC will act on the TPS recommendations and submit the recommended project list to the GBNRTC Policy Committee for final approval and inclusion in the TIP (and eventually the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)). Project applications will be evaluated and scored according to the following criteria:

Project needs/goals & objectives: The project should directly address transportation gaps and/or barriers identified through the HSTP; project goals & objectives should be clearly stated

Implementation: For projects seeking operating funds, a well-defined service operations plan must be provided. For projects seeking capital funds, solid rationale must be provided for use of the requested funds; and demonstrate that there are no other, or insufficient, sources of funds available to meet this need.

Project budget: A clearly defined budget must be provided Coordination/program outreach: The project should demonstrate levels of coordination

with other community transportation and/or human service operators/resources. Program effectiveness/performance indicators: Project sponsors should identify clear

performance measures to track the effectiveness of the proposed project Innovation: Project will be evaluated with regard to new or innovative service

concepts that have the potential for improving mobility and access

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Further/Future Strategies for Coordination

GBNRTC referred to the previously mentioned TCRP Report 105, “Strategies to Increase Coordination of Transportation Services for the Transportation Disadvantaged”, as a source for identifying strategies that could be used in this region to enhance the coordination of available transportation resources. Among those that seem readily adaptable to this region are:

Mobility Management/Transportation Brokerage – Generally defined, “an intermediary organization that contracts with a sponsor agency to provide transportation, and in turn subcontracts with a variety of public, nonprofit, or private carriers to operate the service”. The broker or mobility manager may be a public agency, a private nonprofit agency or a professional management company. There are many variations on this general description, and interested parties can tailor mobility management policies to their service needs and purposes. Typical mobility management functions can include carrier procurement; contract management; customer registration; record keeping and accounting; and quality assurance and customer relations. Other mobility management activities can include eligibility determination; scrip-voucher sales; trip reservations; assignment of trips to providers or vehicle scheduling; dispatching; provision or procurement of vehicles, maintenance, fuel, insurance or training services; drug and alcohol testing; information and referral services; and the operation of vehicles.

Coalition Building – Partnerships organized around transportation issues that include human service agencies; non-profit transportation providers; public transportation providers, both fixed-route and paratransit; private transportation providers; elected officials, MPOs and other government agencies; business organizations; educational institutions; and any other interested stakeholders can be most effective in collaborating on funding opportunities, increasing public awareness of transportation issues and finding solutions, and influencing public policy changes to assist transportation issues;

Use of Technology – Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other technology systems can be useful in coordinating transportation operations and scheduling rides, managing information and improving quality of service for clientele;

Nontraditional funding sources – Beyond traditional federal and grant funding sources, public and private foundations can be explored as sources for funds to implement coordination activities;

New or enhanced public transit/Paratransit Routes; Alternate delivery systems for service – Delivery methods that can be explored as

possibilities to enhance service that is already available: feeder services; tailored service routes between major residential areas and in-demand destinations; deviated fixed-route service; subsidized taxi programs; and auto ownership programs.

As a further possibility for the region, GBNRTC is in the process of initiating a website

that will offer transportation options/alternatives for interested registrants. While offering potential user options for transit use, bicycling, and walking, the main feature of the website

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will be a carpool-matching program. Ride seekers will be able to register their trip profile information and then request carpool matches for their commute and/or other rides. GBNRTC could eventually tailor the website to accommodate the transportation needs of the HSTP target population.

With any coordination strategies, the TCRP report has offered these lessons for adopting them:

“An incremental or phased approach to implementing coordinated services can increase the likelihood that the service will be successful;

Communication among entities considering or engaged in coordination activities is vital;

Time and effort will need to be devoted to developing trust among partners and addressing concerns about control; and

The time spent in developing support, resources, and a framework for coordination will pay off in terms of future growth and stability for the effort. Benefits may not appear in the short term.”

Initial comments on the HSTP have indicated that this region should strongly consider mobility management endeavors; and establish stronger collaboration and communication efforts among agencies. It has also been suggested that NFTA build on its current public awareness programs and provide more information on travel training and travel buddy programs; and increase its outreach to senior centers, nursing homes, independent living residences, etc. These initiatives will be addressed as the HSTP evolves. By continuously re-evaluating and investigating alternatives to “business as usual” practices, the HSTP over time hopes to create a more efficient and responsive transportation system for the transportation disadvantaged.

Schedule for HSTP Activities GBNRTC will be following this schedule for HSTP completion and implementation: 9/21/06 Presentation of draft HSTP outline 11/22/06 Draft HSTP completed 11/22/06 Draft distributed; HSTP review period begins 12/6/06 PCC comments on Plan; member agencies identify representative for HSTP

working team 12/22/06 Review period ends 12/29/06 Final HSTP completed, as well as finalized application for JARC and New

Freedom funds; solicit grant applicants 1/3/07 GBNRTC Planning and Coordinating Committee and Policy Committee action 1/10/07 Send out application information packages to interested parties 1/2007 HSTP working team established to review applications 2/20/07 Application deadline 3/1/07 GBNRTC staff screening of applications 3/2/07 Application summaries and scores distributed to HSTP working team

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3/13/07 HSTP working team selects project applications for inclusion in TIP 4/2007 PCC action on ranked projects 5/2007 Policy Committee action for inclusion of projects on TIP 6/2007 Recommended applicants receive notification Comments about the HSTP can be directed to: Barbara Courtney, Senior Transportation Analyst (bcourtney@gbnrtc.org) 716-856-2026 ext. 316 Douglas Struckle, Principal Transportation Analyst (dstruckle@gbnrtc.org) 716-856-2026 ext. 312 GBNRTC’s mailing address is: 438 Main St Suite 503 Buffalo, NY 14202

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References: i Transportation Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 105: “Strategies to Increase Coordination of Transportation Services for the Transportation Disadvantaged” 2004 – research by TranSystems Corporation, Boston, MA; Center for Transportation Research, Tampa, FL; Institute for Transportation research and Education, Raleigh, NC; and Planners Collaborative, Boston, MA for the Transportation Research Board (TRB), Washington D.C. ii U.S. Census Bureau website – Disability Status: 2000 – Census 2000 Brief iii “An Overview of the Aging Population in Upstate New York”, presentation at “The Age Boom: Local Challenges and Opportunities for the Region” Syracuse, NY November 1, 2006 - Dr. Richard Dietz, Senior Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Buffalo Branch iv “Emerging Issues in Aging Services”, presentation at “The Age Boom: Local Challenges and Opportunities for the Region” Syracuse, NY November 1, 2006 – Dr. Robyn Stone, Executive Director, Institute for the Future of Aging Services (IFAS) Further resources: U.S. Census Bureau website: American FactFinder Demographic Profiles; and Census Transportation Planning Package (CTPP) Part 1 – Data for Place of Residence for New York April 2004 Federal Transit Administration website (http://www.fta.dot.gov): circulars defining proposed Section 5310, JARC, and New Freedom program guidelines Reports cited: “Left Behind: How Difficulties with Transportation are a Roadblock to Self-Sufficiency” September 2006, Homeless Alliance of Western New York Transportation Task Force Erie County 2006-2008 Local Government Plan for Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities, Erie County Department of Mental Health Synopsis, “Access to Employment for Adults in Poverty in the Buffalo-Niagara Region”, Dr. Daniel B. Hess, Urban Studies journal, vol. 42, no.7 Erie County Transportation Subcommittee – survey results for construction of “ECRidefinder” website, unmet needs portion of survey Erie-Niagara Regional Partnership, Job Access Demonstration Project, GBNRTC/NFTA Final Report, October 2004 Hublink Study, “Demand and Unmet Need for Paratransit Service” Technical Memoranda 4B Part 4, May 21, 1997, MultiSystems, Inc. for NFTA

39

APPENDIX A

GBNRTC

Human Services Transportation Plan

Addendum

Known Transportation Providers in Erie and Niagara Counties

December 2006

SECTION 5310 AGENCIES* ERIE COUNTY Agency Name Address1490 Enterprises (884-1490) 1490 Jefferson Ave.; Buffalo, NY 14208

Amherst Sr. Transportation Corp. (636-3075) 370 John James Audubon Parkway; Amherst, NY 14228

Aspire of Western New York (656-9891) 3300 Clinton St.; West Seneca, NY 14224

Child and Family Services Reach Out (852-7396) 330 Delaware Ave.; Buffalo, NY 14201

Claddagh Commission (947-5307) 7030 Erie Rd.; Derby, NY 14047

Comm. Services for the Dev. Disabled (883-8888) 1845 Kenmore Ave.; Kenmore, NY 14217

Erie Co. NYSARC (Heritage Centers) (833-8601) 101 Oak Street; Buffalo, NY 14203

Father Baker Manor (667-0001) 6400 Powers Rd.; Orchard Park, NY 14127

Gateway Youth & Family Services (633-7266) 6350 Main St.; Williamsville, NY 14221

Hispanos Unidos Buffalo (856-7110) 254 Virginia St.; Buffalo, NY 14201

Horizon Initiatives (831-1800) 3020 Bailey Ave.; Buffalo, NY 14215

Lake Shore Behavioral Health (884-0700) 951 Niagara St.; Buffalo, NY 14213

Lord of Life Adult & Child Svces (668-8000) 1025 Borden Rd.; Depew, NY 14043

Menorah Campus (639-3330) 2700 North Forest; Getzville, NY 14068

Mercy Hospital (826-7000) 565 Abbott Rd.; Buffalo, NY 14220

People Inc (634-8152) 1219 North Forest; Williamsville, NY 14231

Phoenix Frontier (833-3231) 100 Leroy Ave.; Buffalo, NY 14214

Southeast Community Work Center (683-7100) 181 Lincoln St.; Depew, NY 14043

The Salvation Army (883-9800) 960 Main Street; Buffalo, NY 14202

University Heights Comm. Dev. Assn. (832-1010) 3242 Main St.; Buffalo, NY 14214

Wheelchair Home - Schofield Res. (874-1566) 3333 Elmwood Ave.; Kenmore, NY 14217

NIAGARA COUNTY Agency Name Address

Horizon Village (731-2030) 6301 Inducon Dr.; East Sanborn, NY 14132

NCR of Wheatfield (273-3723) 6849 Plaza Dr.; Niagara Falls, NY 14304

Rides Unlimited of Niagara (731-3540) 2393 Niagara Falls Blvd.; Niagara Falls, NY 14304

Schoellkopf Health Center (278-4578) 621 10th Street; Niagara Falls, NY 14132

The Dale Association, Inc. (433-1939) 315 Bewley Building; Lockport, NY 14094

UCP Association of Niagara Co. (285-5761) 9812 Lockport Rd.; Niagara Falls, NY 14304

* some operators also own or lease other vehicles

TAXI COMPANIES ERIE COUNTY Company Name AddressA Cab (649-7300) 107 Evans St.; Hamburg, NY 14075

Action Taxi & Tour Service (446-1580) 1571 Eggert Rd.; Buffalo, NY 14226

Airport Taxi Service (633-8294) 4200 Genesee St.; Buffalo, NY 14225

Amherst Taxi Dispatch (875-1800) 92 Cooper Ave.; Tonawanda, NY 14150

Amherst Taxi Dispatch Service (875-1900) 253 Ontario St.; Buffalo, NY 14207

Boulevard Amherst Cab Taxi Inc (631-3535) 5459 Main St.; Williamsville, NY 14221

Boulevard Taxi (861-1269) 3612 Main St.; Amherst, NY 14226

Broadway Taxicab Company (896-4600) 1717 Fillmore Ave.; Buffalo, NY 14211

Buffalo Transportation (877-5600) 176 Geary St., Buffalo, NY 14210

Buffalo City Taxi (837-1888) 650 Kenmore Ave., Buffalo NY 14216

Cheektowaga Taxi (822-1738) P.O. Box 415; Buffalo, NY 14206

Cheektowaga Taxi (668-2875) 4 Slate Creek Dr.; Cheektowaga, NY 14227

Cold Spring Taxi (886-4900) 371 Northampton St.; Buffalo, NY 14208

Gowanda Cab Service (532-2992) 244 Erie Ave.; Gowanda, NY 14070

Humpty Dumpty Cab Company (822-6710) 4059 South Park Ave.; Blasdell, NY 14219

Kenmore Cab/Suburban Cab (876-3030) 440 Ontario St.; Buffalo, NY 14207

Liberty Cab & Dispatch Svce/ Yellow Cab (877-7111) 1524 Kenmore Ave.; Buffalo, NY 14216

Orchard Park Taxi/ So. Buffalo Central Dispatch (674-4000) 474 Southside Pkwy; Buffalo, NY 14210

Quaker Taxi (674-3900) 1711 Union Rd #54; West Seneca, NY 14224

Quaker Taxi (532-4970) 1 1b Waterman Ln; Gowanda, NY 14070

Southtowns Taxi/ AM - PM Taxi (827-0200) 738 Ridge Rd.; Lackawanna, NY 14218

Star Cab (888-9999) 1454 Niagara St.; Buffalo, NY 14213

Tonawanda Taxi (875-1800) 253 Ontario St.; Buffalo, NY 14207

West Seneca Town Taxi (824-7000) 90 Tampa Dr.; West Seneca, NY 14220

WNY Super Shuttle (633-2999) 679 Beach Rd.; Cheektowaga, NY 14225

TAXI COMPANIES NIAGARA COUNTY Company Name AddressA 1 Taxi (282-1111) 900 Ferry Ave.; Niagara Falls, NY 14301

All American Discount Taxi (625-8400) 6597 S. Transit Rd.; Lockport, NY 14094

All American Discount Taxi (609-3254) Niagara Falls & North Tonawanda

Blue United Taxi (285-3333) 1898 Buffalo Ave.; Niagara Falls, NY 14303

CBR Taxi (692-1800) 98 Wheatfield St.; North Tonawanda, NY 14120

Custom Taxi (433-7100) 270 State Rd.; Lockport, NY 14094

Discount Cab/Union Cab/Yellow Cab (433-8900) 38 S Niagara St.; Lockport, NY 14094

Lasalle Cab Dispatch Service (284-8833) 2330 Niagara St.; Niagara Falls, NY 14303

Mike's Taxi (298-3547) 9890 Niagara Falls Blvd.; Niagara Falls, NY 14304

Rainbow County Dispatch Taxi (438-5555) 907 Niagara Ave.; Niagara Falls, NY 14305

OTHER TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS (Private)

ERIE COUNTY Agency Name Address

Aries Transportation Services (675-2737) 950 Union Rd.; West Seneca, NY 14224

Carrier Coach (337-0200) 271 Buffalo St.; Gowanda, NY 14070

First Call (871-1500) 85 River Rock Dr. Ste 300; Buffalo, NY 14207

Southtowns Wheelchair Van Svce (675-7900) 131 North America Dr.; Buffalo, NY 14224

Twin City Ambulance (692-2100) 365 Fillmore Ave.; Tonawanda, NY 14150

We Care Transportation (838-0349) 401 E. Amherst St.; Buffalo, NY 14215

NIAGARA COUNTY Agency Name Address

Affordable Wheel Chair Van Svce (433-2222) 38 S. Niagara St.; Lockport, NY 14094

All American Discount Wheelchair Service (625-8400) 6597 S. Transit Rd.; Lockport, NY 14094

Carrier Coach (731-3540) 2393 Niagara Falls Blvd.; Niagara Falls, NY 14304

We Care Transportation (433-1119) 54 S. Niagara St.; Lockport, NY 14094

We Care Transportation (731-3540) 2393 Niagara Falls Blvd.; Niagara Falls, NY 14304

OTHER TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS (Public)

ERIE COUNTY Agency Name Address

Carrier Coach* (337-0200) 271 Buffalo St.; Gowanda, NY 14070

NFTA Metro Bus/Rail (855-7211) 181 Ellicott St.; Buffalo, NY 14203

NFTA PAL (855-7286) 181 Ellicott St.; Buffalo, NY 14203

NIAGARA COUNTY Agency Name Address

NFTA (Nia Falls Internat'l Trans. Ctr 285-9319) 1124 Portage Rd.; Niagara Falls, NY 14301

NFTA PAL (855-7286) 181 Ellicott St.; Buffalo, NY 14203

Rides Unlimited Of Niagara* (731-3199) 2393 Niagara Falls Blvd.; Niagara Falls, NY 14304

Rural Niagara Transit (285-9357) 120 13th St.; Niagara Falls, NY 14303

Rural Niagara Transit, Nia Co. Transit & Tourism Bureau (439-7306) 139 Niagara St.; Lockport, NY 14094

* certain routes are identified as public transit

OTHER TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS Municipal, Non-Profit and Others

Note: Restrictions may apply to service availability

ERIE COUNTY Agency Name Address

ABLEY (895-4074) 24 Ludington St.; Buffalo, NY 14206

Alterra Wynwood (874-3200) 2971 Delaware Ave.; Kenmore, NY 14217

Amberleigh (689-4195) 2330 Maple Rd.; Williamsville, NY 14221

American Cancer Society (689-6982) 101 John James Audubon Pkwy.; Amherst , NY 14228

American Red Cross (885-7500) 786 Delaware Ave.; Buffalo, NY 14209

Bassett Park Manor (689-2394) 111 St. Gregory Ct.; Williamsville, NY 14221

Benedict House of WNY (834-4940) 2211 Main St.; Buffalo, NY 14214

Bristolwood Adult Home (884-4371) 1500 Main St.; Buffalo, NY 14209

Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Ctrs (856-0363) 97 Lemon St.; Buffalo, Ny 14204

Cantalician Center (833-5353) 3233 Main St.; Buffalo, NY 14214

Canterbury Woods (929-5800) 705 Renaissance Dr.; Williamsville, NY 14221

Catholic Charities of Buffalo (856-4494) 525 Washington St.; Buffalo, Ny 14203

Cheektowaga Senior Services (686-3930) 3349 Broadway; Cheektowaga, Ny 14227

City of Buffalo Div for Senior Services (851-4141) Room 8A City Hall; Buffalo, NY 14201

City of Tonawanda Recreation Dept (695-8658) 291 Kohler St.; Tonawanda, NY 14150

Clarence Senior Citizens (633-5138) 4600 Thompson Rd.; Clarence, NY 14031

Community Action Organization (881-5150) 70 Harvard Pl.; Buffalo, NY 14209

Eden Heights (822-4466) 3030 Clinton St.; West Seneca, NY 14224

Eden Heights (992-4466) 4071 Hardt Rd.; Eden, NY 14057

Elderwood Senior Care HQ (633-3900) 7 Limestone Dr.; Williamsville, NY 14221

Erie County Dept of Social Services (858-1920) 94 Franklin St.; Buffalo, NY 14202

Erie County RSVP (858-7548) 95 Franklin St 13th floor; Buffalo, NY 14202

Erie County Senior Services (858-8084) 95 Franklin St.; Buffalo, NY 14202

FLARE (838-6740) 307 Leroy Ave.; Buffalo, NY 14214

Goodcare Wheelchair/Van Trans. (833-3445) 315 Alberta Dr.; Amherst, NY 14226

Grand Island Golden Age Center (773-9682) 3278 Whitehaven Rd.; Grand Island, NY 14072

Healthy Community Alliance (532-1010) 26 Jamestown St. P.O. Box 27; Gowanda, NY 14070

OTHER TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS Municipal, Non-Profit and Others

Note: Restrictions may apply to service availability

ERIE COUNTY Agency Name Address

Heather Heights Group (839-4000) 6400 Sheridan Dr. Ste 120; Williamsville, NY 14221

Independent Living Center (836-0822) 3108 Main St.; Buffalo, NY 14124

Lackawanna Senior Center (827-6669) 230 Martin Rd.; Lackawanna, NY 14218

Love, Inc. (592-3761) P.O. Box 156; Springville, NY 14141

North Buffalo Community Center (874-6133) 203 Sanders Rd.; Buffalo, NY 14216

Northwest Buffalo Community Center (876-8108) 155 Lawn Ave.; Buffalo, NY 14207

Presbyterian Sr Care of WNY (631-0123) 4455 Transit Rd.Ste. 2A; Williamsville, NY 14221

Rural Transit Service (549-5098) 1000 Brant-Farnham Rd PO Box 212; Brant, NY 14027

SASI (496-5551) PO Box 526; Sardinia, NY 14134

Schiller Park Sr Citizen Rec. Ctr (895-2727) 2057 Genesee St.; Buffalo, NY 14211

Spectrum Human Services (828-0560) 2040 Seneca St.; Buffalo, NY 14210

Town of Alden (937-9286) 3311 Wende Rd.; Alden , NY 14004

Town of Aurora Senior Center (652-7934) 101 King St Suite A; East Aurora, NY 14052

Town of Evans Senior Center (947-0974) 999 Sturgeon Point Rd.; Derby, NY 14047

Town of Hamburg Senior Service (646-0665) 4150 Sowles Rd Bldg H; Hamburg, NY 14075

Traveler's Aid Society (854-8661) 403 Main St. Ste. 725; Buffalo, NY 14203

Valley Community Association (823-4707) 93 Leddy St.; Buffalo, NY 14210

Weinberg Campus (639-3311) 2700 N. Forest Rd.; Getzville, NY 14068

West Seneca Senior Citizens Center (675-9288) 4620 Seneca St.; West Seneca, NY 14224

YWCA of WNY (852-6120) 190 Franklin St.; Buffalo, NY 14202

OTHER TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS Municipal, Non-Profit and Others

Note: Restrictions may apply to service availability

NIAGARA COUNTY Agency Name AddressAmerican Cancer Society (689-6982) 101 John James Audubon Pkwy.; Amherst, NY 14228

Briarwood Manor (433-1513) 1001 Lincoln Ave.; Lockport, NY 14094

Home Helpers (297-8585) 7480 E. Britton Dr.; Niagara Falls, NY 14304

Independent Living Center (836-0822) 3108 Main St.; Buffalo, NY 14124

Lewiston Senior Center (754-2071) 4361 Lower River Rd.; Youngstown, NY 14174

Mt St. Mary's VanGo (298-2370) 5300 Military Rd.; Lewiston, NY 14092

Niagara Co. Office for the Aging (438-4038) 111 Main St.; Lockport, NY 14094

Niagara Co. Social Services Medicaid Trans (439-7701) 20 East Ave.; Lockport, NY 14094

Nia. Falls Memorial Med Ctr CARExpress (278-4444) 621 10th St,; Niagara Falls, NY 14302

No. Tonawanda Senior Citizen Ctr (695-8582) 110 Goundry St.; North Tonawanda, NY 14120

Youngstown Senior Citizen Dept (745-7721) 240 Lockport St. P.O. Box 168; Youngstown, NY 14174

APPENDIX B

1

January 2007

FUNDING APPLICATION

Job Access/Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom Programs

Introduction The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA-LU)

reauthorized federal transportation funding programs through Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2009. SAFETEA-LU addresses the many challenges facing our transportation system today as well as laying the groundwork for addressing future challenges. SAFETEA-LU promotes more efficient and effective Federal surface transportation programs by focusing on transportation issues of national significance, while giving State and local transportation decision makers more flexibility for solving transportation problems in their communities. SAFETEA-LU continues a strong fundamental core formula program emphasis coupled with targeted investment, featuring Safety, Equity, Innovative Finance, Congestion Relief, Mobility and Productivity, Efficiency, and the Environment.

This funding application addresses two Federal Transit Administration (FTA) programs

funded by SAFETEA-LU: Job Access/Reverse Commute (JARC, Section 5316) and New Freedom (Section 5317).

JARC The JARC program provides formula funding to support the development and maintenance of

Job Access and Reverse Commute projects designed to transport welfare recipients and eligible low-income individuals to and from jobs and activities related to their employment. The available FFY 2006 and FFY 2007 JARC apportionment for Erie and Niagara Counties is $0.980M.

New Freedom The New Freedom program purpose is to provide new public transportation services and public

transportation alternatives beyond those currently required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101, et seq.) that assist individuals with disabilities with transportation. The available FFY 2006 and FFY 2007 New Freedom apportionment for Erie and Niagara Counties is $0.580M. Eligible Applicants:

JARC and New Freedom is a formula grant program for Erie and Niagara Counties. Applicants may include state or local government authorities; private non-profit organizations; and operators of public transportation services including private operators of public transportation services. Eligible Use of Program Funds:

JARC and New Freedom program funds are intended to fund innovative and flexible programs that identify the transportation needs of individuals with disabilities, older adults, and individuals with

2

January 2007

limited incomes. Therefore, it is expected that JARC and New Freedom funds be directed to meet these needs by funding new programs or services, or to continue existing programs. Eligible Projects:

JARC and New Freedom funds may be used for planning, capital or operating costs of providing access to jobs; or services and facilities that improve mobility for persons with disabilities but not limited to persons who are ADA-certified. Specific project eligibility is detailed later in this document under each program’s description. As well, FTA circulars providing guidance on applying for JARC and New Freedom funds can be found at:

JARC: http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/TAD_JARC_8_29_06_Final_tb.doc New Freedom: http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/TAD_New_Freedom_8_30_06_Final_tb.doc JARC/New Freedom and the Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP)

The Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council (GBNRTC), the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Erie and Niagara Counties, has developed a Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP) that outlines a vision for improving mobility options for the disabled, aging, and low-income population subgroups living in the region. SAFETEA-LU requires that beginning in FFY 2007, projects selected for funding under the JARC and New Freedom programs must be derived from the locally developed HSTP and address service needs and gaps/barriers. Federal funding of projects through these two programs will be utilized to meet plan goals. Selection criteria will be used to prioritize potential programs and develop a listing of projects.

For both the JARC and New Freedom programs, the grants are for a one-year period. It will be

necessary to reapply though a competitive process each year for funding.

3

January 2007

DEADLINES FOR APPLICATION SUBMISSION If your organization has a potential project that it would like considered for funding under one

of these programs please complete the following application and submit it to the address below no later than 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, February 20, 2007. Applications received after that date and time will not be considered. GBNRTC will accept printed, faxed or electronic applications. GBNRTC will review and score the applications, and through a process established in its newly adopted Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP), will select projects for funding. Applications should be submitted to:

Mr. Hal Morse Executive Director

GBNRTC 438 Main Street

Suite 503 Buffalo, NY 14202

The information in this application is a public record. Applicants should not include

information that may be regarded as confidential. The applicant will comply with the necessary Certifications and Assurances if assistance is awarded

4

January 2007

APPLICATION DUE: February 20, 2007, 12:00 p.m.

Applicants should use this checklist to ensure that all applicable parts of the application and attachments are completed and submitted. PART I. FUNDING REQUEST – GRANTS TITLE PAGE PART II. PROJECT NARRATIVE Please include the following documents: (1) Map of Applicant Service Area (2) Existing and Proposed Transportation Services (3) Project Needs/Goals and Objectives (4) Implementation Plan (5) Coordination and Program Outreach (6) Program Effectiveness PART III. PROPOSED PROJECT BUDGET

5

January 2007

PROJECT APPLICATION PROCEDURES This JARC and New Freedom program application is for funds to be used within Erie and

Niagara Counties. The initial project application consists of the program-specific requirements detailed in this package of forms and instructions. After a project application has been selected for funding, the applicant will be required to submit appropriate background Certifications and Assurances, and other documentation necessary to meet the requirements of the FTA’s Urbanized Area Formula Grant Program (Section 5307 program under Title 1, United States Code).

Additional FFY 2006 FTA Certifications and Assurances information can be found at:

http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/2006-Certs-Paper.doc

Funding program descriptions: Section 5316 (Job Access/Reverse Commute Program) Local Funding available: $980,000 Eligible agencies:

Private, non-profit organizations; state or local government authorities; and operators of public transportation services, including private operators of public transportation services Program description:

Section 5316 (Job Access/Reverse Commute or JARC) is a formula program of funding to develop transportation services to transport welfare recipients and low-income persons to and from jobs (Job Access); and to transport residents of urban centers, rural and suburban areas to suburban employment opportunities (Reverse Commute). Job Access grants can be used for capital and operating costs of equipment, facilities, and capital maintenance related to providing access to jobs. Costs to promote transit for workers with nontraditional work schedules, the use of transit vouchers, and the use of employer-provided transportation are also covered. Reverse Commute grants can be used for operating, capital and other costs associated with providing reverse commute service by bus, train, carpool, vans or other transportation services. Eligible activities

Eligible activities for JARC funding include late-night and weekend service, guaranteed ride home service, shuttle service; expanded fixed-route public transit routes; demand-responsive service; ridesharing and carpooling activities; transit related aspects of bicycling; local car loan programs that assist individuals in purchasing and maintaining vehicles for shared rides; marketing promotions for JARC activities; supporting the administration and expenses related to voucher programs; using Geographic Information System (GIS) tools and/or implementing Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS); integrating automated regional public transit and human service transportation information, scheduling and dispatch functions; deploying vehicle position-monitoring systems; and establishing regional mobility managers or transportation brokerage activities.

Further information on eligible activities can be found at: http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/TAD_JARC_8_29_06_Final_tb.doc

6

January 2007

Cost Sharing/Match Requirement:

Funds can be used to support up to 80 percent (80/20 match) for capital projects, and not more than 50 percent (50/50 match) of projects for operating assistance. Fare revenue generated on the service to be supported may not be used as matching funds for operating grants. Non-DOT Federal funds and local and private funds can be used as a match. Matching share requirements are flexible to encourage coordination with other federal programs that may provide transportation, such as Health and Human Services or Medicaid.

Section 5317 (New Freedom Program) Local Funding available: $580,000 Eligible agencies:

Private, non-profit organizations; state or local government authorities; and operators of public transportation services, including private operators of public transportation services Program description:

Section 5317 is a new formula grant program for public or alternative transportation services and facility improvements to address the needs of persons with disabilities that go beyond those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Funds will cover capital and operating costs to these programs to provide that new service. Eligible activities:

Eligible activities for New Freedom funding include: enhancing public transportation beyond the minimum requirements of the ADA; providing “feeder” services; making accessibility improvements to transit and intermodal stations; providing travel training; purchasing vehicles to support new accessible taxi, ridesharing, and/or vanpooling programs; covering the administration and expenses of new voucher programs for transportation services offered by human service agencies; supporting new volunteer driver and aide programs; and supporting new mobility management and coordination programs among public and/or human service transportation providers.

Further information on eligible activities can be found at: http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/TAD_New_Freedom_8_30_06_Final_tb.doc Cost Sharing/Match Requirement:

Funds can be used to support up to 80 percent (80/20 match) for capital projects, and not more than 50 percent (50/50 match) of projects for operating assistance. Fare revenue generated on the service to be supported may not be used as matching funds for operating grants. Non-DOT Federal funds and local and private funds can be used as a match. Matching share requirements are flexible to encourage coordination with other federal programs that may provide transportation, such as Health and Human Services or Medicaid.

7

January 2007

Project Selection for JARC and New Freedom:

Projects will be awarded through a competitive selection process. A first-level evaluation by staff from GBNRTC will review and score the project applications. The list of projects will then be submitted to an HSTP Review Team. Review Team representatives will be familiar with local human service agencies, the target HSTP population, and the transportation issues affecting the target population. The Review Team will select and recommend projects for funding to the GBNRTC’s Transportation Projects Subcommittee (TPS). TPS will make the final project selections to be approved by the GBNRTC Planning and Coordinating (PCC) and Policy Committees (see http://www.gbnrtc.org/governance.htm for the membership and governance structure of GBNRTC). The list of projects approved will be published and submitted to the FTA for funding.

Application and Project Selection Schedule: 2/20/07 Application deadline 3/2/07 GBNRTC staff distributes application summaries and project scores to HSTP Review

Team 3/13/07 HSTP Review Team meets to recommend projects to the Transportation Projects

Subcommittee (TPS) 3/07 thru 4/07 TPS selects HSTP projects for recommendation to the PCC 4/2007 PCC action on TPS recommendations 5/2007 Policy Committee action on PCC recommendations 6/2007 Recommended applicants receive notification

8

January 2007

SCORING CRITERIA The following information and scoring criteria will be used to score and rate project applications for JARC and New Freedom funding. 1. Project Needs/Goals and Objectives (30 points): The project should directly address transportation gaps and/or barriers identified through the locally developed Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP) or are otherwise based on a documented assessment of needs within the designated communities of concern. Project application should clearly state the overall program goals and objectives, and demonstrate how the project is consistent with the objectives of the JARC and New Freedom grant programs. 2. Implementation Plan (30 points): For projects seeking funds to support program operations, applicants must provide a well-defined service operations plan, and describe implementation steps and timelines for carrying out the plan. The project application should indicate the number of persons expected to be served, and the number of trips (or other units of service) expected to be provided. The service operations plan should identify key personnel assigned to this project and their qualifications. Project sponsors should demonstrate their institutional capability to carry out the service delivery aspect of the project as described. For projects seeking funds for capital purposes, the applicant must provide a solid rationale for use of JARC and New Freedom funds for this purpose, and demonstrate that no other sources of funds are available or are insufficient to meet this need. Also, provide an implementation plan and timelines for completing the capital project. 3. Project Budget (15 points): Projects must submit a clearly defined project budget, indicating anticipated project expenditures and revenues, including documentation of matching funds. Proposals should address long-term efforts and identify potential funding sources for sustaining the service beyond the grant period. Proponent shall demonstrate how using this funding leverages resources to the maximum possible extent. 4. Coordination/Program Outreach (15 points): Proposed projects will be evaluated based on their ability to coordinate with other community transportation and/or social service resources. Project sponsors should clearly identify project stakeholders, and how they will keep stakeholders involved and informed throughout the project. Project sponsors should also describe how they would promote public awareness of the project. 5. Program Effectiveness and Performance Indicators (5 points): The project will be scored based on the project sponsor’s ability to demonstrate that the proposed project is the most appropriate match of service delivery to the need, and is a cost-effective approach. Project sponsors should identify clear, measurable outcome-based performance measures to track the effectiveness of the service in meeting the identified goals. A plan should be provided for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the service, and steps to be taken if original goals are not achieved. Sponsor should describe steps to measure the effectiveness and magnitude of the impact that the project will have on residents. 6. Innovation (5 points): The project will be examined to see if it contains new or innovative service concepts or facilities that have the potential for improving access and mobility for the target populations and may have future application elsewhere in the region.

9

January 2007

Scoring Matrix

Scoring Question Possible Points

Project Needs/Goals/Objectives Does it cover an area targeted by the HSTP 20 Does the project establish, preserve, or improve mobility to a target population

10

Implementation Plan Is there a specific target population identified 5 What percentage of region’s target population is served by project 5 Does applicant identify available transportation operators in the project area

5

Does applicant identify the gaps in transportation for this population 5 Does the applicant provide income and unemployment figures for target population

5

Extent of the service provided by the project (days and hours) 5 Project Budget Did applicant submit letter of commitment or other proof of the matching funds

5

Is the match from a private source 5 Does applicant provide methods to sustain service after the grant period 5 Project Coordination/Outreach Does the project involve collaboration by at least one other group not including entity providing matching funds

10

Is the collaboration in the form of a signed agreement or contract 5 Project Effectiveness/Performance Measures Is there a methodology identified to measure and evaluate the impact of the project in meeting its identified goals

5

Innovation Does the project contain innovative ideas that could be applied elsewhere

5

10

January 2007

JOB ACCESS/REVERSE COMMUTE (JARC)

AND NEW FREEDOM PROGRAMS APPLICATION FOR FUNDING (FFY 2006 and FFY 2007)

PART I - TRANSMITTAL

Applicant Data Legal Name: ____________________________________________________________________ Contact Person: ___________________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip: ___________________________________________________________________ Telephone: _______________________________________________________________________ Fax: _____________________________________________________________________________ E-mail: ___________________________________________________________________________

Project Description TITLE_____________________________________________________________________________ BRIEF DESCRIPTION_______________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ FUNDING PROGRAM: JARC____ New Freedom____ PROJECT TYPE Capital Only____ ____Capital and Operating Operating Only____ ____Mobility Management/Coordinated Planning SERVICE DAYS/HOURS ___________________________________________________________ ESTIMATED COST PER ONE WAY TRIP ___________________(operating cost) ESTIMATED DAILY RIDERS______________________________(weekday/weekend)

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January 2007

PART II - NARRATIVE Project Need/Goals and Objectives 1. Describe the unmet transportation need that the proposed project seeks to address and the relevant planning effort that documents the need. Does it cover an area targeted by the HSTP? Describe how the project will mitigate the transportation need. Estimate the number of people served and/or the number of service units that will be provided. Describe the specific community this project will serve, and provide pertinent demographic data and/or maps. 2. What are the project’s goals and objectives?

Implementation Plan 1. Describe key personnel assigned to this project, and your agency’s ability to manage the project. 2. Provide an operational plan for delivering service. Include route or service area map, if applicable. OR provide an implementation plan for completing a capital project, including key milestones and estimated completion date. 3. Explain how this project relates to other services or facilities provided by your agency or firm and demonstrate how it can be achieved within your technical capacity.

Project Budget 1. Project sponsor should provide a complete budget indicating project revenues and expenditures in the format provided in Part III and describe efforts to ensure its cost-effectiveness.

Coordination and Program Outreach 1. Describe how the project will be coordinated with public and/or private transportation and social service agencies serving low-income populations and individuals with disabilities. 2. Describe efforts to market the project, and ways to promote public awareness of the program. Letters of support should be obtained from key stakeholders and attached to the grant application.

Program Effectiveness and Performance Indicators 1. Project application should demonstrate that the proposed project is the most appropriate match of service delivery to the need. Identify performance measures to track the effectiveness of the service in meeting the identified goals. For capital-related projects, project sponsor is responsible to establish milestones and report on the status of project delivery. 2. Describe a plan for monitoring and evaluation of the service, and steps to be taken if original goals are not achieved.

Innovation 1. Describe any proposed use of innovative approaches that will be employed for this project. Discuss what is innovative about the approach and how the innovations could be applied to other services in the region.

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January 2007

PART III - PROJECT BUDGET

Project Funding Local matching funds will be required for all application submittals. For projects requiring operating funds, the required match is 50%+ from non-federal transportation funds. For capital projects the required match is 20%+ from non-federal transportation funds Total Annual Project Budget $_________________________(operating and capital only) Capital Federal Share $_________________________ _________% Capital Local Match $_________________________ _________% Operating Federal Share $_________________________ _________% Operating Local Match $_________________________ _________%Total Local Match Funding Source________________________________________________________ Note: The applicant is required to demonstrate a commitment to providing local match funds. This can be in the form of a letter and/or a copy of an existing grant agreement or supporting documentation where funds will be drawn from. Will there be a commitment of funds beyond the grant period? ___Yes ___No Describe: __________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

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APPENDIX C

Acronyms: ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 C.A.S.E. - Coalition of Agencies in Service to the Elderly CST - Community Solutions for Transportation CTE – The Center for Transportation Excellence DDAWNY - Developmental Disabilities Alliance of Western New York DDPC - NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council DSS - Department of Social Services ENRP - Erie-Niagara Regional Partnership FTA - Federal Transit Administration GBNRTC - Greater-Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council GIS - Geographic Information Systems HANCI - The Health Association of Niagara County Inc HSTP – Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan ITS - Intelligent Transportation Systems JARC - Job Access and Reverse Commute MPO - Metropolitan Planning Organization NAICS- North American Industry Classification System NFTA - Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority NYSDOT - New York State Department of Transportation NYSOMRDD - New York State Office of Mental Retardation & Development Disabilities NYSTA - New York State Thruway Authority PAL - Paratransit Access Line PCC - GBNRTC Planning and Coordinating Committee SAFETEA-LU - Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users

SNA MOE - Safety Net Assistance Maintenance of Effort SSI – Supplemental Security Income STIP - State Transportation Improvement Program TANF - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families TCRP - Transit Cooperative Research Program TIP - Transportation Improvement Program TPS - Transportation Projects Subcommittee