richmond regional transportation

8/18/2019 Richmond Regional Transportation

1/13

Richmond Regional TransPORTATIONNew Solutions for Growing NeedsAPRIL 2016


2/13

Introduction 2

Current REgional Transportation 3

Senior Connections’ Role

Nonprofit transportation service programs

transportation service providers

Best Practices 8

JAUNT, InC in Charlottesville, VA

Senior Ride Connection in Charleston, S.C.

Ride Connections in Portland, Ore.

Looking Forward 11

Recommendations

Senior Connec ons, the Capital Area Agency on Agingis a private nonpro t 501(c)(3) organiza on establishedin 1973. Senior Connec ons is a member of a networkof approximately 700 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs)with 25 located in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

24 E Cary St, Richmond, VA 23219(804) 343-3000seniorconnec ons-va.org

Developed for Senior Connec ons byCatherine MacDonald, [email protected]


3/13

2 Richmond Regional Transportation: New Solutions for Growing Needs

Introduc on

Older adults are the fastest growing popula onin the country, with the Baby Boomer genera onincreasingly heading toward re rement. In the next

two decades, the number of people in the Richmondregion over 65 will double, and the number of thoseover age 85 will more than triple. That will mean thatGreater Richmond’s demographic landscape will con-

nue to change drama cally -- with older adults out-numbering school-aged children for the rst me. Aswe look forward to the ways communi es will bene tfrom the “Age Wave,” many aspects of our regionalinfrastructure remain unprepared for some aspects ofthis shi .

Transporta on is one of the major contributors to ahealthy life for all people, including older adults. Foran older person, a lack of adequate transporta on notonly decreases access to food, medical appointmentsand other basic ac vi es of daily life but in turnincreases their risk for social isola on. Impedimentsto reaching physicians’ o ces contribute to prevent-able hospital readmissions. A 2006 report commis-sioned by the Federal Transit Administra on found3.6 million Americans, including many older adults,have either put o or missed medical appointments,which in turn resulted in higher health-care costsna onwide. 1 Older persons who face social isola onface greatly diminished health prospects, which alsoleads to increased health care costs. The AARP cites alack of transporta on as the most prominent cause ofisola on in older adults who are unable to drive. 2

Because ci es provide services and resources thatrural communi es o en lack, it’s essen al for them toprovide transporta on that is accessible for all poten-

al riders. In a 2007 study, the World Health Organiza-on named transporta on as the number one factor

in what makes a city age-friendly. 3 Reinforced by theAARP’s 2011 policy report sta ng the needs of adults50 and over will overwhelm current transporta onop ons, many urban locali es are beginning to incor-

1 Hughes-Cromwick, P., & Wallace, R. (2006). Execu veSummary: Cost Bene t Analysis of Providing NonemergencyMedical Transporta on. TCRP Research Results Digest(75).2 Elder, K., & Retrum, J. (2012). Framework for isola onin adults over 50. AARP Founda on. Retrieved June , 16 , 2014.3 WHO. Global age-friendly ci es: A guide. (2007): WorldHealth Organiza on .

porate the needs of older adults as they address thefuture of their infrastructure. 4

While the Richmond region stands to bene t froma fresh look at its transporta on infrastructure asmuch as any other city in the country, it presentsmany unique opportuni es as well. The combina onof high poverty rates within Richmond city limits andthe veteran’s medical center in the city means someof the region’s most vulnerable residents must rely onpublic transporta on to meet their mobility needs.The need is that much more acute in veteran popu-la ons when those seeking services for brain injuriesand other mobility-limi ng issues have no means to

drive themselves to appointments. The consequencesof missed medical care for veterans are stark, includ-ing higher rates of depression, socializa on problems,and suicide .5

Richmond has begun addressing its infrastructurefuture on a few di erent fronts. There is a now-un-der-construc on Bus Rapid Transit system that willrun along one of its central arteries from east to west,which includes heavy nancial investment from bothfederal and state agencies. The Virginia Departmentof Rail and Public Transporta on has also undertak-en a regional transit vision plan for the Richmondregion that will likely highlight underserved areasand popula ons such as older adults. The RichmondRegional Transporta on O ce will soon publish itsNeeds and Gaps Assessment for the Transporta onDisadvantaged, which iden ed 4,227 in the region asdisabled, elderly and low-income. That number rep-resents those most in need in the Richmond area.

This paper outlines the current regional transporta-on networks that ll in transporta on gaps for those

most in need, and also presents examples of bestprac ces in Virginia and across the country. In addi-on, the paper concludes with a set of recommenda-ons for how to best provide transporta on for the

region’s most vulnerable riders.

4 Rosenbloom, S., & Lyno , J. (2011). Transporta onFunding Reform: Equity Considera ons for Older Americans:AARP Public Policy Ins tute.

5 Rubino, J. M., & Yum, J. (2011). Improving Mobility forVeterans (No. 99). Transporta on Research Board.


4/133 Richmond Regional Transportation: New Solutions for Growing Needs

The Greater Richmond Transit Company’s 268 xed-route service buses provided 8.3 million rides in FY2015 in Richmond, Henrico and Chester eld, whichmakes it by far the most used transporta on ser-vice in the Richmond area. An October 2015 surveyshowed 61 percent of riders primarily use the servicefor their daily work commute.

The number of commuters contrasts starkly withthe number of older adults concentrated beyondGRTC’s service area, which encompasses Richmondand small slices of Henrico and Chester eld. A drareport from the Richmond Regional Planning District

Commission reveals Charles City, Chester eld andGoochland make up 30 percent of the region’s olderadult popula on who lack access to GRTC’s xed-route service.

GRTC has what they call “specialized” transporta-on services to ll in some of the gaps:

- Care and Care Plus: O ering ADA paratransitwithin ¾ of a mile of xed-route stops between 5 a.m.- 1 a.m. within Richmond and from 6 a.m. un l 11p.m. in Henrico. The service requires an applica onand con rmed status as disabled or over age 80. Tripscost $3 each way, with the trip designated Care Plus

if riders are dropped beyond the ¾-mile radius foran extra $3. CARE IDs allow riders to use xed-routeservice for free. The 70-vehicle eet provided 345,358

rides in FY 2013.- C-VAN: Operated by GRTC in collabora on with

the Department of Social Services, C-Van providestransporta on for individuals enrolled in TemporaryAssistance for Needy Families (which s pulates belowpoverty level-income and a dependent child for en-rollment). All riders are referred by DSS.

While GRTC’s 2015 rider survey reports a 74 percentsa sfac on rate with its service, media reports, onlinereviews and public mee ngs show the system faces

discontent with route layouts, service and improve-ment priori es. The rela onship between GRTC andthe local governments that provide funds frequentlyhit ashpoints that result in service cuts. In 2014,Chester eld cut its contribu on and GRTC increasedfares along its Chester eld routes by 50 cents. A pushfor the system to revise routes to be er serve ridershas stalled.

Plans for a new bus line that would connect thecity’s eastern edge with the West End via Broad Streethave received widespread government support andfederal funding throughout the past 10 years. TheRichmond City Council approved the project in Feb-ruary, with construc on set for comple on by Octo-

ber 2017. It’s important to note, however, that acentral artery connec ng Broad Street does li lefor older adults in outlying coun es who remainhamstrung by the current xed-route system.That service will undergo a switch to a newscheduling pla orm as it also pushes real- metracking apps and service for its xed-route bus-

es.As GRTC grows its service with the planned

Pulse system, the number of older adults in the regionwill con nue to grow as well. The greater Richmondregion’s 65+ popula on is expected to jump 146 per-cent by 2030 to more than 230,000 people. Withoutmass transit infrastructure improvements that reachthe far ends of the Richmond region -- and thereare none on the table -- Senior Connec ons remainsdedicated to mee ng the mobility needs of the area’solder adults.

Current Regional Transporta on



Senior Connec ons’ RoleWhile GRTC operates as the primary public trans-

porta on provider in the region, a combina on ofnon-pro t, private and government services operateto ll transporta on needs. Senior Connec ons worksto connect those services as a “brokerage” servicefor older adults in need of transporta on. That pop-

ula on includes older adults who navigate chroniccondi ons, cannot drive, live alone or struggle withpoverty. The Richmond Regional Planning DistrictCommission es mates that total number of individu-als to be 4,227 across the region. In contrast to thatoverall need, Senior Connec ons provided 17,181medical transport rides to 580 people during FY2015.

That number represents both a re ec on of how farthe agency has come in four decades as well as the re-maining need that has yet to be lled. Senior Connec-

ons began opera ons in 1973 to provide “FriendshipCafes” to older adults in need of meals and at risk forsocial isola on. Over the years Senior Connec onssta par cipated in a variety of commi ees and taskforces addressing transporta on services, and staalso acted in an advocacy capacity in terms of trans-porta on needs and service gaps. In 2005 the agencybrought on its rst full- me transporta on specialistto coordinate a new Ride Connec ons/Mobility Man-agement project that worked with area transit oper-ators on behalf of Friendship Cafe clients and otherSeniors in need of informa on about transporta onservice.

As the service grew, Senior Connec ons gainedincreasing support through taking on a larger slices ofolder adults’ transporta on needs throughout the re-gion. In 2009, Senior Connec ons took on administer-ing funds for Powhatan County. The agency also tookon the administra on of the former Red Cross Medi-cal Transporta on program alongside funding supportfrom the United Way. By 2011, Senior Connec onstook on grant funding to support transporta on in

Hanover County and hired an addi onal ride schedul-er to support the growing system. A year later, SeniorConnec ons hired a Regional Mobility Manager.

Senior Connec ons also runs and provides trans-porta on to its Friendship Cafes throughout theregion, where meals are provided to adults over 60. InFY2015, Senior Connec ons provided 33,351 trips for266 people.

The recommenda ons made in this paper includemore work with several of the following services and

programs, including coordina ng Ride Connec onswith programs o ered by the Shepherd’s Center; In-ves ng in the success of Hanover Rides as a model forother locali es in Planning District 15; and discussionwith Bay Aging about the poten al for serving addi-

onal locali es in Planning District 15.

Nonpro t Transporta on ServiceProgramsBay TransitOperated by Bay Aging, a conglomerated Area

Agency on Aging, Bay Transit o ers four xed-routetransporta on services in the Middle Peninsula andNorthern Neck areas 12 hours a day Monday-Friday.In FY2014, it operated on a $9 million budget with $6million in government funds. Transporta on makes upabout 40 percent of Bay Aging’s total spending. Theservice charges 50 cents per ride, with rides to workcomprising ⅔ of total ridership in FY2013.

Bay Transit also o ers specialized medical andsenior services beyond xed routes, known as “NewFreedom” rides. The service o ers $5 one-way ridesbooked 72 hours in advance. New Freedom booked3,500 rides in FY2013. Construc on con nues fora central transit depot, built with state and federalfunding. 48 Vehicles (35 are wheelchair accessible)

A recommenda on of this paper is to discuss withBay Aging the poten al for serving addi onal locali-

es in Planning District 15.

Access Chester eldAdministered and operated by Chester eld County,

the program is available to Chester eld County res-idents who are age 60 and over, disabled or below200 percent federal poverty level. Trips are purchased

ve at a me for $30, with a two-way trip requiringtwo vouchers. Reserva ons are required one day inadvance, but no more than four in advance. The 15vehicles operate Monday – Friday 5:30 a.m. to 7:30p.m. and Saturday 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. $30 for ve



vouchers; each voucher is good for a one way trip.

Trips outside Chester eld are limited to medicalappointments only, with a few geographic excep onsfor Southern Chester eld residents. Access to GRTCroutes provided for transporta on outside Chester-

eld.

FY2015 trips: 55,500

FY2015 budget: $1,500,000

FY 2015 revenue: $400,000 (30 percent rider fare,the balance from local taxes and grants)

Hanover RidesAs a part of general aid opera ons, MCEF’s Hanover

Senior Rides program o ers transporta on to medicalappointments and other basic errands for personsover 60 who live in Mechanicsville who cannot drive.According to the Richmond Regional Planning District

Commission, the MCEF has eight volunteer driversand 58 registered riders. Ashland Chris an Emer -gency Services (ACES) has joined MCEF to o er “ridesto seniors (60+) who are no longer able to drive butwould like to stay in their home as long as possible.”

A recommenda on of this paper is to look to thesuccess of Hanover Rides as a model for other locali-

es in Planning District 15.

Goochland Free Clinic and Family ServicesFCFS provides transporta on for Goochland resi-

dents at or below the 200 percent Federal PovertyLevel. From within that eligible group, residents cancall a 24-hour hotline if they are in need of transpor-ta on to medical appointments. The organiza onclaims about 9.5 percent of its $2.8 million FY2014budget came from state and Goochland County gov-ernment funds. The service provided 2,502 in calen-dar year 2014, at an opera ng cost of $93,500.

The program operates three vehicles Monday 12-3p.m. in Richmond, Tuesday-Thursday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. inGoochland, and Friday 9 - 12 p.m. in Richmond.

Shepherd’s Centers of Richmond and

Chester eldAnother recommenda on of this paper is to co-

ordinate Senior Connec on’s Ride Connec ons withprograms o ered by the Shepherd’s Centers. Thecenters o er free volunteer-provided transporta onservice to adults age 60 and over (50 in Chester eld)who do not require wheelchairs and have no cogni veimpairment. Services are given for medical appoint-

ments, groceries and other basic needs within thegeneral Richmond metro area between 9 a.m - 3:30p.m. Requests are booked via phone only, with a one-week lead me required (four days in Chester eld).

The Shepherd’s Center of Richmond installed RideScheduler so ware in 2014.

Rides given by Shepherd’s Center of RichmondFY2015: 1,566

Rides given by Shepherd’s Center of Chester eld inFY2015: 579

Capital Area Partnership Upli ing PeopleServing Goochland, Hanover and Powhatan, rides

to Senior Connec ons Friendship Cafes in addi onto other errands for seniors. CAP-UP o ers transpor-ta on to 75 seniors for the CAPUP Senior Center inRichmond for four days each week, and also providesfour-day a week transporta on to about 100 seniorsto and from three Friendship Cafes.

CAP-UP takes the majority of its funding (nearly$1.5 million out of $2.6 million 2013 budget) fromfederal revenue, with the ride services cos ng theprogram $136,000 per year. Trips in FY 2010: 7,716.

Lynn Saunders pitches Hanover Rides at the GreaterRichmond Age Wave’s Aging2.0 Pitch Event in November 2015



Transporta on Service ProvidersAc Kare RichmondThis private organiza on o ers a range of services

rela ng to elder care, including on-demand transpor-ta on. As part of their service, they o er drivers whoremain with riders at their appointments. The compa-ny only accepts private-pay methods. Monday - Sun-day 6 - 9 p.m., $16-$18 per hour.

Alliance Specialty Transport24-hour private service based in Richmond, serving

Chester eld, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Powha-tan, and Richmond. It specializes in wheelchair andstretcher-van transport.

Angel RideO ers services Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6

p.m. to western Richmond, western Henrico, northern

Chester eld; with addi onal fee for pickup in otherareas. Rates are $90/hour for assisted transporta onand $30/hour for aide/accompaniment or stand-by.The minimum charge $30 for each ride and includesthe rst 20 minutes of service. No wheelchair access.

American Cancer SocietyFree transporta on o ered to and from cancer

treatment for pa ents without access to other means.Opera ng Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.Serving Chester eld, Henrico and Richmond.

CareMoreAvailable to Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Medi-

care pa ents, for transporta on to individual facili es.

Capital Area Health NetworkCAHN o ers free transporta on for medical ap-

pointments at its facili es within a 12-mile radius. Ap-pointments must be 8:30 and 4:30 p.m., with a pickupwindow of 90 minutes required. CAHN providestransporta on including to those who have Virginia

Coordinated Care, uninsured/self-pay, and insured.Comfort KeepersA service providing transporta on to care appoint-

ments geared toward disabled adults, those recover-ing from surgery and seniors aging in place. Totaled24,781 trips in the Greater Richmond area in FY2013.

Dependacare Transporta onO ers fee-based rides on demand for medical ap-

pointments and other errands in the Richmond area,

specializing in wheelchair access. Provides a 24-hourhotline, pre-scheduled and same-day appointmentsdoor-to-door, curb-to-curb or door-through-doorservice.

Disabled American Veterans VolunteerTransporta on Network

A network of volunteer-driven vans, the service

provides free transporta on for disabled veterans toappointments at VA hospitals. The program loggedover 412,000 miles in 2013 in Richmond alone. Theprogram has seen consistent ridership increases splitbetween seven drivers and two vans.

Groome Transporta onGroome o ers reserved van rides for disabled per-

sons, providing specially-designed vans with drive-onramps. Requires 48-hours no ces for reserva ons,opera ng 24/7.

Home HelpersHome Helpers provides transporta on for errands

and medical appointments as part of its servicespackages. Serving Chester eld, Glen Allen, Hanover,Henrico, Mechanicsville, Midlothian, and Richmond.

Home Instead Senior CareO ers transporta on as part of its companionship

services, with a three-hour minimum visit requiredand at least 24 hours advance no ce requested. Can

provide service for a single event or regularly sched-uled seven days a week. Service ranges includes Rich-mond and surrounding metro area.

JenCareJen Care Healthcare’s free delivery system for

seniors who are eligible for Medicare. Trips are des-ignated for clinic pa ents within six miles of clinicloca ons.

Logis CareA Medicaid-funded 24/7 medical appointment ride

service available across the country, its Region 3 ser-vice area includes all Richmond Region jurisdic ons.Riders must call ve days in advance and o er theirMedicaid number.

New Freedom Transporta onThe 15-van eet o ers services in Richmond and

Newport news, specializing in special needs and se-nior clients. Opera onal 7 a.m.- 5 p.m. every day, withspecial service focus on Hope, Unity Freedom Centers.


8/13

Save Our SeniorsRides arranged on a per case basis, serving the Rich-

mond area.

SeniorBridgeSeniorBridge provides escort and errand service in

associa on with their home health care services

Seniors First Transporta on LLCOperates within Richmond and the Washington,

D.C. area, o ering wheelchair, ambulatory and airporttransporta on. Fares are on a pick-up/des na onbasis, with 24 hours no ce required. Services o eredMonday - Friday, with some drivers available sevendays a week.

Tendercare Transport of VirginiaO ers ambulatory, wheelchair and stretcher trans-

port in Richmond and surrounding areas (Louisa,Goochland, Hanover and Henrico). Opera onal Mon-day - Friday, 8 - 5 p.m.

TNT Transporta on Services TNT provides transporta on for a variety of needs,

including doctors appointments and everyday er-rands. Operates on an appointment basis, includ-ing same-day service (with a stated preference for24-hours no ce). The company o ers wheelchairservice. Also provides transporta on to Senior Con-nec ons’ Friendship Cafes. Approximately 300 ridesgiven per month.

Total Praise TransportProvides non-emergency transporta on for medi-

cal needs and other errands in the Chester eld andtri-ci es regions. Operates Monday - Saturday from 6a.m. through 6 p.m.

Van GoVan Go operates 35 wheelchair vans and 35 am-

bulatory vans, with a stated ridership of 275,000

trips each year. They o er service to Richmond andsurrounding regions. Van Go operates Monday - Fri-day, 5:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m., with 24-hour availability ifscheduled in advance.

VIP & AssociatesA service that specializes in transporta on for those

in need of special assistance, wheelchair accessiblerides are available with one-day no ce. Opera ng 8a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Serving Pow-hatan, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg, Ches-


ter eld, Hanover, Henrico, Richmond, Goochland,Charles City and New Kent.

Some companies may be excluded from the above list.

Taxi ServicesWhile Uber has taken a signi cant por on of the

market -- with 20 percent of the region’s cabs dis-appearing within one year following the company’sintroduc on in Virginia in 2014 -- Napoleon Taxi andVeterans Cab remain the Richmond area’s largest

eets, o ering van service for fold-up wheelchair use.Napoleon Taxi o ers a 10 percent senior discount.

Companies serving the Richmond region include:

Henrico Taxi (No wheelchair service)

Manha an Taxi (No wheelchair service; 10 per-cent senior discount)

Napoleon Taxi (Fold-up wheelchair accessible; 10pe rcent senior discount)

Pink Transporta on (No wheelchair service)

Rainbow Taxicab (Wheelchair service available)

Veterans Cab (Fold-up wheelchair accessible)

Photo credit: Sco Elmquist



Best Prac ces

JAUNT Inc. in Charlo esville

Vision : Central Virginians get where they need to gosafely, e ciently and a ordably while respec ng theenvironment.

Mission : JAUNT safely, courteously and promptly provides public and specialized services to meet com -munity mobility needs.

JAUNT, Inc. is a regional transporta on systemproviding service to the ci zens of Charlo esville,Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa, Nelson, Buckingham andAmherst Coun es. Organized in 1975, JAUNT is recog-nized both statewide and na onally for its high qualityservice, performance record and e cient coordinatedservice.

This public transporta on system of 70 vehiclesmakes over 300,000 trips each year, carrying ridersto work, doctor’s appointments, shopping and otherleisure ac vi es. JAUNT uses federal, state and localfunding to supplement fares and agency payments.

JAUNT was started when several human serviceagencies realized that it would be much more e cientand cost-e ec ve for them to have their clients sharerides. A er a successful year of providing routes foragency clients, JAUNT received its rst federal grant tohelp them make the service a ordable for the generalpublic as well. Within a few short years, there was a

eet of een vans, including the rst li -equippedvehicle, and JAUNT was opera ng as a 501(c)3 not forpro t organiza on.

Over the years, JAUNT has grown, and addedaddi onal programs, such as RideShare, commuterroutes to Charlo esville and Wintergreen, intra-coun-ty routes in each rural county, and night and weekendservice for people with disabili es in Charlo esvilleand Albemarle. In 1982, JAUNT became a publiccorpora on owned by ve local governments. JAUNTis currently located in its own facility in southeastern

Charlo esville, with a four-bay garage, a state-of-the-art computer scheduling system, and a eet of seven-ty vehicles equipped with on-board computers.

JAUNT’s award-winning system earned the VirginiaTransit Associa on’s Outstanding Public Transporta-

on System Award for Non-Urbanized Areas and theNa onal Community Transporta on System of theYear award from the Community Transit Associa onof America. JAUNT’s system of combining resourcesto serve as many people as possible has been a modelfor transit services across the country.

Anyone may ride JAUNT, but there are reducedrates for older adults and those with disabili es.JAUNT has di erent fare structures and di erentfor the di erent areas served. More rural areas aregenerally more expensive averaging at $4.00 withreduced rates for those 60 and older, usually about$1.50 a ride. Some routes are door to door and somehave designated drop o and pick up loca ons.


10/13


Senior Ride Connec on in Charleston, S.C.Senior Ride Connec on is a community based, local

non-pro t organiza on that provides caring and cour-teous door-through-door rides for seniors. Seniors 60and older, and visually impaired adults 21 and overwho live in its service area are eligible for member-ship. The service provides rides to any des na onwithin its service area for any purpose includingmedical or hair appointments, pharmacy, shopping,etc. The service includes help with steps, doors andpackages.

There is an annual membership fee of $50 forindividuals and $90 for a family membership. Faresare $1.50 per mile with a $4 pick-up fee. Scholarshipsare available to assist individuals who need help withthe cost of their annual membership and to help fundtheir Ride Account. Rider may also donate their vehi-cle they no longer use for ride credits.

Characteris cs of service:

● Arm-through-arm, door-through-door digni edtransporta on

● No money exchanged in the vehicle; Tips notaccepted

● Available 24/7, 365 days a year

● Available for any type of ride within the servicearea, with no limita ons on ride purpose

● Share a ride and receive a 15% discount● Rides are provided in private vehicles by trained

caring volunteer and sta drivers who have under-gone a criminal background and driving record check.

● Rides may be booked at any me M-F, 8 am – 4pm; with the lowest fares applied to rides scheduledin advance.

For nine years, thisservice was ITNCharleston-Trident, an a liate of ITN,a non-pro t solu on tosenior transporta on andpeople with visual impair-ments based in Maine.They switched last yearto the brand Senior RideConnec on because theywanted tweaks to ridescheduling so ware thatwere not possible under

the ITN system. They now use Ride Scheduler, a ridemanagement system pla orm based in San Diego.Otherwise the service is the same.

Senior Ride Connec on’s model includes about 50percent of rides provided by volunteers. They enlist32 volunteers (core group of 10 highly ac ve volun-teers), who use private vehicles, and four paid drivers,who use donated vehicles. This year they will serveabout 500 people, giving 8,000 rides.

Financial informa on (as ITNCharlestonTrident in2012)

Revenue : $225,459

Included fares and dues ($90,001) and contribu onsand grants ($104,367) as main revenue sources.

Expenses : $210,650

Included ITN a liate fee of $5,400.



Ride Connec on in Portland, Ore.

Mission : Ride Connec on is a non-pro torganiza on established to link accessible, responsivetransporta on with community needs.

Vision : To create independence and communityconnec ons through the gi of mobility.

Ride Connec on is a nonpro t that works with com-munity partners to provide and coordinate transpor-ta on op ons primarily for older adults and peoplewith disabili es. Ride Connec on and its network ofmore than 30 partners serve 12,000 individuals inClackamas, Multnomah, and Washington coun eswith customer-focused, safe, reliable transporta onop ons. Ride Connec on’s services are all aboutmee ng the transporta on needs of each individualby o ering a variety of transporta on op ons, provid-ing 500,000 rides last year via 110 vehicles, plus moreprovided by volunteers.

Services provided with partner agencies:

● RideWise: Program teaches older adults andpeople with disabili es how to travel independentlyand safely on public transporta on.

● Door to Door Services: transporta on pro-grams for older adults and individuals with disabili es

throughout Clackamas, Multnomah and Washingtoncoun es. The service is provided at no charge, al-though dona ons are appreciated.

● RideAbout: Free shu le service to grocerystores and neighborhood centers. Each RideAboutis unique and designed with feedback from localneighbors and community. RideAbout drivers andconcierges are available to assist riders with shopping

bags. Calendars are mailed each month for the North/Northeast RideAbout because they o en include rec-rea onal trips as well as shopping trips.

● WorkLink: Serves low income job seekers andwage earners, helping them plan a commute usingthe TriMet system and/or other transporta on op-

ons, such as bicycles, carpools and vanpools.

● Washington County U-Ride: Serves adults overthe age of 60, people with disabili es of any age,low-income commuters as well as general public trav-eling in areas not served by public transporta on.

● Washington County Bus Service: Allows com-muter residents in Rural Washington County a wayto get around. The bus connects customers to theHillsboro Transit center via pickups in Banks and NorthPlains.

● Job Access: Provides transporta on for lowincome job seekers and wage earners who needemployment-related rides within Tigard, Forest Grove,and Cornelius.

Other innova ve programs developed by Ride Con-nec on to encourage mobility in the region:

● Shared and Re red Vehicle Program

● Transit Boards

● Ride Together

● FareShare

Financial informa on

Revenue : Government Grants and Contracts$9,340,435 (97%), Contribu ons and Local Match$202,302 (2%), Fare Revenue (dona ons) $28,111(



Looking Forward

As Richmond con nues to face increasing demandson its public transporta on infrastructure, there areseveral possible avenues for new ways of collabora-

on and resource sharing that could greatly improveservice. Among the possible partners not yet u lizedis Virginia Regional Transit, which serves northern,western and eastern regions of the Commonwealthwith ride services for disabled patrons on both xedroutes and on-demand. Based in Purceville, the clos-est VRT comes to Richmond is Orange.

One largely unexplored aspect of the con nuingdisrup on to the tradi onal taxi service model -- aspresented by “ride sharing” opera ons such as Uber

and Ly -- is the poten al for taxi services to focus onthe needs of older customers. Taxis have the poten alto invest in equipment needed to transport individ-uals with disabili es or otherwise limited mobility,which would provide an important dis nc on fromthe pool of vehicles Uber provides. The Transporta onResearch Board recently released its own analysis ofthe poten al future of the industry in a report tledUse of Taxis in Public Transporta on for People withDisabili es and Older Adults.

Uber, Ly and other transporta on network com-panies could also prove to be valuable partners inproviding rides for those with increased needs. Rich-mond’s own TNC-complemen ng start-up, Uzurv, en-ables Uber and Ly rides to be scheduled in advance.That capability vastly increases the poten al of bothcompanies to provide services to older adults andthose with disabili es who need increased reliabil-ity and planning than the spur-of-the-moment riderequests currently o ered.

Richmond has also oated the concept of u lizing

autonomous vehicles in a recent “Smart City” chal-lenge o ered by the federal Department of Transpor-ta on. While Richmond’s bid for funding was rejected,the next 20 years will be dominated by discussion andthe eventual adop on of autonomous vehicles on aconsumer level. Richmond would do well to be aheadof the curve in adop ng autonomous vehicles withintransporta on networks.

GRTC, in addi on to construc ng the new Bus RapidTransit line, has plans to o er “feeder buses” that will

connect farther ung neighborhoods to that cen-tral artery. The system has also begun evalua ng itsoverall rou ng. While it’s early in the process, it’s likeGRTC will address the longstanding cri cisms sur-rounding its current routes missing neighborhoods indesperate need of public transporta on.

In the shorter term, regional transporta on outletshave increasingly looked toward rider empowermentac vi es such as training programs o ered by theGRTC that help riders learn the routes they needto take. The Richmond Senior Center uses a systemwhere one member will show another how to get to anew mee ng loca on. These types of person-to-per-son interac ons help increase awareness of regionalpublic transporta on in addi on to opening a dia-logue between riders and regional transporta on

agencies.

Recommenda ons• Ride Connec ons con nue as a clearinghouse

for transporta on services and a mobility man-agement group to help seniors and individualswith disabili es more e ec vely use transporta-

on services.

• Coordinate Ride Connec ons with programs

o ered by the Shepherd’s Centers of Richmondand Chester eld.

• Use the Senior Connec ons Advisory Councilas an ongoing think tank on transporta on andsponsor an annual forum on transporta on tocon nually highlight progress and gaps.

• Invest in the success of Hanover Rides as a mod-el for other locali es in Planning District 15.

• Discuss with Bay Aging the poten al for servingaddi onal locali es in Planning District 15.

Concept art for GRTC’s bus rapid transit


13/13

richmond regional transportation

Documents