Region V illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota

Michigan

Interurban Transit Partnership (1210)

Calder City Taxi (129)

County Connection (80)

Location: Kent County (MI)

Type: Trip-Based Services/Demand response

Goal: Expanded geographic coverage

Service description: The JARC grant funded our County Connection transportation service. It provides job transportation, including childcare stops, if needed, to job sites in Kent County not served by regular transit service, targeting TANF-eligible clients. County Connection is a demand response, curb-to-curb transportation service that covers all of Kent County. It is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and is primarily intended for people working with local workforce agencies, the Department of Human Services, and ACSET (Area Community Service Employment and Training Council). Employees referred to County Connection through one of these agencies start with a fully subsidized fare, which slowly increases to a $14 fare. People using County Connection service through the workforce agencies can also make dare cay stops for no extra charge. The general public can also access County Connection service for a $14 fare.

Evaluation: We monitor ridership on a monthly basis to ensure the program is being properly utilized. We also monitor Department of Human Services/ACSET usage versus general public usage to ensure that the service is primarily being used by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)-eligible riders using the service for employment purposes. We monitor on time performance, cost per ride, and number of customer complaints to ensure a high quality of service. We also monitor cost per hour to ensure an efficient delivery of transportation service.

Accomplishments: The program allowed many people in the Department of Human Services and ACSET programs to access jobs they could not otherwise have reached because of a lack of transit service. We successfully partnered with two human service agencies to target transportation service to those who needed it the most. We also provided child care stops for free, allowing parents to access this crucial service.

Lessons learned: There still exists a need in the region for expanded transportation options. This service is being utilized, even though it is limited to DHS and ACSET clients. There are many others who cannot afford or operate a private automobile and cannot access jobs that are outside the times and geographic locations served by the current transit system. This will be taken in to account by a new countywide transit needs study being undertaken by the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council.

MV Transportation (81)

County Connection (45)

Location: Kent County (MI)

Type: Trip-Based Services/Demand response

Goal: Expanded geographic coverage

Service description: The JARC grant funded our County Connection transportation service. It provides job transportation, including childcare stops, if needed, to job sites in Kent County not served by regular transit service, targeting TANF-eligible clients. County Connection is a demand response, curb-to-curb transportation service that covers all of Kent County. It is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and is primarily intended for people working with local workforce agencies, the Department of Human Services, and ACSET (Area Community Service Employment and Training Council). Employees referred to County Connection through one of these agencies start with a fully subsidized fare, which slowly increases to a $14 fare. People using County Connection service through the workforce agencies can also make dare cay stops for no extra charge. The general public can also access County Connection service for a $14 fare.

Evaluation: We monitor ridership on a monthly basis to ensure the program is being properly utilized. We also monitor Department of Human Services/ACSET usage versus general public usage to ensure that the service is primarily being used by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)-eligible riders using the service for employment purposes. We monitor on time performance, cost per ride, and number of customer complaints to ensure a high quality of service. We also monitor cost per hour to ensure an efficient delivery of transportation service.

Accomplishments: The program allowed many people in the Department of Human Services and ACSET programs to access jobs they could not otherwise have reached because of a lack of transit service. We successfully partnered with two human service agencies to target transportation service to those who needed it the most. We also provided child care stops for free, allowing parents to access this crucial service.

Lessons learned: There still exists a need in the region for expanded transportation options. This service is being utilized, even though it is limited to DHS and ACSET clients. There are many others who cannot afford or operate a private automobile and cannot access jobs that are outside the times and geographic locations served by the current transit system. This will be taken in to account by a new countywide transit needs study being undertaken by the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council.

Mass Transportation Authority (1216)

Mass Transportation Authority (855)

MTA Regional Transportation Service (1104)

Location: Genesee County (MI)

Type: Trip-Based Services/Fixed route

Goal: Improved access/connections

Service description: Service provided with JARC funding in FY 2009 was a continuation of regional transportation services designed to provide a connection between workers in Genesee County and employers in other counties. In FY 2009 MTA operated ten routes that originate at the downtown Flint transfer center and travel to destinations in Oakland and Livingston counties. One route provides connection with SMART buses serving metro Detroit at Great Lakes Crossing Mall; other routes are designed to deliver and pick up workers at job sites in the metro Detroit area.

Evaluation: The primary benchmark is passenger trips, which is collected and reviewed daily by staff and reported to the Board of Directors monthly. MTA has a set of ten performance indicators which are reviewed quarterly. These are measures of cost effectiveness (cost per vehicle mile, cost per passenger, etc.), service efficiency (passenger per revenue hour, etc.), maintenance performance (miles between pulloffs), financial subsidy (farebox recovery ratio), safety (accidents per 100,000 miles) and labor relations (grievances and arbitrations).

Accomplishments: FY 2009 was a continuation year in which existing services were maintained. We did lay the groundwork for introduction of a new route into Saginaw County, which began operation in FY 2010.

Lessons learned: When working with specific employers, stay in touch. Their employee requirements, work days, and hours will change according to the amount of work orders they have. Be flexible, and reserve some capacity to allow for changes in stops, times, etc. Build a set of employers in a local area to provide transportation meeting several sets of needs.