In This Issue:

Transportation Research Update

Dear Friends,

DREDF has always considered transportation the linchpin to full integration for people with disabilities into the society at large. We have a long history of transportation access advocacy, headed by Senior Policy Analyst Marilyn Golden, as well as participation in key policy research and the provision of technical assistance on transportation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Over the last year, we have participated in two research projects on ADA transportation that have the potential to improve our nation's public bus and train systems, as well as ADA paratransit programs across the country.

Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of
Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities

The "Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities" is being conducted for the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TRCP), which is part of the Transportation Research Board and the National Academy of Sciences. This project is supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The prime contractor is TranSystems Inc. and the other members of the research team, along with DREDF are The Collaborative and KFH Group.

This project has featured extensive involvement of the disability community. First, DREDF conducted interviews with people with disabilities in a range of communities across the US regarding whether they use the bus and/or train, and what factors affect their choices among these modes of transit and others they may have available, including ADA paratransit, use of their own vehicle, getting a ride with others, or using other available transportation programs.

Based on the interviews, DREDF developed and disseminated a web survey entitled "Public Transit Choices by People With Disabilities", and disseminated information about it widely across the US. The purpose of the survey was to assess what factors affect the choices made by riders with disabilities about whether to use the bus or train, ADA paratransit, or other modes of transportation. The survey assessed what types of trips are made on each mode, and what could be done to encourage each participant to choose the fixed route public transit system—the city bus and/or the train, whether it's light rail, rapid rail, or commuter rail.

Nearly 2000 people in the disability community, from every US state and territory, and from other countries as well, participated in this web survey. The results will be analyzed in the TCRP final report.

In addition, this study is assessing a number of other key issues, including the extent of ridership by the disability community on the fixed route system. The project has explored improving the accessibility of bus and train systems, including the streets and sidewalks used to reach bus stops and train stations; providing optional travel training; providing fare incentive programs; marketing the benefits of bus and train services to the disability community; and exploring improved methods of paratransit eligibility determination.

The study will also focus on the benefits of combining multiple approaches. For example, efforts to improve the pedestrian infrastructure can be more effective when priority stops are identified using information from travel training and eligibility determination. Our findings will stress a holistic approach to encouraging fixed route use.

Accessible Transit Services for All

The "Accessible Transit Services for All" (ATSA) project has been studying approaches for providing ADA paratransit services that have reduced costs, increased efficiency, and increased mobility for people with disabilities. The project is being conducted for, and funded by, the Federal Transit Administration of US DOT, and carried out by the same research team. DREDF is the prime contractor, and the team includes The Collaborative, KFH Group, and TranSystems Inc.

The ATSA research has utilized in-depth interviews, roundtable discussion, and case studies focusing on ADA paratransit service design, contracting methods, and procurement practices, as well as flexibly routed services. Often invisible to the rider, how an ADA paratransit service is designed can have a big impact on both quality and cost. Why are ADA paratransit rides much costlier in some cities, yet their quality is praised more highly in other locations where costs are much lower? What are the advantages and disadvantages of transit agencies providing the service, contracting the service, or working with a brokerage that coordinates multiple service providers? What contracting practices can save money and increase quality? What are the true costs of contracted service? What forms of monitoring should the transit agency engage in, if contracting out the service? And, how can we turn the last decade of experience by transit agencies across the country into improved results? The research will produce a Strategy Guide and Information Briefs with recommended practices.

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