PROJECT INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 5 REVIEW ...6AD7E2DC-ECE4-41CD...the list of human service...

CENTRE COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION 1

CENTRE COUNTY TRAVEL TRAINING PROGRAM – PROJECT REPORT



TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROJECT INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 5 REVIEW OF TRAVEL TRAINING LITERATURE 8 PEER COMMUNITY SURVEY 18 CONSULTATION WITH PILOT AGENCIES 26 CREATING TRAINING AND SUPPORT MATERIALS 34 TRAINING, INITIAL OBERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS, AND NEXT STEPS 36



LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A – CATABUS TRAVEL TRAINING PROGRAM 39 APPENDIX B – CATABUS TRAVEL TRAINING OUTLINE 41 APPENDIX C – CATABUS TRAVEL TRAINING PARTICIPANT PRE-TRAINING SURVEY 43 APPENDIX D – CATABUS TRAVEL TRAINING TRAINER PRE-TRAINING SURVEY 45 APPENDIX E – GENERAL CATA INFORMATION 47 APPENDIX F – CATA SERVICES 48 APPENDIX G – CATA ONLINE HOW-TO AND INFORMATIONAL VIDEOS, 49

“BUS 101”: INTRODUCTION TO CATA APPENDIX H – CATABUS 50 APPENDIX I – RIDING THE BUS 53 APPENDIX J – ACCESSIBILITY / MOBILITY DEVICE SECUREMENT 55 APPENDIX K – CATABUS ROUTE POPULAR DESTINATIONS – BY ROUTE 60 APPENDIX L – CATABUS ROUTE POPULAR DESTINATIONS – BY TYPE 65 APPENDIX M – READING CATABUS SCHEDULES 68 APPENDIX N – MYSTOP FLYER 1 70



APPENDIX O – MYSTOP FLYER 2 71 APPENDIX P – CATABUS TRAVEL WORKSHEET 73 APPENDIX Q – CATABUS TRAVEL TRAINING TRIP JOURNAL 74 APPENDIX R – CATABUS RIDER CONDUCT 76 APPENDIX S – CATABUS CARRY-ON POLICY 77 APPENDIX T – CATABUS FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS 78 APPENDIX U – CATABUS TRAVEL TRAINING PARTICIPANT POST-TRAINING SURVEY 80 APPENDIX V – CATABUS TRAVEL TRAINING TRAINER POST-TRAINING SURVEY 82



PROJECT INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) provides fixed-route and demand-responsive public transportation services within a portion of Centre County. The Centre County Office of Transportation Services (CCOT) provides demand-responsive public transportation services within all of Centre County, and between Centre County and selected out-of-county destinations. At the present time, Centre County is one of only several counties within Pennsylvania with two separate and distinct demand-responsive providers. CATA provides Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit service and senior citizen shared-ride service within the State College and Bellefonte urbanized areas. The CCOT provides service countywide and to out-of-county destinations for a number of programs (senior citizen shared-ride, rural transportation for persons with disabilities [PwD], County Office of Aging, mental health/intellectual disabilities, medical assistance transportation program [MATP], and others). Although CATA and the CCOT provide services to a number of persons with disabilities, neither agency has implemented a formalized travel training program to specifically assist persons with disabilities and senior citizens in effectively utilizing the services provided, nor to assist said individuals in transitioning from paratransit to fixed route services in order to meet their needs of daily living. CATA does possess some of the experience and organizational skill that would be required to plan and implement such a formalized travel training program – particularly as these relate to senior citizen travel – through the agency’s existing Bus Buddy program. Under this program, prospective senior citizen riders are paired with a volunteer peer who is functionally and cognitively able to utilize fixed route transit services. No prior riding experience is necessary for either party. CATA staff members are available to train volunteers not only in navigating the agency’s available fixed route services, but also in some of the skills necessary to teach others and minimize the anxiety one might experience in using these services, particularly for the first time. Following training, volunteers are asked to facilitate at least one Bus Buddy trip per month, and maintain and submit some limited records of each training session. In this manner, CATA is able to decentralize training activities throughout a network of volunteers within the service area, and both realize and impart benefit while maintaining staff involvement and costs at a reasonable level. CATA also administers a small mentorship program within its local school districts. This program operates in much the same manner as the Bus Buddy program, but with an emphasis on training young adults to utilize the agency’s services, again through a network of volunteers. The case for CATA beginning to formalize and expand this travel training, with participation from the CCOT, is a compelling one. Significant potential benefits for CATA, the CCOT, local human service agencies, and individual riders exist in proportion to any travel training program’s effectiveness in removing barriers associated with using fixed route transit services, thereby encouraging shifts – where reasonable and practical – from the use of demand-responsive services. A rider stands to benefit from the increased level of independence afforded by more frequent and timely fixed route services, the costs of which are more readily absorbed into a household budget. Because fixed route services are less expensive to operate and use than demand-responsive services, local human service agencies that subsidize transportation costs for their program participants could realize a benefit as well. For this same reason, both CATA and the CCOT may find it somewhat less challenging to hold demand-responsive operating costs in line over time, and/or may have the ability to re-deploy resources to other portions of their respective service areas.



According to Easter Seals Project ACTION (Accessible Community Transportation in Our Nation), “The Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 (ADA) declared that access to mass transit is a civil right, and mandated that transit companies provide complementary paratransit service along with regular fixed route service. Many people who are eligible for paratransit could also use fixed route service if they receive travel instruction.” This suggests that an untapped need for additional travel training services may exist – and provide some or all of the benefits listed above – within Centre County. Moreover, “Travel instruction or travel training is intensive training that gives people with disabilities the skills required to travel safely on fixed-route public transportation. The methods of travel instruction must reflect the individual needs of the person being trained, and travel trainers must have a thorough understanding of a person’s ability to travel safely and independently. A common practice is to teach a person the skills needed to follow a regular route for going to work, school, shopping or other routine community activity. A comprehensive travel instruction program includes instruction in essential travel skills, making judgments about safety and danger, managing basic life skills, knowing how to handle travel disruptions, and using appropriate social and communication skills.” This suggests that while the benefits conveyed to a number of parties through travel training may be significant, realizing these benefits will require a firm planning process, development of a wide range of important skills, and a high level of effort and coordination in implementation and ongoing maintenance. For this project, the Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO), working with CATA, the CCOT, and local partner human service agencies, proposes to research, plan, and design a unified travel training program that will reduce costs for participating agencies (by transitioning persons with disabilities and senior citizens from paratransit services to less expensive fixed route services), and promote greater travel independence and flexibility for persons with disabilities by promoting practical knowledge and experience, as well as by virtue of the greater frequency and span of service afford by fixed transit routes. The parties involved propose to address these goals through the following scope of work:

Travel Training Literature Identification and Review – Familiarization with basic travel training principles and practices, as well as a summary of this information, from sources such as:

o Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 24 – “Guidebook for Attracting Paratransit Patrons to Fixed Route Services”

o TCRP Report 168 – “Travel Training for Older Adults” o Easter Seals Project ACTION – “You Can Ride” o Easter Seals Project ACTION – “Competencies for the Practice of Travel Instruction and Travel

Training”

Best Practices and Adaptable Techniques from Peer Communities – Utilizing the results of the literature review, as well as peer agencies suggested by Easter Seals Project ACTION, TCRP reports, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association (PPTA), and the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA), deliver a summary of real-world travel training approaches and experiences, focused on those that can be potentially adapted to CATA and the CCOT. Note any potentially valuable opportunities for learning as experienced by similar communities during the development of their own programs.

Contact with Appropriate Human Service Agencies – Compiled from CCOT client agencies, as well as CATA and CCMPO list of interested parties and CATA strategic plan, deliver list of human services agencies that send clients to CATA and CCOT, who might potentially benefit from travel training.



Establish contact with agencies as appropriate to identify a contact person for travel training, as well as to set up a mechanism for ongoing contact. Work to develop a list of candidate clients for travel training, with a plan for ongoing updates.

Develop Travel Training Procedures and Guidelines – These will flow from the results of the literature and peer community reviews, as well as collaboration with local human service agencies, with particular attention paid to front-line personnel working with clients with disabilities. They will also be stratified by rider age, type of disability, and type of service being accessed.

Estimate of Economic Benefit – Based upon an analysis of potential cost savings conducted with respect to CATA, the CCOT, local partner human service agencies, and individual clients with disabilities. Using the list of human service agencies who wish to participate in travel training, the number of clients who could likely benefit from travel training activities, the number of individual trips typically taken by each of these clients, the type of current and future service to be utilized, and the cost of both the current and proposed service to be used.

Pass Program for Travel Trainers – Deliver a mechanism for issuing free passage (time-limited) on CATA fixed routes to potential travel trainers and participating clients.

“Train the Trainer” Approach – Deliver CATA-conducted training for human service agency personnel that could be used, with appropriate clients, in a pilot test of procedures and guidelines. Develop a plan for ongoing maintenance of training. Will utilize a list of local partner human service agencies interested in participating in travel training activities, as well as a listing of front-line personnel and clients with disabilities who might participate in such activities.

Refinements to Travel Training Procedures and Guidelines – Utilizing the results of a time-limited pilot testing period of travel training, as well as a documentation and analysis of actual client results, in consultation with human service agency personnel. Will include CATA-sponsored re-training of agency personnel as appropriate.

Final Report – Deliver final report to PennDOT, the CATA Board of Directors, the Centre County Board of Commissioners, and governing bodies for all participating human service agencies that will document the results of all previous tasks.

This initiative involved CCMPO, CATA, and CCOT staff as governed by each task in the scope of work, and as appropriate. The CCMPO provides a wide range of support services to both CATA and the CCOT. Moreover, all three agencies have also collaborated on the preparation and submission of funding applications through the federal Job Access-Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom programs, as well as various funding programs related to compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles and fueling infrastructure. The three agencies possess the requisite working relationships to produce a successful outcome. Work on the project began in December 2015, with completion of this report in December 2016. The initiative was supported by $30,000 in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Metropolitan Planning Program (MPP) funds – allocated by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Center for Program Development and Management – along with an additional $7,500 in local funding.



REVIEW OF TRAVEL TRAINING LITERATURE As a first step in the project, team members selected, reviewed, and summarized a handful of notable travel training information sources. Our objective was to familiarize ourselves with basic travel training principles and practices, learn what specific actions and competencies would be most supportive of transitioning riders from demand-responsive to fixed route transit where appropriate, begin to develop a strategy for building the necessary skills, and identify potential peer agencies. Scarce time, financial, and staff resources dictated that the project team members limit the number of literature sources reviewed to a few of the most well-established documents in the field of travel training. The following pieces were reviewed based upon the recommendation of transit agencies and other travel training organizations:

Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 24 – “Guidebook for Attracting Paratransit Patrons to Fixed Route Services”

Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 168 – “Travel Training for Older Adults”

Easter Seals Project ACTION – “You Can Ride”

Easter Seals Project ACTION – “Competencies for the Practice of Travel Instruction and Travel Training” Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 24 – “Guidebook for Attracting Paratransit Patrons to Fixed Route Services” Published in 1997, TCRP Report 24, "Guidebook for Attracting Paratransit Patrons to Fixed Route Services," is relevant to transit systems that provide complementary paratransit services under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Primarily focused on individuals with disabilities, TCRP Report 24 identifies the characteristics and preferences of four distinct market segments: persons with disabilities who use fixed route transit; persons with disabilities who use paratransit; others (persons without disabilities) who currently use paratransit; and persons with disabilities who normally do not use transit. The Guidebook also provides step-by-step procedures for estimating demand, locating bus stops, training drivers, providing travel training for patrons, marketing services, and defining and evaluating successes in moving individuals to fixed route transit services. This report offers the following general steps for developing a travel training program that can successfully move persons with disabilities from paratransit to fixed route services:

Step 1 – Identify Needs o Paratransit eligibility processes – should ask potential applicants about their interest in receiving

travel training, and help identify those not eligible for paratransit who would make good candidates for fixed route travel training

o Requests for information – should assist the transit agency in identifying elements of fixed route service that may be confusing to potential riders, and therefore areas of training emphasis

o Outreach activities – can be utilized to build awareness of travel training activities, and identify target populations, as well as stakeholder agencies who work with those target populations

Step 2 – Define Funding Requirements and Available Resources o As many of the competencies necessary for travel training reside in agencies other than CATA

and the CCOT, a tailored travel training model is suggested



o Cost components – such as staff coordination time and ongoing monitoring of the program,

which need to be determined in coordination with stakeholder agencies o Available resources can come from the transit agency, appropriate grant programs, stakeholder

agencies, state agencies, and/or private sponsors

Step 3 – Conduct Public Involvement o Formation of an oversight committee is suggested to refine the travel training program, and

continue to identify emerging needs and available resources. This committee should include, for example:

Transit users with disabilities, including those who attend local universities Bus operators, including bus operator trainers Transit planners involved in disability issues Agency professionals with knowledge of disabilities and their implications for bus travel Mobility trainers for persons with disabilities People who are geographically distributed throughout the transit service area

Step 4 – Conduct Market Research o Surveys of passenger and bus operator attitudes are suggested to identify potential areas of

training emphasis. o Studies of wheelchair and other mobility device boarding times may be helpful in determining

adjustments that may be necessary to fixed route operations.

Step 5 – Select a Training Model and Approach o For training tailored to an individual, responsibilities can include, for example, the following:

Development of a tailored program, which may or may not be based on a standard program

Varying levels of coordination with outside agencies Staff training and education at both the transit and humans service agency level Identification and dedication of professional staff time Identification of trainees Scheduling and coordination of trainees and trainers; and Distribution of fare media or vouchers for training rides

Step 6 – Develop Travel Training Materials o This stage presents an ideal opportunity to review printed materials, schedule information, fare

information, and maps to ensure clarity and ease of use by trainers and persons with disabilities. o In conjunction with stakeholder agencies, other reference materials specific to the travel training

program may be developed.

Step 7 – Implement the Approach

Step 8 – Evaluate the Program o Evaluation measures may include – for example – financial impacts to the transit agency and

stakeholder agencies, ridership measures in the form of accessible fixed route boardings and/or reduced paratransit trips, number of clients trained, client attitudes, and oversight committee input



Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 168 – “Travel Training for Older Adults” Published in 2014, TCRP Report 168, "Travel Training for Older Adults," provides an extensive set of guidelines for transit agencies and human services providers on how to build and implement training programs intended to help older adults who are able to use fixed route public transit. The report:

Addresses the primary components of an effective travel training program

Defines the target market for travel training

Identifies incentives and barriers to participation in training programs and subsequent use of conventional public transit

Presents effective marketing and outreach strategies

Describes opportunities and techniques for customized training

Identifies and describes methods to monitor outcomes, refine techniques, and sustain ridership; and

Outlines how to address cost-effectiveness from the perspective of the provider as well as the recipient of training efforts.

The report focuses on practical implementation, drawing on experience from programs currently in use throughout the country. This report describes the following fundamentals of a travel training program for older adults:

Focus and Orientation o Meets the needs of older adults and the skills they require to remain active, mobile, independent,

and able to age in place if so desired o Cost savings and enhanced revenue as a desirable result, but not the primary objective

Design, Development, and Operations o Responsive to stakeholder needs, and reflective of community transportation resources o Individual assessment of client needs will yield clues to potential areas of training emphasis o Available funding must be sustainable in the longer term

Instruction, Content, and Staff o Balance of written materials and “hands-on” activities o The most effective, impactful trainers have a strong background and orientation in customer

service o Personal qualities of the trainer can often be more important than employment background

Partnerships o Most notably, strong partnerships must exist between the transit agency and stakeholder

agencies o Involved staff must be able to collaborate and build relationships and consensus

Outreach and Promotion o These activities help to identify target markets and build awareness of travel training services o Selling the program can be based on cost savings, flexibility, and independence for the client



Moreover, the report identifies the following components of successful travel training programs for older adults:

Participating transit agencies have demonstrated that older adults who have completed travel training programs have already experienced (or are quite likely to experience) measurable mobility improvements. This means that they now have the skills to travel independently more often and to access more destinations within a reasonable level of expense, which all means that their mobility has improved.

The travel training programs are targeting and graduating at least some persons who might otherwise be expected to face significant mobility problems (for example, gradually losing their ability to drive and then losing their ability to access their key destinations).

There are demonstrably positive outcomes for local transportation services; for example, ridership on fixed routes has increased, ridership on ADA paratransit has not increased to the extent otherwise expected without the travel training program, seniors make greater use of other mobility options, and the cost of providing the training is reasonable compared to the benefits received.

The program keeps accurate records of costs, activities, and results to better meet goals and manage the program, create a constant improvement cycle leading to greater cost effectiveness, and demonstrate results to key stakeholders.

The travel training program is able to generate staff, financial, and community support that can sustain its activities over an extended period of time.

The research underpinning the report also identified the following additional components of successful travel training programs for older adults:

Developing an overall program philosophy oriented toward increasing community mobility, engaging stakeholder agencies as partners, and treating participating older adults as “customers” rather than “students”

Creating standards for training and supporting travel trainers in terms of proficiency and consistency

Tailoring travel training to individual needs, as well as to the preferences, culture, resources, and destinations of the local community

Hiring travel trainers with the right personal qualities, including empathy, respect, patience, kindness, transit usage, flexibility, adaptability, resilience, and calmness

Providing strong organizational and management leadership and support

Building and maintaining flexible, collaborative relationships among a number of partners, including transit agencies, human and social service agencies, senior centers, senior housing complexes, mental health clinics, hospitals, other health care providers, rehabilitation centers, and faith-based organizations



Involving and recognizing volunteers, especially in the case of limited agency resources

Evaluating travel training outcomes and widely disseminating success stories, not only in terms of paratransit cost savings, but also in terms of continued fixed route usage as well as personal stories

Realizing the benefits of technology, including enhanced ability to track free and reduced-fare ridership, fare media technology, etc.

Identifying and retaining funding including from transit and stakeholder agency sources Easter Seals Project ACTION – “You Can Ride” This booklet-style document was developed in 2012 by Easter Seals Project ACTION, in conjunction with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Arlington County Transit, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Primarily picture-based, this guide can be used by travel trainers, as well as clients with disabilities who have limited or no reading proficiency. It summarizes, page-by-page, a number of necessary skills to be developed by travel training clients:

Trip Planning – Identifying route(s) that serve the points of origin and destination, as well as times that meet travel needs, and any transfer(s) required

Stop Identification – Locating the closest stops to the points of origin and destination, determining “first and last mile” considerations such as walking routes, assessing stop accessibility as appropriate

Waiting and Timing – Adjusting “first and last mile” travel to arrive at both the boarding stop and the final destination on-time, developing comfort and patience while awaiting the appropriate route and trip, securing a contingency plan in the event of a late or missed trip

Route Identification – Particularly in areas served by multiple routes, recognizing the needed route and trip by number, letter, color, symbol, and/or through the use of annunciation technology

Travel Direction - Particularly in areas served by multiple routes, recognizing the needed route direction by the destination sign and/or through the use of annunciation technology

Boarding Techniques – Navigating the process of entering the vehicle and finding a seat or securement location without sustaining injury, including the use of a ramp, stairs, or lift if required

Mobility Device Securement – Working and communicating cooperatively with a driver to ensure that a wheelchair or scooter is properly secured inside the transit vehicle

Fare Payment (Including Free and Reduced Fare Programs) – Understanding the correct full, reduced, or free fare to be paid for the trip desired, including the proper procedures for handling, counting, and depositing cash, or producing appropriate identification for a free or reduced fare program



Driver Assistance – Familiarity with assistance services provided by transit drivers, as well as the appropriate time and manner in which to ask for that assistance. Examples might include route identification, direction identification, stop identification, and/or mobility device securement

On-Board Technology – To the extent a disabled or senior client is able to use them, learning to use to advantage such technology as on-board information signs and/or stop annunciators

Remote Technology – In a similar manner to on-board technology, to the extent a disabled or senior client is able to use them, learning to use to advantage such technology as mobile phone applications, computer screen readers, and/or stop-based information signage

Service Animals – For those disabled clients who utilize a service animal to assist in navigating travel as well as other activities of daily living, learning to recognize and abide by transit provider policies regarding those service animals, as well as proper interaction with other passengers

Rules, Regulations, and Procedures – Ensuring that, with proper training and awareness building, neither age nor disability presents a barrier to a client following the same rules, regulations, and procedures imposed by the transit provider on all riders, reasonable accommodation excepted

Carry-Along Items – Including potential service animals and mobility devices, becoming aware of and abiding by the limits on and policies for carry-along items set by the transit provider. Moreover, building competency in the management of carry-on items by the client, as many transit providers will not provide assistance with these items by policy.

Exiting Techniques – Navigating the process of leaving the seat or securement location without sustaining injury, including the use of a lift, ramp, or stairs if required

Crosswalk Safety – This involves “first mile and last mile” considerations, including the ability to access transit stops or final destinations from the opposite side of the street without crossing into the path of traffic. Moreover, building competency in the recognition and use of traffic signals.

Transfer Techniques – Includes elements of stop identification, route identification, waiting and timing, and direction as described above. Also includes obtaining, carrying, and presenting the proper identification used in the transfer process.

Easter Seals Project ACTION – “Competencies for the Practice of Travel Instruction and Travel Training” Like “You Can Ride”, this more extensive document was also developed by Easter Seals Project ACTION. In contrast, “Competencies for the Practice of Travel Instruction and Travel Training” summarizes a number of necessary knowledge elements and skills to be possessed by trainers and instructors, rather than program participants. These competencies include the following:

Medical Aspects of Disability – Physiological systems of the body and how they work; causes of physical, cognitive, and psychological disabilities; appropriate medications; adaptive devices such as glasses, communication devices, and hearing aids; functional implications of various health condition disabilities;



qualifications and use of personal care attendants; and professional capacities involved in the care, education, and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities

Sensory Motor Functioning – Basic development and function of each sensory system, as well as the interrelationship among each of these systems; common pathologies of each sensory system, as well as their implications for independent travel; perception and utilization of information conveyed through the senses; and the mechanics of human locomotion and psychomotor factors influencing mobility

Psychosocial Aspects of Disability – Adjustment processes involved in onset of disability; impacts of disability on family, and the strategies available to those who encourage independence; impacts of motivation, fear, anxiety, self-concept, self-efficacy, and social interactions on the educational and rehabilitative processes; importance of establishing rapport and using interaction skills with clients and those associated with them; importance of advising students and their guardians about setting realistic mobility goals; resources available to assist students in dealing with psychosocial problems; impact of cultural and attitudinal factors affecting independent travel for people with disabilities; and non-verbal communication

Human Growth and Development – Principles of childhood development; how ongoing maturation from childhood to old age affects the acquisition and performance of travel skills and techniques; strategies, methods, and age-appropriate materials that are used to teach travel instruction to students of all ages; and the range of travel needs at various stages throughout the lifespan

Travel Concepts – Effects of body awareness, spatial, time, positional, directional, and environmental concepts on moving purposefully in the environment; concepts of time, telephone communication, and handling money as they relate to independent travel; how experiences relating to community resources can be incorporated into travel instruction; and how to teach appropriate socialization with strangers, acquaintances, and community workers

Environmental Analysis – General and specific features in an environment that affect accessibility and travel by persons with disabilities; instructional strategies for teaching students the awareness of environmental features that impact their ability to travel; how to analyze intersections to determine the best locations for negotiating street crossings; how to analyze travel routes for features such as landscape, walkways, streets, intersections, seasonal factors, social environment, shelter availability, and pedestrian movement; how to analyze traffic flow at intersections controlled by various types of traffic lights such as turning lanes and pedestrian push buttons (actuated, semi-actuated); and process for selecting travel route and mode of transit based on analysis of environment, type of disability, and preferences

Systems of Transportation – Fixed route transit, deviated route transit, paratransit, private transit, rapid rail, light rail, elevated/subways, and other forms of mass transit; fixed route transit systems in the community where instruction is provided; skills and strategies required to use the different systems of transportation in the community where instruction is provided; free and educed fare programs for persons with disabilities and the elderly; how to communicate with transportation authorities regarding the needs of persons with disabilities; how to establish collaborative relationships with transit authorities, police departments, and advocacy groups; and criteria for certification to use paratransit services



Mobility and Information Access Devices – Various ambulatory aids including manual wheelchairs, motorized wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, crutches, and support canes; service and support animals; evolving forms of electronic devices affecting orientation and travel (smart phones, on-board and community signage, annunciation systems); TDD and relay systems; how to obtain interpreter services, and how to prepare interpreters to be familiar with language used in the instruction of independent travel

Travel Skills and Techniques – Public transportation rules and regulations concerning ambulatory aids; orientation and travel skills including route planning, schedule reading, use of transit maps, analysis of traffic patterns and street crossings, and adaptive techniques relevant to the travel environments; techniques used for familiarization to indoor and outdoor environments including the use of landmarks, signage, and numbering systems; techniques used for soliciting assistance and declining assistance when necessary; travel skills used to negotiate public conveyor systems including elevators, escalators, people movers, and revolving doors; and teaching skills and strategies for students to use when lost or confused while traveling such as through use of street names, addresses, business phone numbers, landmarks, and by soliciting information or calling for assistance when necessary

Assessment, Instructional Methods, and Strategies – Assessment procedures for determining the participant’s readiness for travel instruction; concepts and techniques of observation needed for travel instruction; media and materials used to enhance the travel instruction; how to teach participants to cue into critical information in the environment; use of techniques when teaching the person what to do if lost or confused when there is deviation from expected pedestrian or public transit routes; evaluation methods of gross motor and fine motor movements as related to travel and when to refer to an appropriate professional; how to use behavioral instructional approaches to correct and maintain appropriate behaviors; when and how to use group instruction to develop concepts related to basic transportation and travel skills; appropriate landmark selection, recognition, and use; and methods of teaching the student to recognize problematic travel situations and strategies to respond appropriately

History and Philosophy of Travel Instruction – Major historical events in the development of travel instruction; concept of dignity of risk for persons with disabilities; ethical practice in the service of individuals with disabilities; and how to promote self-advocacy for individuals involved in travel instruction

Professional Information – The sources of current literature pertinent to disabilities, travel instruction, and transportation; the professional organizations relevant to the development of independent travel for persons with disabilities, and the services and resources they provide; national, state, and local environmental accessibility standards and codes such as ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and ADAAG (Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines); federal legislation and related regulations in public transportation, education and rehabilitation services, including the ADA, Developmental Disability Act, IDEA, and the Rehabilitation Act; federal, state, and local laws and regulations that address the rights of persons with disabilities in public rights of way and mass transit; and transit coalitions and how to effectively gain support of local programs regarding the benefits of travel instruction.

Administration and Supervision – Service delivery models such as vocational rehabilitation, rehabilitation



centers, special school programs, and residential facilities; local, state, and national resources that support the effective provision of travel instruction programs and services, including IDEA, Rehabilitation Act, and Easter Seals Project ACTION; the issues involved with student safety and instructor liability; the indicators of quality travel instruction including individualized assessment, program development, and planning; how to measure outcomes in terms including analysis of cost, benefit, independence, and safety relating to travel; and the policies that establish criteria used to prioritize students for travel instruction.

Legal and Ethical Issues – Ethical principles of codes of ethics from related professions; the principle of confidentiality; legal issues affecting persons with disabilities; and legal guardianship issues

Field Practice Competencies – Evaluating participants utilizing appropriate assessment tools, methods, and settings for designing instructional plans; writing goals and objectives based on assessment results that are realistic and appropriately sequenced; observation skills, the ability to interpret and analyze observations, and the flexibility to change lessons and program sequence based upon observations; modifying or adapting instruction in situations or environments that may affect a travel lesson; acknowledging and effectively dealing with a participant’s needs, fears, dependency, inappropriate behavior, and unrealistic goals in relation to independent travel; discretion in the timing and manner of interventions indicating appropriate understanding of the need for support and opportunities to achieve independence throughout the instructional process; and writing evaluation reports that describe participant performance, conditions and responses, and travel recommendations based on these evaluations

Key Findings The literature review suggests a variety of key concepts and insights that are potentially useful in shaping the design and implementation of a pilot travel training program for Centre County:

Resources for program design and implementation are extremely limited, and transportation agency staff do not currently possess many of the essential technical competencies required to work at peak effectiveness with individual senior citizens and persons with disabilities (as described in “Competencies for the Practice of Travel Instruction and Travel Training”); accordingly, strong partnerships with human service agencies will be required not only to share and build the pool of available resources, but also to make the highest and best possible use of the unique skills of human service agency staff experts

In some cases, even human service agency staff may determine that the need exists to enhance their own technical competencies necessary to conduct travel training; again, given scarce resources, this type of unmet need may influence the selection of training participants, and/or the number of individuals who can be reasonably trained within a given time frame. On the other hand, investments in building these competencies may serve to enhance other agency offerings; further cost-benefit analysis will be required

If travel training in Centre County is successful in achieving set objectives, and begins to grow throughout the community over time, it will be absolutely essential to identify a consistent, long-term source of funding to support continued training, professional development, agency outreach, and program evaluation



Consultation with both demand responsive and fixed route transit operators may be an un-tapped (or under-tapped) source of information in terms of challenges encountered by senior citizens and persons with disabilities when utilizing the various transit services offered in Centre County; when and if the program moves beyond the pilot phase, ongoing consultation in this manner will be vital to gain a sense of the on-street operational issues associated with travel training, as well as to refine the scope of an approach to the travel training program

Measuring economic benefit, and projecting the same onto potential future operations, will require substantial program oversight and appropriate recordkeeping; the basic inputs to this process will need to be the number of trips shifted from both CATA and CCOT demand-responsive services to fixed route services, and a reliable estimate of the resources expended on travel training and program management activities

There are very real and significant differences between the training needs of senior citizens, and those of persons with disabilities; for example, training for persons with disabilities would seem to require a more individualized approach, where for senior citizens, group training and travel may be more appropriate in some cases; in either case, an understanding of the unique needs of each population group and individual is essential in developing an effective training strategy

Some consistency is also warranted in both training approach and the development of support and informational materials, to make the best possible use of available resources and to measure program outcomes over time

“You Can Ride” provides an excellent framework for beginning to assess the areas where CCMPO, CATA, and CCOT staff can be of maximum benefit to human agency staff as travel training is implemented; the document also lends itself well to functional assessment of individual riders to reveal where special emphasis may be needed in training

In a similar manner, “Competencies for the Practice of Travel Instruction and Travel Training” reveals a variety of organizational skills possessed by human service agencies that serve senior citizens and persons with disabilities, as well as competencies that may require reinforcement or expansion; if a more centralized approach to travel training were adopted going forward, the effort and expense involved in building these skills internally to CATA and the CCOT cannot be ignored



PEER COMMUNITY SURVEY

As the next step in the process, the project team consisting of CCMPO, CATA, and CCOT staff took action to learn more about the real-world experiences in travel training in peer communities. Not only does such an effort provide context to the information revealed during the literature review, it also exposes specific information not necessarily contained in the available literature, or reveals this information in a greater level of detail. Transportation staff developed a survey instrument for use in assessing the travel training experience of other transit agencies throughout the United States, including the following questions:

Please describe your current travel training efforts.

Who is responsible for overseeing these efforts?

Who is responsible for conducting the front-line training activities with program participants?

How many transportation agency staff members participate in travel training activities?

What is the percentage of time spent by responsible staff members in travel training activities?

Which, if any, human services agencies do you partner with?

If you partner with human service agencies in travel training activities, how is this partnership arranged and carried out?

What are the estimated direct costs of your travel training program by unit of time?

How is the travel training program funded on an ongoing basis?

How many individuals have been successfully trained to transition from demand-responsive to fixed route services?

What are the financial savings and/or efficiencies gained by unit of time?

What are considered to be the most successful elements in the success of your travel training program?

Please describe some critical lessons that you’ve learned in the implementation of a travel training program.

Do you have any other additional information to share which has not already been addressed? The survey instrument was finalized, and participation solicited via the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Marketing and Communications Committee and the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association (PPTA). Initially, the project team’s focus was to place special emphasis on other communities very similar to Centre County – anchored by a college or university, small urban and/or rural in character, and located in Pennsylvania. While we did receive several responses from transit agencies meeting those criteria, we also received a wealth of useful information from transit systems in other types of areas. 12 transportation agencies responded in total, with the results reflecting a wide variety of travel training program experiences throughout the program life cycle. Summaries of each response are provided below, in order of receipt of response: King County Metro (Seattle, WA) Travel training is offered to individuals free of charge through a partnership among King County Metro staff, Sound Transit staff, and contractors from First Transit. A program manager from First Transit oversees the program, in which participants travel with a paired instructor on bus or light rail services until they are comfortable with and capable of safe, independent travel. The program is largely paced by the individual participant, and designed around unique needs as appropriate and necessary. Roughly 5 total staff members participate in the travel training process.



Capital Area Transportation Authority (Lansing, MI) The Capital Area Transportation Authority has a much less formalized program in place. Customized training is provided upon request to municipalities, schools, hospitals, senior centers, employers, or other entities. The focus of the training is not necessarily to shift riders from demand-responsive to fixed route transit services, but rather a broader mission to help individuals transition from operating a personal vehicle to either fixed route or demand-responsive transit services. As such, the program is not specifically geared toward senior citizens and/or persons with disabilities, but intended to address some of the more common barriers that exist to transit usage. This approach may change somewhat as the agency begins to roll out specific training and materials for the rehabilitation center at the local hospital. The marketing department at Capital Area Transportation Authority oversees the program, with 2 total staff members participating in the process. The agency conducts, on average, one training session per month. Because it is a very generalized and informal program, costs are held low; it is estimated that each presentations costs about $125, or about $1,500 per year. These costs consist of staff time and travel costs, as well as preparation of training and support materials; they are readily absorbed into the larger operating budget. Although the marketing department oversees the program, they do not advertise or market training services to entities who would potentially benefit. The agency considers the most important elements of a successful program to be presenters who are well-trained, customer-focused, compassionate and empathetic; human service agencies and other potential beneficiaries who see a value in training services; and appropriate tools (good presentation materials, free passes or tokens for trial rides, giveaways, and the like) to build competency and enthusiasm for transit usage. If and when their program grows, the Capital Area Transportation Authority would strengthen it through better data tracking and analysis, as well as through the use of volunteer community trainers or a “train the trainer” style of outreach. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Washington, DC) The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority provides travel training services for both senior citizens and persons with disabilities in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The agency heavily markets these services to both groups of individuals, as well as human service agencies and senior residential communities. The marketing approach highlights the independence and ease of use afforded by fixed route bus and rail systems, and training events include on-the-spot sales of fare media specific to senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Training is provided by roughly 3 in-house staff members of a dedicated travel and training outreach team, and is enhanced by about 6 paid contractors; these individuals spend about 80% of their time specifically working on travel training activities. Services are provided in part on an individual basis, and in part using a “train the trainer” model; for the latter, a 2-day workshop is provided by transit agency and contractor staff, combining classroom instruction with hands-on orientation using Metrobus and Metrorail vehicles. The travel training program is supported by a line item in the Department of Access Services portion of the operating budget, although no budget amount was provided as part of the agency’s response. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s program boasts substantial results; during calendar year 2015, program participants took over 2.2 million fixed route bus trips and over 55,000 rail trips, resulting in a very high level of cost avoidance for ADA complementary paratransit trips.



Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority staff see the most important elements of a successful travel training program as: a fully accessible fixed route system sufficient to handle the needs of senior citizens and persons with disabilities; professional competencies on the part of the training staff; marketing the independence, accessibility, and ease of use of the fixed route system; after-training follow-up and support; support of travel training by the local community; and linking travel training with paratransit eligibility. The agency reports that it has also learned a number of critical lessons while its travel training program has been in force. These include the importance of: ensuring the accessibility of the fixed route system, including stops, shelters, pathways, and public information; providing for both paratransit and travel training eligibility so that a rider can use the services that meet specific needs at specific times; and linking the travel training and paratransit eligibility functions and staff. Solano County Transit (Benicia, CA) Solano County Transit recently instituted an in-house travel training program for persons with disabilities. A mobility coordinator administers the program for the agency, and conducts actual training sessions. The program is still very new, but it is estimated that this staff member spends no more than 20% of their time on travel training efforts. The program is funded through the Solano Transportation Authority (which administers an additional county-level sales tax to help fund transportation improvements). Though there is not yet enough data to gauge the true costs and benefits of the program, staff members state that their interest lies in increasing both fixed route and demand-responsive ridership – not necessarily in transitioning riders from paratransit to fixed route services. They view some of the most important elements of a successful program as a high level of rider comfort with the system, consisting of familiarity with the system routes and schedules, as well as contingency information to utilize when travel plans are disrupted. Omnitrans (San Bernardino, CA) Omnitrans currently offers a travel training program that utilizes a retired bus outfitted with informational materials and audio-visual equipment. This bus is taken to local senior centers, schools, and employers to conduct a hands-on training program which includes a video presentation, discussion, and practice with the farebox and on-board amenities. Participants are then issued a day pass so that they can try fixed route service (with or without additional trip planning assistance) on their own or as part of a group. Omnitrans also partners with Valley Transportation Services, an agency that facilitates one-on-one-travel training for persons with disabilities and senior citizens, as well as a driver reimbursement program. The agency’s travel training program is administered by the marketing department, with about 3 staff members providing about 25% of their staff time to travel training activities. Initial start-up of the program was funded by federal Job Access / Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom program grants; since that time the costs – estimated to be about $8,000 per year – have been absorbed into Omnitrans’ operating budget. The program makes a significant impact; about 300 individuals are trained and transitioned from demand-responsive services to fixed route services on an annual basis. Still, agency staff report that they have witnessed a larger benefit in the community through a general increase in awareness with respect to use of transit services as a result of travel training activities, than they have in terms of a transition of demand-responsive riders to fixed route services. According to Omnitrans staff, the most important elements of a successful travel training program are: commitment to the program through the allocation of staff positions and time; beginning outreach activities



well in advance of program implementation; strong partnerships with human service agencies and other area transportation providers; and community awareness of the services provided. Critical lessons learned are to account for ongoing program maintenance costs as part of any funding projections or requests, and to receive buy-in from throughout the organization before implementing travel training activities on any significant scale. Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (Ann Arbor, MI) Of all the areas from whom survey responses were received, Ann Arbor, as a major university community, is probably the most similar to State College in terms of ridership and service area characteristics. They have only recently begun to implement a travel training program. The “Out and About” program is intended to educate senior citizens – as well as human service agencies focused on that constituency – with respect to travel on fixed route services. Travel training activities primarily take place through group outings. Ann Arbor’s effort falls within the operations department, under the guidance of the paratransit coordinator. A single staff member participates in travel training activities, and contributes approximately 50% of their staff time on a monthly basis to those activities. The estimated direct costs of the program are about $13,000 annually; this is funded through a line item in the agency operating budget. The program is still too new to be able to reliably predict expected longer-term costs savings and/or efficiencies; only about 11 participants have been successfully trained over the last 8 months. Still, the agency does have a sense of what they view as the most important elements of a successful travel training program: an in-depth assessment process that reveals why the participant is interested in travel training, their personal goals, and their level of ability and aptitude; and developing the qualitative side of the program – that is, boundaries, empathy, and tailoring training activities to the participant’s goals and levels of experience and aptitude. Critical lessons include the importance of a higher level of marketing and staffing for the program to grow and yield benefit. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (Dallas, TX) The “Travel Ambassador Program” offered by Dallas Area Rapid Transit is designed to provide both individual and group training on travel orientation and awareness as they relate to utilizing fixed route bus and rail services. The program is offered free of charge to all members of the public, though the majority of training activities focus on persons with disabilities and senior citizens. It promotes independence, self-reliance, and mobility for those who may have never previously used public transit and supports access to jobs, human services, family, shopping, and entertainment. This program falls under the oversight of a dedicated manager and administrator, and all training activities are conducted by a transit agency staff of three travel ambassadors. The individuals spend approximately 90% of their staff time working on travel training activities. The “Travel Ambassador Program” costs about $180,000 annually to maintain, and is currently funded through a federal New Freedom grant. In four years of operation, this program has trained 709 individuals in person, and provided support to an additional 144 participants over the phone or through email. 96 of these are certified paratransit riders who have taken over 5,800 trips on fixed route bus services, plus a number of fixed route rail trips. This has resulted in a substantial economic benefit to the agency, staff of which are quick to point out that some of these benefits come from training members of the general public who would not otherwise have used any transit services at all.



Dallas Area Rapid Transit staff cite the following critical elements of a successful travel training program: continuous marketing and outreach; strong collaboration with other human service agencies and transportation providers, as well as with other internal departments; an emphasis on placing the individual needs of each participant foremost in the training process; technical competence and flexibility of staff; and continuous monitoring and modification of the program as necessary and appropriate. Critical lessons learned include matching the right temperament of individual to trainer positions; working to keep the data collection on monitoring processes robust, yet simple; and compiling data and assessment information in a searchable format. Portage Area Regional Transit Authority (Kent, OH) The Portage Area Regional Transit Authority offers travel training services for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, Kent State University students, and any other interested members of the general public. These sessions meet participants at their own location – such as libraries, senior housing complexes, and human service agencies. Not only are services offered for fixed route transit, they are also offered to facilitate the use of demand-responsive services; Portage is a rural area, and community awareness is lacking with respect to either type of transit service, or how it is used. Travel training services are a joint initiative between the planning and operations departments. A single staff member provides about 80% of their time to travel training activities. Detailed information on program costs, funding source(s), and financial savings or efficiencies gained was not provided, but during calendar year 2015, the program was responsible for successfully training 474 individuals. Staff at the Portage Area Regional Transit Authority views the most important elements of a successful program as: compassion; adequate program marketing; support for the program from all levels of the transit agency; and a stable source of funding. Critical lessons learned include the importance of setting aside an appropriate level of funding to market the service; as well as the need for an additional staff member; the agency is currently turning away individuals from training because of staffing shortages. Spokane Transit Authority (Spokane, WA) The Spokane Transit Authority currently contracts its travel training services to Paratransit, Inc. Two full-time trainers and one part-time trainer conduct one-on-one sessions with seniors and persons with disabilities, with the goal of shifting individuals from demand-responsive services to fixed route services. Spokane Transit Authority’s operations department provides program oversight. The program is currently staffed by three individuals, who provide 100% of their time to travel training activities. Start-up of travel training activities was initially funded through a grant program, but ongoing costs have been fully absorbed into the operating budget. During calendar year 2015, 220 senior and persons with disabilities were trained to use fixed route services. The agency estimates that the level of annual cost savings realized and operational efficiencies gained is approaching $550,000 per year; staff members are also pleased with the manner in which travel training activities have raised the level of options and independence for the targeted groups. Critical lessons learned include the importance of utilizing technology to track program assessments, utilization, and statistics.



Ben Franklin Transit (Kennewick, WA) Travel training staff for Ben Franklin Transit work closely with the paratransit operations division during the initial certification process and recertification processes to assess each individual’s transportation needs and abilities. Functional assessments are conducted for each prospective paratransit rider, which include a personal interview, balance and gait testing, and a hands-on ¼-mile travel test that may include a short bus ride. All three components of the assessment provide an opportunity for staff to observe functional abilities and needs. Travel training is conducted for those individuals found to have the ability to utilize fixed route services. The agency’s marketing department oversees the travel training program. It utilizes about 3 staff members who currently provide nearly 60 hours of staff time per month to the process. Annual program costs are estimated at about $17,000, with annual cost savings and/or increased efficiencies approaching $200,000. The program was initially grant-funded, but ongoing annual maintenance costs have been fully absorbed into the operations budget. Ben Franklin Transit staff view the most important elements of a successful travel training program as: trainers with outstanding interpersonal skills, a desire to teach, and a commitment to building independence among riders; a solid community relations and outreach component; agency-wide buy-in to the goals and objectives of the program; a robust system of documentation and recordkeeping; and staff flexibility in terms of working different hours, in all conditions, etc. Beyond these, critical lessons learned include the importance of ongoing staff education, training, and development. The Rapid (Grand Rapids, MI) The Rapid offers travel training and a volunteer senior rider mentor program to those in need. Travel training staff members also participate in paratransit assessments in some cases. The agency’s operations department oversees the program, with three staff members contributing about 50% of their time to travel training activities. Community volunteers are also utilized to provide support services, and The Rapid partners with the local Area Agency on Aging with respect to the volunteer senior mentor program. The agency declined to state the estimated direct costs of the program, citing significant overlap with other standard operating activities. Moreover, they do not track the number of persons moved from demand-responsive to fixed route services, nor do they specifically track annual cost savings or efficiencies gained. In the view of staff members, much of the benefit of the program comes from paratransit cost avoidance at the outset of the eligibility process, rather than later cost savings. The program was initially funded in 1993 by a grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). By 1998, ongoing costs had been fully absorbed into the operations budget. Agency staff view the most important elements of a successful travel training program as: an effort to build community awareness and partnerships; outstanding personnel; membership in the Association for Travel Instruction (ATI) for ongoing professional development; the linkage between travel training and paratransit eligibility assessment; and outreach to the senior citizen community through group and individual trips. Critical lessons learned include the importance of allocating resources up front for eligibility determinations, as well as the importance of agency visibility within the community.



Cambria County Transit Authority (Johnstown, PA) Cambria County Transit Authority staff participates in a very informal travel training process that is generally not targeted at any specific demographic, such as senior citizens or persons with disabilities; rather, the program is intended to build general awareness with respect to the availability and use of services. Training is conducted by a road supervisor from the operations department, and consists of both a classroom and a hands-on component. Number of individuals trained, specific program costs, and cost savings / operational efficiencies are not tracked. Key Findings The results of the peer community survey – while providing some additional context and detail to the results of the literature review – suggest a variety of additional key concepts and insights that deserve consideration in shaping the design and implementation of a pilot travel training program for Centre County:

Several of the responding agencies delegate travel training activities to their paratransit contractor staff; as CATA contracts its demand-responsive services to a management and operations firm, a similar model may be viable within Centre County. Such a model, however, would require restructuring to paratransit contract provisions, and it may make sense to build closer ties to paratransit eligibility assessments if this direction is ultimately pursued

Travel training activities for senior citizens and persons with disabilities are often linked to general activities intended to build awareness of all transit services offered; in fact, many respondents report an increase in fixed route ridership coming from members of the general public and other riders who do not transition from demand-responsive services to fixed route services, but rather, begin using fixed route services as their initial experience with transit of any kind. This makes a great deal of sense, especially in light of limited local resources, as the agency makes the best possible use of already existing training materials and staffing structures

Most travel training programs seem to fall under the authority of the transit agency marketing or operations department; to a much lesser extent, the agency planning department is sometimes involved. This mirrors the participation by functional area of expertise for the Centre County project, as marketing, operations, and planning are all appropriately represented on the project team

The most effective training staff members seem to be selected and advanced based upon personal qualities (empathy, flexibility, commitment to the goals and objectives of the program, etc.) rather than on their initial level of technical expertise. The survey responses seem to suggest that the technical capabilities can be more readily taught than personal qualities

Although successful staff members are often selected based upon personal qualities, a number of respondents cited the importance of ongoing professional development as critical to the success of their travel training program

Strong and ongoing partnerships with contractors, human service agencies, other local transportation providers, and other significant entities such as employers, seem to be essential to the success of any



travel training program; nearly all respondents cited at least one community partnership as foundational to the design and implementation of the travel training program

Only the largest agencies seem to split travel training activities into their own dedicated department; these larger agencies – as expected – also have the ability to employ multiple responsible staff members, dedicate a much larger budget for travel training activities, and realize greater cost savings and operational efficiencies. For smaller transit agencies, proper balance among expenditures, staff time, and travel training benefits becomes much more critical

The success of any travel training program seems to be directly proportional to the accessibility level of the fixed route system; in cases where stops are not accessible or first mile / last mile concerns are substantial, it is much more difficult to transition riders to the fixed route system. Accordingly, increasing the accessibility level of the fixed route system can and should be viewed as a companion effort to more traditional travel training activities

Many responding transit agencies do not seem to have a firm grasp on program costs or cost savings and operational efficiencies realized; where building general awareness and ridership are primary organizational goals, this information may not be as critical. For an agency that places a higher priority on a favorable cost-benefit ratio for initiatives (including travel training), however, a robust data collection and reporting system is essential to facilitate comparison of program performance over time and across peer agencies

A number of respondents noted that buy-in and support from all levels of the organization is critical to program success; clearly any travel training efforts will be less successful absent a champion within the transit agency organizational structure

Where the transit agency adheres to a more rigid paratransit eligibility and assessment process, it often makes a great deal of sense to link travel training activities with these eligibility and assessment activities

Successful smaller travel training programs seem to be characterized by the flexibility of having more than one responsible and participating staff member, even if this additional support consists of only a partial full-time equivalent (FTE). All of the respondents operating travel training programs with only a single staff member cited the need for additional staff support to be able to realize the full potential of the program

Nearly every respondent cited securement of a dedicated, predictable source of funding as essential to the ongoing maintenance and success of a travel training program; in most cases, the program start-up was funded through a grants program, but ongoing maintenance is accommodated in the transit agency operating budget

Although most survey respondents seemed to agree that marketing of travel training services and community outreach made for a more successful program, a smaller sub-set of respondents provide little to nothing in terms of program marketing, presumably to keep program growth and costs in check, or as a result of a lack of resources



CONSULTATION WITH PILOT AGENCIES

The CCMPO, CATA, and the CCOT face limited budgets and staff resources as challenges in implementing a travel training program. Both the literature review and peer community surveys seem to suggest a measured approach to program design and implementation in similar cases. Moreover, both the literature review and peer community surveys point to differences in approach to travel training activities depending on the intended audience (senior citizens, persons with disabilities, general public riders, etc.). Because the CCMPO, CATA, and CCOT staff do not possess many of the necessary technical competencies in terms of working directly with core travel training constituencies, strong partnerships with local human service agencies who are experts in serving both senior citizens and persons with disabilities seem critical. In a strategy and brainstorming meeting, the project team developed a list of about 10-12 potential partner agencies that serve senior citizens and/or persons with disabilities within Centre County. In the interests of taking a cautious, measured approach to program design and implementation – as well as in light of the divergent approaches needed for senior citizens and persons with disabilities – the project team elected to identify one partner agency for each of the two constituencies. Both partnerships are being used to design support materials, conduct “train the trainer” sessions, test an approach, and make refinements as necessary and appropriate. SKILLS of Central Pennsylvania, Inc. Established in 1960, SKILLS provides a wide variety of services, primarily focused on supporting individuals with disabilities so they can live self-determined lives. These services include residential, vocational, rehabilitative, and social opportunities. The agency assists individuals with disabilities in acquiring gainful employment in local business and industry; helps these individuals find homes that offer security, comfort, and the benefit of around-the-clock care and support to meet complex medical needs, if necessary; and encourages participants to give back to their community in self-directed ways through volunteering at-large for nonprofit and community organizations. A partnership between the travel training project team and SKILLS makes a great deal of sense for both parties. SKILLS is one of the pre-eminent organizations serving individuals with disabilities not only in Centre County, but also in 15 other central Pennsylvania counties. CATA and the CCOT have a long history of working with the agency to meet the transportation needs of individual participants, especially as these transportation needs help to support employment activities. Moreover, the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of SKILLS held a seat on the CATA Board of Directors for much of the duration of this project; as such, good inter-organizational relationships and lines of communication were already in place. After an initial meeting between CCMPO and SKILLS staff to assess willingness to work cooperatively on this project, SKILLS agreed to become one of our pilot agencies. A follow-up meeting was held in May 2016 among the CCMPO, CATA, and SKILLS to begin to sketch out what a travel training program and materials might look like. As stated earlier in this report, the “You Can Ride” document from Easter Seals Project ACTION was used as a framework to gauge staff and participant familiarity with using CATA services. The results of this meeting are summarized below by functional element:

General o At least three clients identified for initial round of travel training, perhaps even a few more who

may benefit



o SKILLS provides services in a number of central PA counties, may eventually have interest in

carpool and vanpool training as well o Also met with a staff member for the Opportunity Centre Clubhouse, an entity that works

closely with SKILLS. The Clubhouse: Is primarily comprised of clients with mental health issues Provides an atmosphere of peer-to-peer support Supports the goal of temporary transitional employment before competitive

employment Hosts mobile therapy and psychiatric support services Generally receives five to ten referrals per month

o The client base is generally becoming younger, in terms of both age and attitude, and more mobile

o Modified training activities may be needed for special events (football games, homecoming, reduced service)

o Staff will typically follow a client in an agency or personal vehicle following training to evaluate the client’s grasp of training concepts

Pass Program o One challenge in serving clients who seek employment is that some financial assistance is

needed for transportation until regular paychecks begin to come in (usually 1-2 weeks) o CATA was able to distribute two weeks’ worth of complimentary ride passes for a specific client;

there is a possibility that CATA is willing to continue to do this for future clients, based upon anticipated cost savings from shifting clients from paratransit to fixed route service

o We also need to figure out a pass solution so that trainers can ride while engaged in the training process

o CATA is currently examining some general elements of its “swipe card” pass system to see how we can best meet the needs of SKILLS’ trainers and clients as we move forward.

Trip Planning o Great deal of support needed for both trainers and participants in reading a bus schedule o Trainers intend to prepare an individualized trip planning sheet for each client; CATA’s support

will also be useful in this task o Both trainers and clients will need support in utilizing the mobile apps and Google Transit;

mobile apps may be placed on computers at Opportunity Centre Clubhouse o CATA should prepare a list of popular destinations – including routes that serve each

destination – and update it on a regular basis o CATA’s website videos may be helpful not only in terms of trip planning but in other elements

of travel training also

Stop Identification o CATA can furnish images of both campus and community bus stop signs to demonstrate what a

stop looks like, and how it is marked

Waiting and Timing o Standard practice is for trainers to back up clients and start them on the earlier trip to mitigate

any contingencies that may arise



o One useful element of training will be communication with the driver to inform them that a

transfer will be needed (to what route, what time, location, etc.) o Contingency information will be included on an individualized trip planning sheet o Participants generally do not panic in the event of a contingency; they know to just wait for the

next trip o This element will be more critical for routes that have a longer headway o Generally, keep it simple for the participant; do not over-complicate

Route Identification o A document listing primary destinations on each route would be helpful o A companion document listing destinations by type (medical, educational, housing, etc.) and by

route would also be helpful

Travel Direction o CATA needs to assist by defining and explaining the difference between “inbound” (toward

campus and downtown) and “outbound” (away from campus and downtown) directions to trainers

Boarding Techniques o Personal, hands-on training is needed for SKILLS staff to build familiarity with and competence

in using on-board equipment including bus kneeling feature, wheelchair ramp, seating, and mobility device securement locations

Mobility Device Securement o Covered under “Boarding Techniques” section, in part o Personal, hands-on training should also be provided to SKILLS staff for mobility device

securement techniques

Fare Payment o Assistance is needed for SKILLS staff in terms of providing information on half-fare programs

Driver Assistance o It will be important to build and maintain ongoing relationships among participants, trainers,

and drivers o How can drivers and participants best work together to identify and prompt for an approaching

stop?

On-Board Technology o Hands-on experience may be useful in helping trainers to understand and use technology such

as real-time information screens, wheelchair ramps, annunciators, and pull cords

Remote Technology o Covered under “Trip Planning” and “Transfer Techniques” sections

Service Animals o Need to train SKILLS staff on service animal policies and procedures



o Only exception to carrier / muzzle rule is a service dog

Following Rules, Regulations, and Procedures o Need to build familiarity for trainers with respect to this particular element o Website videos may be of use; a summary or handout of the most important points may also be

helpful o CATA support and materials will help trainers work with participants on existing or potential

behavioral issues

Carry-Along Items o Covered under “Following Rules, Regulations, and Procedures” section

Exiting Techniques o Covered under “Boarding Techniques” section

Crosswalk Safety / Navigating Trip “First-Mile and Last-Mile” o SKILLS staff believe they can build basic familiarity with these concepts as part of the

individualized trip planning and training process o No further need for CATA support or assistance anticipated for this element at this time

Transfer Techniques o SKILLS staff believe they can build basic familiarity with these concepts as part of the

individualized trip planning and training process o CATA support or assistance anticipated at this time may be needed in educating SKILLS staff on

transfer policies, requesting a transfer, and familiarity with the web/mobile apps, the latter to facilitate the timing of transfers

o To the extent passes are used in the program, this element may not be as critical Centre Region Senior Center The Centre Region Senior Center is operated by the Centre Region Parks & Recreation (CRPR) Authority with the assistance of the Centre County Office of Aging. It is one of six senior center locations supported by the Office of Aging within Centre County. Each center location offers a wide variety of recreational activities for adults aged 55 and older. Staff will work with participants to arrange for transportation services, and meal services are provided as well. As with SKILLS, partnership between the travel training project team and the Centre Region Senior Center makes a great deal of sense for both parties. All senior center locations are well-respected for their competence and compassion in serving the County’s senior citizen populations. Both CATA and the CCOT have a long history of working with these locations (with CATA serving the Centre Region and Bellefonte locations, and the CCOT serving all six locations) to meet the transportation needs of individual participants. The Centre Region Senior Center is very accessible via fixed route transit, even following their move to the Nittany Mall. Moreover, CCMPO staff is housed in the same building as CRPR staff; as such, good inter-organizational relationships and lines of communication were already in place. After an initial meeting between CCMPO and Senior Center staff to assess willingness to work cooperatively on this project, the Centre Region Senior Center agreed to become the second of two pilot agencies. A follow-up



meeting was held in May 2016 among the CCMPO, CATA, and Senior Center staff to begin to sketch out what a trav

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