Transit agencies that use federal monies to support the provision of fixed-route transit services must provide complementary paratransit services to support the needs of persons with disabilities who cannot access the fixed-route service because of those disabilities. In Florida, with an aging population and a growing and active disabled population, both paratransit and Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) service demand and operating costs have increased significantly. This has impacted local agencies primarily in terms of funding. However, it also has impacted transit staff because of the added importance placed on the planning and assessment of these services and the additional time that these functions require. To help meet this need, TD service planning, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit service planning, and other paratransit planning issues are areas in which TOA provides support to its clients. This support has included paratransit operational analyses, paratransit service planning, eligibility criteria assessment, community transportation coordinator (CTC) evaluations, Title VI service evaluations and reporting, and development of TDSPs and LCHSTPs, among others. One specialty area has been assisting smaller communities with the establishment of new fixed-route bus services to help address unmet transit demand and facilitate the transfer of transit trips from the paratransit system to the fixed-route system. To further help mainline paratransit users transition to less costly fixed-route service, TOA also has assisted transit agencies with identifying and mitigating ADA accessibility issues related to bus stops and facilities.

Representative paratransit planning and service projects include:

• Sarasota County Area Transit Paratransit Operational Analysis (2008, 2011)
• Pinellas County CTC Evaluation (2002, 2010, 2011)
• FDOT District 1 Heartland Rural Mobility Plan (2009)
• FDOT District 4 Regional Transit Efficiency Assessment (2008)
• FDOT District 4/Martin County Response Support for Triennial Audit (2007)
• Hernando County Paratransit Organizational Assessment (2006)
• Martin County Transit Efficiency Study (2005)
• Hernando County ADA Paratransit Plan (2001)
• Pasco County ADA Paratransit Plan (2001)

Additional Information

TOA Florida Transit Experience (PDF)

TOA National Transit Experience (PDF)

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