Improving Public Transportation in Rural Areas and Tribal Communities

Rural areas and tribal communities in the United States vary widely (e.g., size, population density, demographics, current mobility options, economic conditions, proximity to small, medium, and large urban areas, proximity to health facilities, geography, road infrastructure, internet connectivity, weather conditions, and other distinguishing characteristics). Rural and tribal transit agencies located in different states and territories have different programs and practices overseeing, funding, and managing their services. Each of these factors, alone and in combination, effect decision-making and outcomes for the transit services. Insufficient financial and staffing resources make it challenging for transit in rural areas and tribal communities to identify and fully meet the travel and accessibility needs of the communities served, to communicate effectively with diverse patrons, to comply with national requirements, to improve equity, and to evaluate and adopt new technologies. The objective of this research is to produce a guidebook on how to initiate new and enhance existing rural and tribal public transportation services that improve mobility and accessibility. The guidebook should promote practices that are responsive to customers and aid transit providers in improving efficiency and effectiveness. The guidebook should also help transit providers better leverage and coordinate resources, comply with federal requirements, and adopt appropriate emerging technologies.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=4958
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This project is a joint NCHRP TCRP project (TCRP B-49).

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $750000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 08-147

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Schwager, Dianne

• Performing Organizations:

  KFH Group, Incorporated

  4630 Montgomery Avenue, Suite 520
  Bethesda, MD  United States  20814-
• Principal Investigators:

  Knapp, Sue

• Start Date: 20210827
• Expected Completion Date: 20241031
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accessibility; Equity; Handbooks; Mobility; Rural areas; Rural transit; Tribal government
• Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01739637
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 08-147
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: May 20 2020 9:42AM