SE Kansas Area Transit Coordinating Council, Inc.

Coordinated Transit District 10

Coordinated Public Transit-Human Service Plan

Planning Document for Linn, Woodson, Allen, Bourbon, Wilson, Neosho, Crawford, Montgomery, Labette, and CherokeeCounties

Final

Prepared

November 30, 2007

FTA Review Check List

Coordinated Human Services Public Transportation Plan

Section I: Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan

  1. Assessment of available services identifying current providers (public, private, non-profit): Pg. 7-12
  2. Assessment of need for individuals with disabilities, older adults and people with low incomes. This assessment can be based on experiences and perceptions of the planning partners or more sophisticated data collection efforts, and gaps in service (Note: If a community does not intend to seek funding for a particular program – Section 5310, JARC or New Freedom – then the community is not required to include an assessment of the targeted population in its coordinated plan): Pg. 14, 23-29
  3. Strategies and / or activities to address the identified gaps and achieve efficiencies in service delivery: Pg. 16-20
  4. Relative priorities for implementation based on resources, time, and feasibility for implementing specific strategies / activities identified: Pg. 15, 21

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction...... 1
  1. Description of Service Area...... 2

Counties included in CTD...... 2

Demographics of CTD by county for CTD 10
Transit Dependent Populations...... 2

  1. Inventory of Transportation Providers in CTD 10...... 4

Stakeholder Identification...... 6

Transportation Providers Funded by KDOT...... 7

Other Transportation Providers...... 11

  1. Transportation Needs in the CTD...... 14

Framework for Action Summary...... 14

Service Gaps: What do we need to do better?...... 15

  1. Prioritized Needs...... 15, 24
  1. Action Plan...... 16
  1. Attachments
  2. Sample letter of invitation to participate...... 25
  3. Completed Framework for Action...... 26
  4. Stakeholder contact log...... 33
  5. Summit roster...... 74

List of Tables

Table 1: Transportation Dependent Populations, 2005 Estimates...... 3

Table 2: Planning Participants...... 6

Table 3: Transportation Providers in the CTD 10 Service Area...... 10

Table 4: Other Transportation Providers in CTD 10...... 11

Table 5: Summary of Survey Results...... 14

List of Figures

Figure 1: Map of Coordinated Transit District 10...... 2

Figure 2: Population Density for Counties in CTD 10 by Census Tract.....3

Figure 3: Organizations...... 4

Figure 4: Planning Participation...... 5

Figure 5: Intercity Bus Routes...... 12

Coordinated Transit District 10

Coordinated Public Transit-Human Service Plan

(Linn, Woodson, Allen, Bourbon, Wilson, Neosho, Crawford, Montgomery, Labette, and CherokeeCounties)

November 30, 2007

1. Introduction

The goal of this plan is to improve coordination of transportation and human services in Coordinated Transit District 10. It also fulfills the federal planning requirements of SAFETEA-LU which consist of the following:

  • Aunified, comprehensive strategy for public transportation service delivery;
  • Identifies transportation needs of individuals with disabilities, older adults, and individuals with limited incomes;
  • Lays out strategies for meeting those needs; and
  • Prioritizes services.

To complete the plan, CTD members were asked to complete inventories and web-based surveys. They were also asked to participate in a transportation planning summit held on April 24th, 2007. Twenty-five of the seven-hundred twenty-six people invited participated in the summit.

By the end of the summit, a draft action plan was completed. A coordinated public transit-human service transportation plan was developed based on data and input received from summit stakeholders. All identified stakeholders were given the opportunity to comment on the action plan before it was finalized to be included in this report.

This plan addresses transit coordination priorities for the period from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2010, but may be updated periodically to meet developing needs in the communities of Coordinated Transit District 10.

2. Description of Service Area

Counties included in CTD.

In Kansas, there are 15 Coordinated Transit Districts (CTDs). Each CTD is responsible for coordinating public transit within their service area and membership consists of recipients of public and human service transit funds from the Kansas Department of Transportation. The CTD is located in the area of the state Southeast. 10. Map 1 contains the ten counties that are included in CTD 10: Linn, Woodson, Allen, Bourbon, Wilson, Neosho, Crawford, Montgomery, Labette, and Cherokee.

Demographics of CTD 10 by county for
Transit Dependent Populations

Almost 185,149 people live in the CTD 10 service area. Figure 2 provides the population density of the area by number of persons living in each square mile. The areas surrounding the following towns have the highest population densities:

  • Baxter Springs
  • Chanute
  • Galena
  • Independence
  • Iola
  • Parsons
  • Pittsburg

Specialized transportation funds are targeted to individuals that are more likely to be transportation disadvantaged. Groups included in this category are older adults and individuals with disabilities, and individuals with incomes below the poverty level. Over 17.3% of the area’s population was age 65 or older, which was higher than the state’s overall rate of 13%. However, the rate of individuals with a go-outside-of-home disability was consistent with the state at 6.6%. The poverty rate of individuals 18 and older was slightly higher in the area (8.9%) than the overall state (6.5%).

Figure 2 Population Density for Counties in CTD 10 by Census Tract

Table 1

Transportation Dependent Populations

2005 Estimates

  1. Inventory of Transportation Providers in CTD

Stakeholder Identification

The CTD members identified 726 organizations that would be impacted by the Coordinated Plan. Human service providers represented the highest percentage of the stakeholder organizations. This is not surprising because there are many human service providers in CTD 10 whose clients rely on public transportation, and as a result these providers often have to coordinate their services with transit providers.

Each organization was invited to the Transportation Summit, as well as asked to either complete a transportation inventory and/or a human service provider inventory. 3.6 percent of those organizations either attended the Summit or submitted inventories.

Table 2

Planning Participants

Agency Name / City / Attended Summit / Inventory Received
All FaithChurch / Mulberry / No / Yes
Arrowood Lane Residential Care Facility / Humboldt / No / Yes
BibleBaptistChurch / Neodesha / No / Yes
CherryStreetYouthCenter / Chanute / No / Yes
First Assembly of God / FortScott / No / Yes
First Assembly of God / Fredonia / No / Yes
First Presbyterian Church / Columbus / No / Yes
Frontenac United Methodist / Frontenac / No / Yes
Medical Lodge South / Pittsburg / No / Yes
NeodeshaSeniorCenter / Neodesha / No / Yes
Saint Peter's LutheranChurch / Humboldt / No / Yes
The Udder Mudder Daycare / Girard / No / Yes
Wesley Little Learners Preschool / Parsons / No / Yes
YatesCenterSeniorCenter / YatesCenter / No / Yes
AllenCounty Transportation System / Iola / Yes / Yes
Bourbon Co. Senior Citz. Transportation / FortScott / Yes / No
CLASS LTD / Columbus / Yes / Yes
Elm Acres Youth & Family Services / Pittsburg / Yes / Yes
Four County Mental HealthCenter / Independence / Yes / Yes
GirardHospital / Girard / Yes / No
LinnCounty Transportation / MoundCity / Yes / Yes
Mt.CarmelMedicalCenter / Pittsburg / Yes / Yes
ParsonsStateHospital / Parsons / Yes / Yes
Pittsburg Transportation Service / Pittsburg / Yes / Yes
Prairie Mission Retirement Village Inc. / St. Paul / Yes / No
SEK - Area Agency on Aging / Chanute / Yes / Yes
SEK Mental HealthCenter / Humboldt / Yes / Yes
SEK-CAP / Girard / Yes / Yes
Senior Services of SEK / COFFEYVILLE / Yes / Yes
SKIL / Columbus / Yes / No
SKIL / Chanute / Yes / No
Thanks Program, Inc / Fredonia / Yes / Yes
Thrive AllenCounty / Iola / Yes / No
Tri-Valley Developmental Services, Inc. / Chanute / Yes / Yes
WilsonCountyHospital / Neodesha / Yes / No
Windsor Place / COFFEYVILLE / Yes / No
Woodson CountyCommissions / YatesCenter / Yes / No
Woodworth Community Service / Parsons / Yes / Yes

Attachment C contains the stakeholder contact log, which is a complete list of organizations who were contacted as part of the planning process.

Transportation Providers Funded by KDOT

Transportation providers who are members of CTD 10 receive capital and operating assistance from the state and federal government. The two primary funding programs are the Section 5310 (Specialized Transportation for the Elderly or Disabled) and Section 5311 (General Public Transportation). The following paragraphs include are descriptions of providers funded by KDOT.

Southeast Kansas Community Action Program, Inc. CTD # 10

This non-profit corporation provides all types of trips to the elderly, disabled, and the general public. This provider utilizes a deviated fixed route system. It serves Allen, Bourbon, Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, Linn and Montgomery counties and is funded by Section 5311 and State funds. The agency has fourteen vehicles of which eight are lift-equipped.

Southeast Kansas Mental HealthCenter

This non-profit corporation provides transportation for disabled individuals for medical, personal business, education, recreation, shopping, and employment trips. The provider services Anderson, Linn, Allen, Bourbon, Neosho, and Woodson counties and is funded by Section 5310 funds. The agency has six vehicles, one of which is lift equipped.

Mt.Carmel Regional Medical center

This non-profit corporation provides demand response trips for elderly and disabled individuals for medical trips. It serves CrawfordCounty and parts of Cherokee, Labette, and Bourbon counties, and is funded by Section 5310 funds. The center owns five vehicles, including two lift-equipped vehicles.

Thanks Program, Inc.

This non-profit corporation provides demand response trips for elderly, disabled, and the general public for medical, personal business, recreation, and shopping and is funded by Section 5311 Capital and Operating funds. It serves WilsonCounty and has five vehicles including two lift-equipped vehicles.

Pittsburg Transportation Services Inc

This non-profit corporation provides demand response trips for elderly, disabled, and the general public for all types of trips. It serves Pittsburg and Frontenac, and is funded by Section 5311 for capital and operating costs. The center owns two vehicles, none of which are lift-equipped vehicles.

Linn County, Kansas

This county organization provides demand response trips for elderly, disabled and the general public for medical, personal business, education, and shopping trips. It serves LinnCounty, but can travel outside the county boundaries for specialized medical care and other services. It is funded by Section 5311 funds. The center owns two vehicles, including one lift-equipped vehicles.

CLASS LTD

This non-profit corporation provides fixed routes and demand response trips for elderly, disabled and the general public for all types of trips. The fixed route service serves Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, and Montgomery counties, while a demand response service is provided within the city limits of Parsons. Section 5311 funds the non-profit for capital and operating costs, and Section 5309 Capital funds. CLASS LTD owns eighteen vehicles, including eight lift-equipped vehicles.

BourbonCounty Senior Citizens

This non-profit corporation provides demand response trips for the elderly, disabled and general public for all types of trips. It serves the City of Fort Scott and the surrounding three miles, and is funded by Section 5311 funds for operating costs. The center owns two vehicles, including one lift-equipped vehicles.

Elm Acres Youth and Family Services

This non-profit corporation provides fixed route, deviated route, and demand response trips for elderly and disabled individuals for medical trips. It serves the Pittsburg and Frontenac area and the Columbus area, and is funded by Section 5311 funds for capital and operating costs. The center owns six vehicles, of which none are lift-equipped.

Tri-Valley Developmental Services, Inc.

This non-profit corporation provides demand response, fixed routes, and deviated route trips for the elderly, disabled, and general public for all types of trips. It serves Neosho, Allen, Bourbon, and WoodsonCounty and is funded by Section 5311 operating funds. The center owns nine vehicles, including four lift-equipped vehicles.

Senior Services of Southeast Kansas, Inc.

This non-profit corporation provides demand response trips for the elderly, disabled and general public for medical, personal, recreational, shopping, and nutritional trips. It serves the cities of Humboldt, Iola, Edna, Mound Valley, Oswego, Coffeyville, Cherryvale, Independence, Erie, Neosho Falls and Toronto, and is funded by Section 5311 for operating funds. The center owns twelve vehicles, including seven lift-equipped vehicles.

Four County Mental HealthCenter

This non-profit corporation provides fixed route and demand response trips for elderly and disabled individuals for all types of trips. It serves MontgomeryCounty and WilsonCounty, and is funded by Section 5310 and State funds. The center does not currently have any vehicles.

Allen CountyService to Elderly Van

This county service provides demand response and fixed route trips for the elderly for medical, personal business, recreational, shopping, and nutritional trips. It serves AllenCounty, and is funded by State for its operating funds. The center owns one vehicle, which is lift-equipped vehicle.

Table 3

Transportation Providers Funded by FTA 5310 or 5311 or State

County / Agency Name / Type of service / Funding / Total of Vehicles (KDOT vehicles in parentheses) / Annual Ridership
Allen / SEK Mental HealthCenter / Other / 5310 / (6) / 30100
Allen / AllenCounty Transportation System / CountyGovernment / 5310,
State Operating / 665
Cherokee / CLASS LTD / Demand Response, Fixed Route / 5311,
5309 / (18)
Crawford / Elm Acres Youth & Family Services / Demand Response, Fixed- Deviated- Route / 5311 / (6) / 1040
Cherokee / SEK-CAP / Fixed Route / 5311,
State Operating / (16)
Montgomery / Senior Services of SEK / Demand Response / 5311 / (12) / 1056
Wilson / Thanks Program, Inc / Demand Response / 5311 / 5 (5) / 531
Neosho / Tri-Valley Developmental Services, Inc. / Demand Response, Fixed- Deviated- Route / 5311 / 10 (9) / 4100
Bourbon / SEK-CAP / 5311
Crawford / SEKCAP Inc. / 5311
Bourbon / Bourbon Co. Senior Citz. Transportation / Demand Response / 5311 / (2)
Crawford / Pittsburg Transportation Service / Demand Response / 5311 / 10 (2) / 900
Linn / LinnCounty Transportation / Demand Response / 5311 / 1 (1) / 2120
Crawford / Mt.CarmelRegionalMedicalCenter / Demand Response / 5310 / (5)
Montgomery / Four County Mental HealthCenter / Demand Response, Fixed Route / 5310,
State Operating / (0)

Other Transportation Providers in CTD 10

There are also other funding sources for transportation providers. Table 4 consists of an inventory of other transportation providers that serve CTD 10.

Table 4

Other Transportation Providers in CTD 10

County / Agency Name / City / Type of Agency
Montgomery / CLASS LTD / Independence
Montgomery / Coffeyville Transportation / Coffeyville
Neosho / Juvenile Transport Specialists LLC / Chanute
Bourbon / Tri-Valley Development / FortScott
Bourbon / First Assembly of God / FortScott / Church
Labette / Woodworth Community Service / Parsons / Home Health Agency
Crawford / All FaithChurch / Mulberry / Church
Allen / Arrowood Lane Residential Care Facility / Humboldt / Residential Care Facilities
Wilson / BibleBaptistChurch / Neodesha / Church
Crawford / Medical Lodge South / Pittsburg / Nursing Facility
Montgomery / MEDIRIDE / CANEY
Montgomery / Mercy Transportation / Independence
Woodson / YatesCenterSeniorCenter / YatesCenter / SeniorCenter
Labette / ParsonsStateHospital / Parsons / Developmental Services

Intercity Bus

Jefferson Lines provide intercity bus service in the CTD 10. The nearest intercity bus stops are in Iola and Chanute. Figure 5 illustrates intercity bus routes nearest to CTD 10.


Figure 5: Intercity Bus Routes

Five intercity bus companies were invited to the Transportation Summiton April 24th, 2007; however, none of them attended the summit. The companies invited include the following:

  • American Bus Association;
  • Autobuses Los Paisanos;
  • El Conejo Bus Lines;
  • Greyhound (Industry Relations); and
  • Jefferson Lines (Marketing and Sales).

Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans (Transportation)

Transportation planning and coordinating the needs of vulnerable populations can significantly contribute to the success of emergency responses. The following groups require special consideration when preparing evacuation plans: the transportation dependent population; the population residing in nursing, assisted living, or other residential facilities; and hospital patients.

One local emergency planning official were invited to the transportation summit, which included:

Emergency Preparedness, WilsonCounty

None of those invited attended the summit:
4. Transportation Needs in the CTD

Framework for Action Survey Results

To assess the current level of coordination in CTD 10, over 700 transportation and human service providers were asked to complete an online survey. The Framework for Action: A Self-Assessment Tool for Communities was the survey instrument used. Table 5 provides a summary of the results of the web-based survey.

Table 5

Summary of Survey Results

(N=7 individuals)

Area / Done Well / Needs Some Action / Needs Substantial Action / Needs to Begin / Unsure
  1. Making Things Happen by Working Together
/
29% /
14% /
14% /
0% /
43%
  1. Taking Stock of Community Needs and Moving Forward
/
29% /
14% /
0% /
29% /
29%
  1. Putting Customers First
/
43% /
14% /
14% /
0% /
29%
  1. Adapting Funding for Greater Mobility
/
0% /
29% /
0% /
0% /
71%
  1. Moving People Efficiently
/
14% /
43% /
0% /
14% /
29%

CTD 10 Coordinated Public Transit-

Human Service Plan1November 2007

Service Gaps: What do we need to do better?

During the summit, each sub-group was asked to assess whether the current transportation system is meeting communities expectations. They were asked to create a list of “What do we need to do better?” Below is a summary of their comments.

  • Improve Education and awareness of transportation needs.
  • Public awareness/relations
  • Better marketing efforts
  • Improve coordination between providers
  • Use available vehicles more often
  • Networking system / Personal contact
  • Centralized Dispatching
  • Evaluation of services / Do “needs” survey
  • Expand Service
  • More transportation vehicles
  • Meet the need of all populations
  • Point to point service
  • Door to door service
  • Weekend and evening service
  • Demand Response
  • Transportation between communities
  • Other factors that would improve coordination
  • Obtain non-traditional funding sources

5. Prioritized Transportation Service Needs in CTD 10