DDS 5year Plan NCHSD conference Javier Robles

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NJ Division of Disability Services Five-Year
Transportation Plan Meeting the Employment
Transportation Needs of People with Disabilities
in New Jersey Presented By Javier Robles,
JD NCHSD Conference November 9, 2006
Presentation courtesy of the Alan M. Voorhees
Transportation Center Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey
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Acknowledgements

• Funding for this study was provided by the
  Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
  Medicaid Infrastructure Grant No. CODA 93.779
• This study was made possible through the
  participation and contributions of many
• NJDHS Division of Disability Services
• NJ TRANSIT
• Hundreds of survey and focus group participants
• County paratransit providers
• Nonprofit service providers
• Research team Dr. Richard Brail, Jon Carnegie,
  Dr. Brenda Johnson, Andrea Lubin, Pippa Woods,
  and research assistants Aaron Cardon, Jianye
  Chen, Jeffrey Perlman, Richard Rabinowitz and
  Ginna Smith

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Why Study Transportation?

• In New Jersey Transportation was only second to
  housing in numbers of calls the Division of
  Disability Services received
• There was no clear study on transportation needs
  of people with disabilities who wished to work
• New Jersey lacked a plan or roadmap as to what
  to do about transportation for this group
• No study or plan meant no way to approach the
  Governor or Legislature

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Quote

• The reasonable man adapts himself to
• the world the unreasonable one
• persists in trying to adapt the world to
• himself. Therefore all progress
• depends on the unreasonable man.
• George Bernard Shaw

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5 Year Plan Cost

• New Jersey spent 252,000 on this Project
• Project was conducted by the Alan M. Voorhees
  Transportation Policy Institute with Assistance
  from the MIG Project Staff
• Main Problem Issues Included
• State and Department Approval
• State and Department Approvals
• State and Department Approvals

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Study Objectives

• Document the transportation needs of people with
  disabilities in New Jersey with particular
  emphasis on those working or seeking work in a
  competitive work environment
• Inventory available transportation services
• Identify and document transportation barriers to
  work for people with disabilities
• Recommend ways to address the identified barriers

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Geography of Disability in New Jersey

• One in five (17 percent) New Jersey residents
  report having a disability
• Two-thirds (68 percent) of the States disabled
  population report having a disability that makes
  it difficult to work
• Essex County has the greatest number of disabled
  residents (140,551) Hunterdon County has the
  lowest (12,130)
• The density of people with disabilities range
  from twenty six persons/sq. mile in Salem county
  to 2,292 persons/sq. mile in Hudson County
• Patterns vary widely by county and municipality

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Accessible Transportation Options in NJ

• NJ TRANSIT Buses, trains and Access Link
• County Services
• Municipal Services
• Nongovernmental Services
• Private Transportation Taxis and Medical Access
  Vehicles

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Transportation Provider Inventory and Survey

• Type of services provided
• Service area and hours of operation
• Fleet characteristics size of fleet, mix of
  vehicles and vehicle accessibility
• Customers served
• Trip purposes
• Funding sources
• Eligibility requirements
• Driver training

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Transportation Needs Assessment

• Consumer survey
• 4,600 surveys distributed
• 381 respondents
• 8.2 percent response rate
• Focus groups
• Consumers 45 individuals participated in four
  in-person focus groups (Trenton, Vineland, New
  Brunswick, Newark) and two on-line bulletin board
  discussions
• Vocational rehabilitation counselors
• Paratransit drivers and managers (Middlesex
  County)
• Transportation Access and Work Opportunity
  Analysis

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Consumer Survey Findings

• 75 percent of survey respondents were working age
  (18 and 64 years old) and approximately half (46
  percent) were employed
• Most (74 percent) unemployed working age
  respondents reported they were not actively
  looking for work
• 14 percent reported lack of transportation was a
  barrier to employment
• Less than one quarter (18 percent) employed
  respondents reported needing a wheelchair
  accessible or specially equipped vehicle
• At the same time, nearly two in five (38 percent)
  unemployed respondents reported such a need
• 69 percent of survey respondents reported using
  Access Link to travel to/from work, 18 percent
  traveled by private car/van as a passenger, 15
  percent used a bus/train and 13 percent used
  county paratransit

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Consumer Survey Findings

• Two thirds (66 percent) of survey respondents had
  a generally favorable opinion of NJ TRANSIT bus
  and rail services however, less than half agreed
  that services were easily accessible for
  someone with their disability or sufficiently
  flexible to meet their needs.
• The vast majority (85 percent) of survey
  respondents had a generally favorable opinion of
  NJ TRANSIT Access Link service. Access Link
  received its lowest ratings in the categories of
  flexibility (69 percent) and reliability (75
  percent).
• More than two thirds (70 percent) of survey
  respondents expressed a favorable opinion of
  county paratransit services. Lowest ratings were
  in the categories of flexibility (48 percent) and
  convenience (56 percent).

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Focus Group Findings

• The availability and quality of transportation
  services often varies depending on geographic
  location and transportation needs often vary
  depending on client disability.
• Residential location and accessibility to
  different transportation options greatly
  influences individual decisions to seek
  employment.
• The task of trip planning within the current
  system is often overwhelming and the
  uncertainty/irregularity of service can affect an
  individuals work experience as well as their
  decision to remain employed.
• The fragmented nature of the current
  transportation system makes it challenging to
  find an appropriate means of getting to/from
  work.

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Focus Group Findings

• There is no central source for transportation
  information and/or trip planning assistance.
  Issues related to trip planning, scheduling and
  personal safety often hinders employment options.
  
• There are differing and often conflicting
  expectations related to the level of service
  offered and possible from county paratransit
  systems in particular. This creates problems for
  clients, drivers and managers.
• Travel behavior of persons with disabilities is
  highly dependant on the nature and extent of
  their disability as well as the transportation
  environment. Both of these factors may influence
  whether or not a disabled person is working or
  able to retain employment.

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Focus Group Findings

• Specific transportation challenges facing
  disabled persons seeking employment include
• Variation in eligibility requirements
• Multiple pick-ups and long routes
• Lack of advance notice or communication regarding
  schedule delays and arrival times
• Policies regarding boarding and alighting
  assistance
• Driver rudeness, impatience, and insensitivity
• Policies related to scheduling, including advance
  reservation requirements and cancellation
  consequences
• Access Links 3/4 mile service area
• Pick-up/drop-off windows (e.g., 20 minutes before
  and 20 minutes after scheduled time)
• Lack of transportation options/alternatives in
  some areas
• Vehicle safety issues and
• Restrictions related to making linked trips.

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Access and Work Opportunity Analysis

• Work opportunity for people with disabilities
  is a function of many complex and often related
  factors
• Disability type and severity
• Availability of skill-appropriate jobs within a
  reasonable commute
• Labor force competition and local economic
  conditions
• Employer willingness to make needed
  accommodations
• Quantity and quality of available transportation
  options
• For the purpose of this analysis, we examined
  three primary factors
• Transit coverage and proximity of residence
  location to fixed route transit and/or Access
  Link
• Proximity of jobs to fixed route transit and/or
  Access Link
• Quality and quantity of county paratransit
  services

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Area Served by NJ TRANSIT Fixed Route Transit
and Access Link
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Bus, Rail and Access Link Coverage
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Proximity of Disabled Residents to Transit
Services
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Proximity of Jobs to Transit Services
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Characteristics of County Paratransit
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Composite Analysis
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Institutional Barriers

• The most pressing need relative to enhancing
  transportation services for people with
  disabilities continues to be the need for
  improved coordination
• Frequently cited barriers to coordination
  include
• Unwillingness or inability to share vehicles due
  to different needs and characteristics of client
  populations
• Perception of the high costs of coordination from
  the provider perspective
• Limited feasibility for coordination in areas
  lacking transportation options
• Inconsistency among programs with regard to
  eligibility requirements, funding sources,
  accounting/reporting requirements, safety
  standards, and program goals
• Inadequate guidance on potential implementation
  strategies
• Insufficient state-level leadership or commitment
  to guide coordination (USGAO 2003)

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Best Practices and Model Programs

• Best practices and Model Programs
• Coordinate paratransit with fixed route services
• Use flex-route services to enhance mobility and
  paratransit system efficiency
• Use taxi coupons/vouchers to expand transport
  options
• Provide travel training for people with
  disabilities
• Create One-stop transportation centers
• Use Job Access Reverse Commute funding to support
  employment transportation for people with
  disabilities
• Provide emergency ride home programs for people
  with disabilities commuting to/from work by
  transit/paratransit
• Use mobility managers/brokers to coordinate human
  services transportation

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Recommendations

• Foster awareness and understanding regarding the
  employment transportation needs of people with
  disabilities in New Jersey, the range of
  transportation options available and the benefits
  of better coordination
• Participate fully in the Federal United We Ride
  initiative, which is designed to improve and
  enhance the coordination of human services
  transportation
• Expand the resources available to improve/enhance
  transportation services for people with
  disabilities
• The State should reexamine the SCDRTAP funding
  allocation formula to ensure the needs of people
  with disabilities are adequately addressed
• County and NGO providers should consider making
  greater use of fares to supplement public funds
  available for transportation

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Recommendations

• Work cooperatively to create a more seamless
  community transportation system and consistently
  work toward improving and expanding travel
  options available to people with disabilities
• Expand the use of flex-route services
• Explore opportunities to better link paratransit
  services with fixed route transit
• Develop ways to facilitate and/or provide county
  paratransit service across county boundaries
• Employ advanced technologies to better meet
  consumer needs and service expectations with
  regard to advance scheduling, wait time windows,
  general service reliability and timeliness
• Create more uniform policies and procedures
  concerning eligibility requirements, passenger
  assistance practices, scheduling and fare/payment
  policies
• Ensure emergency ride home programs can
  accommodate rides for people with disabilities

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Recommendations

• Create an Internet-based one-stop for information
  on available transportation options and services
  for people with disabilities
• Develop and implement a regional travel
  concierge service designed to provide
  coordinated, seamless trip planning and
  scheduling assistance to people with disabilities
  and demonstrate the benefits of enhanced
  coordination
• Increase the number of accessible vehicles and
  facilities available from all public, private and
  NGO service providers
• Ensure NJ TRANSIT is complying with all ADA
  requirements
• Reform the States taxi and livery license laws
  to require that a minimum portion of each
  operators fleet is wheel chair accessible
• Establish minimum accessibility requirements for
  county paratransit fleets and NGO service
  providers receiving Federal and State funds

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Recommendations

• Increase driver education and training on a
  variety of topics, including the use of wheel
  chair tie-downs, lifts, and bridge plate
  operation emergency preparedness and first aid
  as well as driver sensitivity
• Expand the quality and availability of travel
  training programs for people with disabilities
  and the employment/social service counselors that
  serve them
• Ensure transportation service planning at all
  levels incorporates and addresses the needs of
  people with disabilities
• All agencies and organizations involved in the
  transportation planning process should solicit
  input from the disable community on an on-going
  and regular basis.
• Agencies should seek to create non-traditional
  opportunities for input and take extraordinary
  steps to include consumers in the planning and
  policy making process

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Now What?

• Following Recommendations Are In Process
• Create an Internet-based one-stop for information
  on available transportation options and services
  for people with disabilities
• Develop and implement a regional travel
  concierge service designed to provide
  coordinated, seamless trip planning and
  scheduling assistance to people with disabilities
  and demonstrate the benefits of enhanced
  coordination

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Now What?

• The Following Recommendations Are Accomplished
• Participate fully in the Federal United We Ride
  initiative, which is designed to improve and
  enhance the coordination of human services
  transportation
• Forum to Educate Consumers, Government,
  Legislature and others about the 5 Year Plan
• Distribution of 5 Year Plan to Numerous
  Constituencies

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Framework for Implementation
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http//www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dds/publicati
ons.html