Universal Mobility
Implementation Resources
Al Benedict

Enjoli Dixon

Director Mobility Learning Center &Regional Liaison

Accessibility Programs

Introduction
The Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC)
is a non-profit organization working in
the public interest
SUMC is working to replace carcentric transportation with peoplefocused shared mobility to fightclimate change, promote equity, andstrengthen community.

Universal Mobility ResourceMobility Learning Center
Partnered with NCMM toconvene a diverse
working group to better
understand accessibility
needs and solutions.

https://learn.sharedusemobilitycenter.org/learning_module/universal-mobility/

What is Universal Mobility?

Universal mobility is a design
practice that ensures that alltransportation products andservices are inclusively
designed and available for alluser groups and are centeredon the complete trip.

Universal Mobility Planning & Implementation Resource
Checklist provides
steps that an agency
can take - butunderstand this takes
time and often starts
withChanging the culturearound creating anaccessible system Requires
coordination!

https://learn.sharedusemo
bilitycenter.org/learning_m
odule/universal-mobility/

What is Complete Trip?
All these components
are critical to assure
accessible service

USDOT ITS4US OVERVIEWUniversal Design
Facilities, Operations, Information Systems

Universal Design
Facilities
The first component of universal design is facility design– how facilities look and how their physical features
support accessibility. All the physical design featuresof a transit facility, bus stop, or mobility hub enableriders to use services before they even get on atransportation service.
Neighborhood Infrastructure is another integral pieceof facility design that refers to roadway and pedestrian
infrastructure, the streetscape, and paths of travel.

Universal DesignOperations
Transportation service is a continuum of operations including:
1. How individuals learn about services, schedules, and costs;
2. Procedures for purchasing tickets and paying fares;
3. How individuals board and deboard from a transportationmode;
4. Riding the service.
If one of these points in the continuum is not accessible, theentire trip can become inaccessible.

Universal Design
Information systems
Having information systems, including signage
and communication systems that are also
universally designed, is critical to respond to theneeds of individuals with sensory disabilities, suchas those who are blind or those with hearing
disabilities. Cognitive disabilities must also be
considered.
Technology can help but notalways required

Universal Design
Information systems
The agency needs to have a forum and aconsistent opportunity to gather perspective,
feedback, and insight from the disability community.
It is equally important that agencies have a reliable
and transparent means of sharing information
about the accessibility of all components of itssystem.

Mobility Data and Technology

Mobility Data and Technology
Mobility Data
An inclusive and well-functioning mobility system
requires understanding how mobility services
operate in real-time and assurance that mobility
service and accessibility information is available tothe public.
GTFS offers a starting
point into mobility data

https://learn.sharedusemobilitycenter.org/casestudy/maas-in-minnesota-developing-a-regional-tripplanning-platform/

Mobility Data and Technology
Mobility Data
New technologies and mobility data-driven solutions
are continually emerging. These technology solutions
are not always applied to projects with the end user inmind and thus are not sensitive to their personal orcultural means.
●●Avoid silos
Engage communities and users○ Creates support○ Helps avoid costly retrofits

https://learn.sharedusemobilitycenter.org/overview/on-demand-pilot-with-via-launched-for-seniorsand-people-with-disabilities-grand-rapids-mi-2019/

Mobility Data and TechnologyTechnology
Having data management systems in place andunderstanding mobility assets and challenges enables
agencies to take on more complex technology-drivensolutions.
● Does your agency have the○ Staff capacity○ Knowledge and funding to adopt, maintain, andoperate the technology solution○ Identifying the trade-offs○ Collaboration opportunities (DOTs/MPOs)

Photo Credit AARP
https://learn.sharedusemobilitycenter.org/casestudy/mobility-interoperability-logic-model-summary/Federal Policies Promoting Accessibility

All Stations Accessibility

https://www.transit.dot.gov/ASAP

PROWAGhttps://www.access-board.gov/prowag/

Thank you!

Al Benedict
Director of Mobility Learning Center &Accessibility Programs
Shared-Use Mobility Center
albert@sharedusemobilitycenter.org
sharedusemobilitycenter.org

Universal Mobility
Implementation Resource
Understanding Passengers

Enjoli Dixon
Project AssociateUnderstanding Passengers
Involves the following:● diverse social service and community-basedorganizations working together to provide accessible andsustainable transportation services and facilities

Understanding Passengers
Engaging the Community● understanding of how people get around● what influences their transportation choices
Results: mobility practitioners are better equipped tocustomize services and expand mobility among theirtargeted audiences

Understanding Passengers
Engaging the Community - Challenges•

Unaware of the types of mobility options/models that may bestalign with their community (both in relation to passenger needs
and geographic context).

•

Difficult to provide mobility options that are convenient, usable,and address mobility challenges.

Understanding Passengers
Engaging the Community - Challenges•

Lack of understanding and evaluation framework
to understand rider travel patterns, destinations
hotspots and mode choice preference.

•This is an important part of the mobility needs
assessment and should be coupled with anevaluation of current mobility services to identify
opportunities and needs.

Understanding Passengers
Engaging the Community - Challenges•

Riders are indicating that the new mobility
solution is not helping meet their mobilityneeds.

•This can occur when new mobility solutions
are implemented without firstunderstanding the mobility need, meetingwith riders, and conducting community
engagement.

Understanding Passengers
Engaging the Community - Challenges• Ridership is low and the mobility service is notreaching its intended users.
• This can occur when the target audience does
not have awareness, ownership, or trust in themobility solution

Understanding Passengers
Engaging the Community Recommendations••

Establish guiding principles for the community
engagement your team is conducting.
One unified vision is not realistic and weakens theengagement process.

Understanding Passengers
Engaging the Community Recommendations• Even if the planning and design process may be long, find ways togenerate tangible outcomes in the short term to demonstrate progress
and action towards the larger objective.
• Invest in low-cost ongoing community engagement exercises.

Understanding Passengers
Engaging the Community Recommendations• Establish partnerships with local community-based organizations(CBOs) and meet with them on a regular basis.
• Develop community transportation needs assessments to better
understandUnderstanding Passengers
Engaging the Community Recommendations• Develop rider personas to understandand empathize with different goals
and frustrations a rider may have

Understanding Passengers
Engaging the Community Recommendations• Define a marketing and outreach• strategy to ensure a mobility pilot
reaches the intended users.

Customer Service• Establishing good customer service processes andwayfinding signage is integral to individuals reusing amobility option and deeming it accessible

Customer Service
Information: For passengers to access information,
those who interact with customers should have themost current information on services provided in thesystem.

Operators: Operators are the frontline
workers in public transportation systems andtherefore leave the first impression on thepassenger.

Complaint Process: When addressing concerns orcomplaints is siloed or done on a one-by-one basis, it
is challenging to identify concerns that stem fromthe same problem.

ADA Compliance: The Americans with Disabilities(ADA) Act requires that all public transportation,vehicles, and facilities, are accessible for all.

Customer ServiceChallenges••••

Customers rely on vehicle operators or station
guides as sources of accurate information.
Misinformation can result in confusion about how
to use a service
Lack of operator response to customers can resultin loss of ridership or concern escalating to a larger
issue or complaintAgencies are required to provide and maintain
accessibility services for all passengers

Customer ServiceRecommendations•••••

Ensure communication between drivers, andoperations and planning staff
Have a customer-first attitude
Utilize the FTA’s technical assistance centers to aid
in customizing the operator customer service
training
Evaluate ADA guidelines and design on customer
environments, facilities, and vehicle components
Develop and integrate wayfinding signage, maps,
educational materials

Planning and Service Coordination• Ongoing coordination of transportation services
improves system connectivity and reliability andencourages the use of shared mobility options.

Planning and Service Coordination
System Fragmentation
System fragmentation occurs when there arevarious transportation services in an areathat operate privately or publicly and atdifferent governance levels: municipal,
township, county, or regional

Planning andChallenges
Service Coordination
Payment: In fragmented transportation networks,
one may need to use multiple modes to complete atrip

Inter-jurisdictional Travel: For those living on thefringes of city limits or near county lines, the ability
to travel across jurisdictions is necessary

Eligibility: Service area and rider eligibility
requirements can differ between providers, making it
difficult to identify and coordinate services.

Awareness of Available Mobility Options: theinflux of new mobility options will continue toincrease the complexity of travel rather than improve
performance and customer experience

Micromobility Management: An influx of
micromobility devices coming to cities with thepromise of offering a sustainable mode of travel thathelps bridge gaps in current transportation systems.

Planning andChallenges
Service Coordination
ADA Accessibility: ADA transition planning intends
to guide municipalities in their transition to a moreaccessible state.
Existence and Maintenance of Basic
Infrastructure: When working toward universal
mobility, the upkeep of existing infrastructure needs
just as much consideration as its presence. Unevenand damaged sidewalks create hazardous conditions
for many users, particularly those with mobility
limitations, as it presents another obstacle tonavigating travel

Paratransit Implications: As on-demand mobility
opportunities become more prominent, it isimportant to consider the implications that thoseservices might have on existing fixed-route service
and corresponding paratransit service eligibility
guidelines.Planning andService
Coordination
Recommendations•

Establish a regional mobility management coordinator to survey available mobility
options and oversee the different mobility options and payment eligibility criteria toinform and assist riders.

•Develop a strategic regional mobility plan in collaboration with the municipalities,
public and private transportation providers, and community service providers thatoffer a coordinated approach to transportation policy.

•Establish a regional or metropolitan body to coordinate transportation and land use
planning and convene at the local level to consider the varied mobility needs.Planning andService
Coordination
Recommendations•

Find ways to facilitate interaction between transportation providers. Working groups
can serve this purpose to bring awareness to what others are doing, talk throughissues, and build support for coordination.

•Develop coordinated fare policies. Standardizing the fare payment process acrossproviders can reduce customer confusion and support a more seamless, cost-efficient
trip.

•Explore interlocal agreements between transit agencies and municipal governments.
Interlocal agreements allow municipalities to outsource transit services in geographiesthat don’t provide their own transit services.

Planning andService
Coordination
Recommendations•Open mobility data can help coordinate trips across jurisdictions•

Increase awareness of mobility options to benefit agencies and users.
• Inventory the available mobility services in a city or region. This
inventory should be used to identify service gaps based on transit user
mobility needs and challenges.
• Engage in intentional marketing of mobility services to specificpopulations and ensure the information is in various formats, including
in languages other than English.

Planning andService
Coordination
Recommendations• Local governments must create policies and regulations for
micromobility services that work for all parties• Employee responsible for coordinating ADA compliance• Implement the tenets of the Coordinating Council on Access andMobility (CCAM) at the state, regional, and local levels.

Group Activity
●
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●
●
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Randomly assigned to a breakout room
Two scenarios (each group will discuss one of them)
How can the service or program can be more universally designed
Breakout activity is planned for ~10 minutes
After we will meet as a large group to discuss
All are welcome to participate in the group discussion, but please have one
person ready to provide a summary

Scenarios
Scenario 1

Scenario 2

The transit agency in has to do rail work that will impact
upon a highly traveled subway line. As the provider plans
for alternate routes/services for passengers, what might
be some important considerations to ensure thateveryone can use the alternate service?

The bus operator is approached by a patron standing in
the bus lane attempting to board the bus. The bus
operator would not open the door for the patron to enter.
What should the bus operator have done to assist thepatron? How should he have assisted the patron further?