Cost Sharing and Cross
Partnership Funding Models

3/12/2021

About the National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM)
The National Center for Mobility Management is a national technical assistance center funded througha cooperative agreement with the Federal Transit Administration and operated through a consortiumof three national organizations—the American Public Transportation Association, the Community
Transportation Association of America, and Easterseals Inc. The mission of the Center is to promotecustomer-centered mobility strategies that advance good health, economic vitality, self-sufficiency,
and community.

About Easterseals
Since its founding in 1919, Easterseals has remained committed to ensuring that the needs of children
and adults with disabilities, veterans and older adults are met with services and support to help them
live, learn, work, and play in their communities. By combining on-the-ground presence, deep expertiseand diverse programs, 69 Easterseals affiliates nationwide are advancing change to assure that people
with disabilities and other special needs can thrive in their communities.

About this Information Brief
Easterseals, through its work at the National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM), focuses onbuilding connections across education, human services, and transportation sectors so that individuals
with disabilities can access school, work, health care, and other inclusive community settings. In thiswork, NCMM has researched and sourced national examples that support the ability of transit
agencies, human service and non-transportation organizations to connect services across multiple
types of funding sources. By developing cross funding partnerships, agencies and organizations canleverage resources that allow for expanded services to riders who may not have access to standard
public transportation options. This guide will highlight a diverse range of examples and is intended tobe utilized by organizations and agencies as a tool to implement similar models in their regions.
For questions about this product, please contact Brandon Roccio at broccio@easterseals.com at
Easterseals.

Acknowledgments
NCMM would like to thank the following individuals for their contributions to this product. They
provided key insights, information, resources, and time to ensure this report accurately reflects thefundamental aspects of each example highlighted in this brief:

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•
•
•
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Ashley Hooper, Strategic Programs and Partnerships Coordinator, Cascades East Transit,
operated by COIC, OR
Matthew N. Helfant, AICP, Senior Transportation Planner, Transportation Planning andOperations, Denver Regional Council of Governments, CO
Travis Noon, Senior Program Specialist at Denver Regional Council of Governments, CO
Mary Gordon, Director, Healthtran, Missouri Rural Health Association, MO
Pam Busch, Transportation Manager, Door County Transportation Department, WI

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Introduction
Developing partnerships and coordinating funding streams across various federal agencies, nontransportation companies, human service organizations, and transit agencies has proven to be a
powerful resource in providing access to transportation for many riders who otherwise have minimalalternatives. Whether in urban, exurban, or rural areas, transportation options for older adults,
individuals with disabilities, those with limited income and others, are not as readily available as they
are for the general population and require innovative solutions to meet increased challenges.
Many of the barriers faced in providing coordinated transportation options across communities can besolved by understanding the variety of funding models and cost sharing opportunities available.
This guide will showcase a diverse range of cost sharing and cross funding partnership models thathave been employed by organizations and agencies across geographical regions and is intended to be
used as a resource to build and implement models in your communities. Mobility Mangers andPlanners will:I.

Learn about cross partnership funding models and cost sharing;II.

Understand why cost sharing is an important tool in connecting communities withvulnerable populations;

III.

Gain information regarding how to leverage Federal funding sources;

IV.

Access models that have already been applied nationwide; andV.

Obtain resources.

Understanding Cost Sharing
Cost sharing, or cost allocation, as stated in

Cost sharing is a process wherein two or
more entities work together to securesavings that one alone would be unable toobtain.
USLegalThe CCAM Policy Statement, is amechanism for local service and nonservice
providers to partner and share costs formutually beneficial transportation services
in order to maximize the availability andefficiency of transportation services, andcan include both vehicle and ride sharing,as well as Federal fund braiding for local

match across Federal programs.

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The statement goes on to say that vehicle and ride sharing occurs when a single shared vehicletransports beneficiaries of multiple Federal programs. Vehicle sharing can be thought of as one aspectof cost sharing when participating collaborators each cover a fair ratio of combined expenses fortransporting its beneficiaries.
Vehicle sharing and cost sharing may occur when:•

Shared rides, when multiple Federal Programs’ beneficiaries are in the same vehicle
simultaneously;•With individual rides, when a vehicle transports a single beneficiary at a time;•

Participating partners pay for the equitable proportion of shared costs for transporting its
beneficiaries; or•Before local partners begin to share vehicles and rides, they should first establish a local costallocation agreement that details how the partner organization will allocate shared costs.

Operating Costs

Identifying the operating costs associated with a new

Operating expenses, operating
expenditures, or “OPEX,” refers to
the costs incurred by an agency for
its operational activities. In otherwords, operating expenses are thecosts that a company must make toperform its operational activities.
CFI

program is essential to ensuring its success, andrecognizing the method, or methods, in which it will befunded is a consideration that should always be front ofmind. Increasing coordination efforts to include local,
state, and federal organizations creates unique
opportunities to produce enhanced mobility solutions
that share operational costs and reduce financial
burdens.

Why Cost Sharing is an Important Tool in Connecting Vulnerable Populations withTransportation Options
Vulnerable populations are at a significant disadvantage
compared to the general public when accessing
transportation, and creative cost sharing and cross funding
partnership programs have proven vital in4

protecting their ability to attain safe, reliable modes of transport within their communities. This, inturn, mitigates constraints local service providers may face when they have a lack of readily available
resources.
TCRP Report 144 highlights how cost allocation methodologies are powerful tools that cancomplement other efforts to establish reasonable distributions of costs, responsibilities, and benefits
when multiple programs and projects share riders and transportation resources. The report states thisis particularly true in the area of human services transportation, where public transportation providers
and human service agencies are being asked to coordinate their efforts to ensure maximum
productivity at minimum costs. While the objectives for coordinated services may vary somewhat
between communities, the primary purposes are usually to:• Avoid duplicative and overlapping services;• Reduce service gaps;• Increase services;• Ensure cost effectiveness and cost savings; and• Provide safe and reliable transportation services.

As dedicated transportation services increase in demand, the federal, public, private, and non-profit
sectors must continue to engage and partner with one another and establish committed working
relationships within their communities to meet ridership needs, identify funding strategies andcoordinate services.

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Cost Sharing by Leveraging Federal Funding Sources
When developing coordinated transportation services, understanding the availability of funding
sources and how to access them is a critical component to ensuring the success, viability, and longevityof a program.
In 2004, the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM) was implemented by executive orderand charged to improve coordination across federally funded transportation services for people withdisabilities, older adults, and individuals of low income with the goal of increasing access and efficiencyof transportation for these targeted populations. To accomplish this, CCAM issues policy
recommendations and implements activities that increase the efficiency, accessibility, and availabilityof Federal programs that fund transportation services.
In 2018, CCAM initiated national focus groups and listening sessions to identify what state and local
stakeholders recognized as the most pressing obstacles to human-service transportation coordination.
It was consistently documented, particularly in rural areas, that fulfilling match requirements forfederal grant programs was a barrier that impacted their ability to provide transportation services.
As a result of these impediments, in 2018 and 2019, CCAM conducted Program Analysis Working
Sessions to clarify and document which Federal programs’ statutes expressly provide this authorization
to enable Federal agencies and Federal grant recipients to more effectively manage Federal funds andcoordinate human service transportation.
I.

Federal Fund Braiding for Local Match and the CCAM Program Inventory

In June 2020, CCAM released a memo describing how federal fund braiding allows the recipient of one
Federal grant to meet the local match requirement of another grant, thus permitting grantees theability to share costs of transportation projects across multiple federal programs. CCAM notes thatfunds eligible for Federal fund braiding can be categorized in two types: incoming and outgoing. A

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program considers a Federal fund braiding arrangement to be incoming when another Federal
program’s funds fulfill its match requirement to fund a single transportation project. A program
considers a Federal fund braiding arrangement to be outgoing when its funds fulfill the match
requirements of another Federal program to fund a single transportation project.
Published in 2019, the CCAM Program Inventory highlights 130 Federal programs that can provide
funding for transportation services for certain vulnerable populations. The inventory contains
comprehensive program information, such as CFDA numbers and statutory references, information onrecipients and beneficiaries, and eligible transportation activities. However, a stipulation for groups
looking to develop a program that receives funds from multiple Federal sources is that they must meet
all requirements of the participating Federal agencies. Those can include:• Eligibility requirements;• Reporting requirements;• Match requirements;• Regulatory requirements;• Statutory requirements; and• Program guidance.
Having an awareness of available funding opportunities provides a foundation to strategize howcommunities can begin developing a coordinated transportation program, and one way to learn about
the potential of cross partnership funding and cost sharing agreements is by reviewing what programs
have already been developed and implemented across the country. This brief will touch on a diverse
range of models and case studies which highlight the benefits of coordinated transportation and how itcreates unique opportunities to fill the transportation needs of vulnerable populations.

7Case Studies
NCMM identified the following cases by reviewing literature and then interviewing
key participants responsible for the development of the program. Additionally, we
researched state and agency websites, as well as community resources.

Cascades East Transit: Veterans Healthcare Transportation Service
Cascades East Transit (CET) headquartered in Bend, Oregon, is a mid-sized transit agency that connects
people to places through high-quality transit service, primarily in rural areas, throughout Central
Oregon. CET bus services include fixed-routes within Bend, regional Community Connectors,
recreational shuttles, Rural Dial-A-Ride service for the general public, and Bend Dial-A-Ride service for
qualifying persons with disabilities and seniors who qualify as low-income.
Rural Veterans Healthcare Transportation Grant Program (RVHTS): The Program and NeedOn November 11, 2020 (Veterans Day), CET was proud to launch the Veterans Healthcare
Transportation Service (VHTS), otherwise known as the Rural Veterans Healthcare Transportation
Grant Program (RVHTS). This no-cost transportation service is available to all veterans living in Crook,
Jefferson, and Deschutes Counties, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and provides themwith ADA-accessible, curb-to-curb access to all healthcare related trips, including, but not limited to,appointments for physical or mental health, pharmacies, dental appointments, hearing and eye
specialists, and physical therapy appointments.
Because CET services such a diverse and geographically large rural area, they recognized an increased
need to provide vulnerable populations, especially veterans, with access to healthcare related
appointments across central Oregon. Many veterans lacked the resources and ability to access reliabletransit services to make necessary medical appointments, and they were provided funding to makethat service a reality.
Partnerships/Funding Sources:
The VHTS program is currently funded through a partnership between Jefferson County, CET, theOregon Department of Transportation, and the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs. According to arepresentative at ODOT, ODVA invited ODOT’s Public Transportation Division (PTD) to develop andimplement the Rural Veterans Healthcare Transportation Grant Program. The program was created byan initial one-time allocation of $500,000 to ODVA through lottery dollars to qualified entities who
8represented rural areas. In this scenario, the qualified entity is the county, Jefferson County, who thenapplied for state funds. CET has long maintained a partnership agreement with Jefferson County, andin collaboration, provided input into the grant application.
Ultimately, the grant was awarded to Jefferson County, who then funneled the funds to CET, who met
the eligible criteria by qualifying with the necessary Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) census
tracks, in two rounds totaling $60,000 to implement the VHTS program. While the grant is specificallydesignated for rural areas, one of the benefits is that CET’s entire region, which includes Jefferson
County, Crook County, Deschutes County, as well as the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, is allconsidered rural. As a result of CET’s rural service coverage, Jefferson County agreed to allow CET to
use the funds to provide services around the entire region. Essentially, veterans who do not just live in
Jefferson County, but veterans who live throughout the whole region, are now able to access thisservice.

Cross Funding Challenges and Solutions
As with most grants, there are specific requirements that need to be met regarding eligibility criteria.
As part of the criteria for CET’s VHTS program, veterans initially were required to show proof of theirveteran status by presenting a multitude of forms, including their DD 214 form. This government form
is a complete and thorough document that verifies a service member's proof of military service andincludes sensitive information such as their social security number, etc.
CET immediately realized this would create a barrier, especially for the more vulnerable populations,such as homeless veterans. To prevent this from becoming an obstacle, CET engaged the various
counties and tribes to develop a set of eligibility standards and a memorandum of understanding tostreamline the eligibility process and allow them to vet veteran riders themselves. According to Ashley
Hooper, CET’s strategic programs and partnerships coordinator, this approach allowed the transit
agency to leverage the experts who work with and build relationships with veterans directly to create amore equitable process that reduced barriers to access for Central Oregon’s most vulnerable veterans.
Outcomes, Metrics, and the future of the VHTS
According to a 2014-2018 American Community Survey, and US News and World Report, the averageveteran population in Oregon stands at 9%. That average grows as you look at rural areas, such as
9Crook Country, which is 13.3%, Jefferson 10.4%, and Deschutes 9.6%, respectively. This indicates a
deep need to provide veterans with a reliable mode of transportation within those communities. As
such, from 2013-2016, CET implemented the precursor to the VHTS program known as the Central
Oregon Veterans Medical Transport Program. Throughout the lifecycle of this pilot program, a total of
2,058 trips were made to support the veteran population, with a staggering year-over-year ridershipincrease leading the way to create the VHTS.
Since VHTS was launched last year, there have been a total of 374 one-way trips. While still successful,
the ridership numbers have not been as high as the earlier pilot program would have suggested, due toa number of factors. COVID-19 has caused many potential riders to be weary of public transportation,
especially older adults. Another primary factor is that the program was started later than intended,
which has led to an overall slower rate of active riders using the service. Since the program re-started,
there has been a steady month-to-month increase, and that is expected to continue as the vaccine isrolled out and trust in public transportation builds.
Looking ahead, it is evident that the need for this service continues to grow, and while current funding
for the VHTS program was a one-time allocation of funds, the Oregon State legislature has since
introduced two bills (2139 and 3099) which hope to provide more sustainable funding for veterans’transportation services in the future.

Funding Models and the Ride Alliance Pilot Program: Denver, COAs stated by the Shared-Use Mobility Center, launched in 2020, the Ride Alliance pilot program,created for individuals with mobility challenges, older adults and veterans, endeavors to improvecoordination for demand-response transportation (DRT) trips across multiple service providers byallowing them to coordinate trips and funding for trips through a streamlined scheduling software
called the Trip Exchange. Developed through a partnership between the Denver Regional Council ofGovernments (DRCOG)/Denver Area Agency on Aging (AAA), and Via Mobility Services, the Ride
Alliance program services over nine counties in the Denver metropolitan area by providing a one call,
one click system that seamlessly allows for veterans and other vulnerable populations to accesstransportation, information and community services.
Background
The Denver metro area has multiple demand-response transportation (DRT) services operated forhuman services transportation (HST) and public transportation purposes in the same geographic area,
which has led to difficulty over the years coordinating across various services and service providers.
10In response to these challenges, Via Mobility Services was awarded a grant through the FTA in 2014 tocreate a more seamless way to share trip data for demand-responsive transportation to improve
service coordination in the region. As stated by the Mobility Service for All Americans (MSAA), which
initially funded the program, the intention was twofold:•

Use technology to provide more rides for more people; and•Create a system platform to exchange the needed trip data and do so in a way that can be
replicatedAfter an initial effort in which they coordinated these services, it was demonstrated that overall service
productivity increased 26%, thus setting the stage to expand coordination efforts across the area.
Program Characteristics and Funding Models
In 2017, the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) received funding from the state ofColorado, as well as funding through the FTA VTCLI grant to fund Ride Alliance.
DRCOG administers three funding sources to streamline and expand human service transportation
coordination efforts and lessen administrative burdens for providers: the Older Americans Act & Older
Coloradans Act (OAA), Federal Transit Administration Section 5310, and the Human Service
Transportation Set Aside (HST), from the Transportation Improvement Program. Through theapplication of these funds, DRCOG has developed a model that complements and enhances the Ride
Alliance program by allowing transportation providers more flexibility to exchange trips through morecoordinated funding sources. Using trip exchange technology from DemandTrans Solutions (seebelow), providers can now charge to and leverage these sources since OAA and HST can pay for the
local match through 5310 funds.
In essence, providers participating in Ride Alliance can exchange trips and exchange funding. A large
component of the program’s success is ensuring DRT trips across many service providers and acrossmultiple DRT scheduling platforms be coordinated effectively and efficiently. If provider A wanted to
exchange a trip with provider B, provider A can use one of the funding sources to pay provider B forthat trip. This opens the opportunity for providers to take advantage of separate funding streams
where they typically may be unable to. By giving providers the opportunity to leverage more funding
pots, agencies can more efficiently coordinate their trips through the scheduling platform.
DRCOG, in partnership with Uber and DemandTrans, applied the trip exchange and Routematch
software to support technologically advanced trip booking that simplifies the process of requesting
rides by coordinating them through multiple transportation providers using an online trip exchange.
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Riders, or someone on behalf of the rider, can contact any of the participating agencies. If the agency isunable to provide the ride, they can put it on the exchange for another agency to take it. If the ride is
to be provided by another agency, the rider is then contacted by the new provider. If the ride stillcannot be provided, that information is communicated to the rider by the original agency contacted.
Ride Alliance funding through the VTCLI grant has since ended as of 2020, however, DRCOG uses asmall portion of 5310 funds to pay for the upkeep of the scheduling platform.
Program Challenges and the Future of Ride Alliance
As with any pilot program launch, Ride Alliance was met with a number of challenges which ultimately
led to many lessons learned. Among the challenges the program faced, was COVID-19 and the manyfactors that needed to be taken into consideration to ensure safe, reliable and trustworthy rides.
Programs of this scale also often take a great deal of time and effort to implement, legal agreements
between the public and private sectors can become cumbersome and complicated, and staffing
constraints can impact productivity and efficiency. Yet, having learned from these, the program has still
been very successful and is looking to expand throughout 2021 and beyond. The program aims toengage additional transportation providers to join, create more flexible MOU/IGA processes, anddevelop a comprehensive coordination manual which includes financial business rules. (PPT)Missouri Rural Health Association’s HealthTran Program
The Missouri Rural Health Association’s (MRHA) mission is to safeguard and improve the health of rural
Missourians. As such, they are strongly connected to Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers, rural
hospitals, clinics and agencies working on social determinants of health issues, primarily around
accessibility and transportation. Mary Gordon, MRHA’s health director, stated that the organization
found its “niche” and expertise in helping to link healthcare with transportation. Building on acommunity approach to addressing rural transportation barriers.
From 2013–2016, MRHA was awarded a Missouri Foundation for Health Grant that allowed them topilot a transportation-focused program around mobility and coordination. During the pilot, MRHA andits partners provided more than 4,750 rides to 733 unduplicated individuals, gathered data showing
ROI, and the need and health outcomes of those with access to healthcare. Subsequently, from thispilot, HealthTran was conceived.

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The Program
HealthTran, as stated in the MRHA website, is a multi-branched program offering services ofcommunity outreach, transportation landscape assessment, mobility management education andtraining, development of local non-traditional transportation and a volunteer driver program (VDP)
that closes the transportation gap. The Community Approach empowers communities by allowing rural
Missouri Rural Health Association members the opportunity to subscribe to a scheduling platform
allowing for quick and efficient scheduling across public, commercial, local and volunteer
transportation providers. Health providers schedule rides to and from their health and wellness visits,
most often with no expense to the patient. HealthTran is expanding to include other entities such as
court systems, schools, employers, and nonprofits. The program was designed to address ruraltransportation limitations and barriers, with a primary focus on health and social determinants ofhealth that affect Missourians and offers a multitude of services to increase awareness of mobility andtransportation options. The program links hospitals and rural health providers by offering a one-stopshop to scheduling a ride across multiple transit providers, including the MRHA VDP program, and it
works with local non-traditional sites with vehicles to build greater transportation options.
Transportation providers are on-boarded to the platform at no cost and can expand a customer baseand a new funding stream.

Partnerships, Funding, and Challenges
MRHA receives funding through a multitude of sources to support the HealthTran program, including,but not limited to, FTA grants such as the Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility pilot program(ICAM), as well as through other health grants and membership dues, subscriptions, and volunteer
mileage.
Health care providers, rural hospitals and clinics, health departments, nonprofits and others support
transportation through local funding or grants, each being different from one another. Currently, all
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MRHA members pay for 100% of the cost of transportation for their customers, while the FTA supports
the scheduling technology and staff funding. MRHA members pay annual dues of $250 as a nonprofit,$500 annually as for profit, plus an additional $37.50 per month for unlimited access and logins to thescheduling platform. MRHA VDP also receives support through booking fees and mileage cost sharing.
Volunteer drivers receive most of the loaded mile reimbursement to offset volunteering related
expenses, and MRHA keeps a small portion to support some of the technology costs.
An added benefit is that the scheduling platform helps local and public transportation providers get
additional paid referrals, and as medical providers get more patients in the door, insurance
reimbursable payments improve. Additionally, all metrics and data for the HealthTran program isgathered on the scheduling platform and helps to provide a wide variety of information related tohealth transportation.
The HealthTran program, while highly successful in connecting communities through innovative
partnerships, is, as Mary Gordan states, not a simple program by any means. Funding remains a
primary barrier, as do regulations and policy, siloed behavior, and mistrust in public transit. COVID-19
has caused additional issues and was highlighted as the main reason for reduced ridership since March
2020.

Door County Wisconsin:
Cost Sharing, Vehicle Sharing and Cross-Funding Partnerships
Over the years, Door County Wisconsin has developed a number of innovative and creative ways toprovide transit services through cross-funding partnerships, vehicle sharing and cost sharing
agreements to expand transportation services to a wide variety of the area’s population, due to thefact that they do not have traditional local transportation agencies. While these programs have provento be extremely valuable, they have had to employ unique strategies to keep the services going, and at
many have times had to revise models as challenges and barriers arise.
Door-Tran’s Veteran Volunteer Transportation Program
During the mid-2000’s, the American Red Cross provided veterans in Door County no-cost rides forhealth-related trips. The program, while highly successful, was almost ended once the Red Cross’
mission altered and they no longer provided transportation services.
In order to ensure the programs continuation, Door-Tran, a transportation focused non-profit
organization, was contacted by the County Veterans Services Office (CVSO) in 2011 regarding resuming
services for veterans in a cost effective and efficient manner. Having been an ongoing collaborator with
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Door County regarding transportation related services, Door-Tran partnered with the County’s Human
Services Department, now the Transportation Department, to see how to best implement a sustainable
program to meet veterans’ mobility needs.
Door County had two vehicles, however only one driver. The County offered to supply Door-Tran witha wheelchair accessible van to implement what is now the Veteran Volunteer Transportation Program(VVTP). Working through a three-way partnership, the CVSO offered to share costs with Door-Tran byproviding funding for fuel costs and meal reimbursements if Door-Tran administered the coordinationof volunteer drivers. In addition to supplying vehicles, Door County also agreed to pay Door-Tran withup to $8,000 a year through WDOT’s Wisconsin Specialized Transportation Assistance Program (85.21
funds), allowing for a very successful program that re-launched in 2011 and still runs today.
Funding Challenges and Solutions
Door County uses state 85.21 funds as part of their local match for federal public transit funds, such as5311 and 85.20. Since the launch of the VVTP, Door County’s public transit system has grown
immensely, and as a result, in 2019, 85.21 funding for the program needed to be redirected to accountfor that growth. However, the county still maintained their partnership with VVTP by allowing DoorTran to continue using their vehicles, which was extremely important to the continuation of the
program as the non-profit does not have their own vehicle inventory and has always relied onproviders for that need.
Not receiving the county subsidy did provide initial funding challenges, however, Door-Tran has foundcreative ways to attain sustainable funding streams by partnering with community organizations. Afterthe county subsidy was withdrawn, Door-Tran received a $10,000 grant from the 100+ Women Who
Care. Ongoing funding for this program has been continued through grants from United Way of DoorCounty, the Door County Community Foundation as well as from other sources to support staffing andadministrative costs of the VVTP. This is a great
example of how the community has come together
85.21 SPECIALIZEDTRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCEPROGRAM FOR WI COUNTIES:

to ensure important transit programs stay intact.
Door-Tran Voucher Program
Another creative program Door-Tran has
implemented is their Half-Price Travel Voucher
program. Residents who earn less than 200 percentof the Federal Poverty Level are eligible toparticipate in the program and can receive
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PROMOTE THE GENERAL PUBLICHEALTH AND WELFARE BY PROVIDINGFINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO COUNTIESPROVIDING TRANSPORTATIONSERVICES FOR SENIORS AND
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

affordable transportation using reliable local taxi providers. Unlike transportation agencies, local
government organizations and non-profits, taxi companies’ eligibility for federal and local grants isextremely limited and partnering with community transit services is challenging. This ultimately canleave gaps in services in more rural and exurban areas.
Door County Transportation Department, now called Door County Connect-Public Transit, operates
Door County Connect (DCC) and Door County Connect-Door 2 Door Rides (D2D). These are the only
public transportation services in Door County. DCC only runs Monday-Friday from 8:15 AM to 4:00 PM
and D2D operates up to seven days per week; however some areas are only serviced Monday-Friday as
well. This leaves a large need for alternative mobility options outside of these operating hours. In order
to meet those additional transportation needs, Door Tran has partnered with local taxi services in DoorCounty to provide residents the option to purchase taxi vouchers. Supported through 5310 funds andadditional foundation grants, the program allows riders to purchase vouchers from Door-Tran at half
the price of a taxi ride. Riders can purchase a $10 taxi voucher from Door-Tran for $5. When the rider
takes a taxi ride valued at $10, they give the taxi driver their voucher, and the taxi company theninvoices Door Tran who pays them back 95% of the cost of the trip. The extra 5% is used by Door-Tranfor administrative costs.
The project has been well received and has also been expanded to help residents of Washington Islandand patients at local hospitals. Door-Tran provides additional vouchers to the Washington Island
Health Community Health Program to cover ferry costs, primarily for residents whose medical needs
require many ferry trips, and to local hospitals to assist with providing patient transportation after
they’ve been given care and have no alternatives.
This innovative example highlights how private businesses, such as taxis, can be leveraged to support
community transportation needs when traditional modes of transportation are not available.

Conclusion
Coordinated transportation services play an integral role in providing access to basic care, connecting
communities, and offering reliable modes of transport outside traditional public transit services. By
thinking creatively, building local, state, and federal partnerships, and understanding the availability ofresources to support innovative programs, communities can close service gaps and provide essential
transit options to meet increased demand. Tools such as cost sharing, vehicle sharing, and crossfunding partnerships have proven to be extremely effective in maximizing limited resources and canplay a vital role in ensuring the success of programs that serve vulnerable populations.

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References:
Benton County Enterprise. (2020, December 11). Brother, Can You Spare A Ride?
Http://Www.Bentoncountyenterprise.Com/.
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Cascades East Transit. (2020). Cascades East Transit. https://cascadeseasttransit.com/about/
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Central Oregon Health Data. (2015–2019). Veteran Population [Dataset].
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Hubbard, K. (2020, November 10). These States Have the Highest Percentage of Veterans.
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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2011). Sharing the Costs of Human
Services Transportation, Volume 2 Research Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_rpt_144v2.pdf
National Center for Mobility Management. (2020, February 28). Denver Metro Area One-Call/One-Click
Spotlight Project. https://nationalcenterformobilitymanagement.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/04/Spotlight-Project_Denver-Metro-1.pdf
Ride Alliance. (2020). https://www.ridealliance.us/#about
Ride Alliance: Once Call. One Click. No Hassles. (2020). Ride Alliance.
https://denverregion.co.networkofcare.org/content/client/965/DRCOGRideAlliance.pdf
Shared-Use Mobility Center. (2020). Ride Alliance Metro Area Project, Denver, CO, 2020.
https://learn.sharedusemobilitycenter.org/overview/denver-metro-area-project-denver-co2020/
Statutes. (2020). Wisconsin State Legislature. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/85/21
United States Department of Transportation. (2020). Mobility Services for All Americans (MSAA).
https://www.its.dot.gov/research_archives/msaa/msaa_project_overview.htm
We Drive Health. (2020). Missouri Rural Health Association. https://mrhassociation.org/healthtran/

Resources:•

CCAM Program Inventory
https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/subdoc/261/ccam-program-inventorysummary-10-2019.pdf•

Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM) Federal Fund Braiding Guide
https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/regulations-andprograms/ccam/about/148536/ccam-federal-fund-braiding-guide-june-2020.pdf

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•Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility Cost-Sharing Policy Statement
https://cms7.fta.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/regulations-andprograms/ccam/about/148581/ccam-cost-sharing-policy-statement.pdf•

Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility Cost-Sharing Policy Statement
https://cms7.fta.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/regulations-andprograms/ccam/about/148581/ccam-cost-sharing-policy-statement.pdf

The following FTA-funded national technical assistance centers can provide free support and resources
to help improve mobility options for individuals and communities.
•

National Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP). https://www.nationalrtap.org/ all forresources and info: 1-888-589-6821 or email: info@nationalrtap.org. This center supports the
Grants for Rural Areas Program.

•

National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM).
https://nationalcenterformobilitymanagement.org/ phone: 1-866-846-6400 email:info@nc4mm.org. This center supports mobility management, which means helping
communities and individuals create and manage their mobility options NCMM supports
grantees, mobility managers, and partners in promoting customer-centered mobility strategies
that advance good health, economic vitality, self-sufficiency, and community.

•

National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC). https://www.nadtc.org/ phone:
1-866-983-3222 email: contact@nadtc.org. This center supports the Grants for Enhanced
Mobility for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program.

•

National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT). https://n-catt.org/. The mission ofthis center is to translate emerging transportation technologies for states and localities acrossthe United States. Contact us: https://n-catt.aura-software.com/contact/.

•

Shared Use Mobility Center (SUMC). https://sharedusemobilitycenter.org/. The Shared-Use
Mobility Center is a public-interest organization dedicated to achieving equitable, affordable,
and environmentally sound mobility across the US through the efficient sharing oftransportation assets. By connecting the public and private sectors, piloting programs,
conducting new research, and providing policy and technical expertise to cities and regions,
SUMC seeks to extend the benefits of shared mobility for all. Contact us:
info@sharedusemobilitycenter.org.

The National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM; www.nationalcenterformobilitymanagement.org) is a national technical assis tance center created to facilitatecommunities in adopting mobility management strategies. The NCMM is funded through a cooperative agreement with the Federal Transit Administration, and is operated
through a consortium of three national organizations – the American Public Transportation Association, the Community Transportation Association of America, and Easterseals.
Content in this document is disseminated by NCMM in the interest of information exchange. Neither the NCMM nor the U.S. DOT, FTA assumes liability for its contents or use.

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