This publication was developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to assist in the

planning and development of Neighborhood Networks centers.

The guides in this series offer “how to” information on starting up a center, creating programs and identifying

center partners; center and program profiles and a wealth of resources.

Neighborhood Networks is a community-based initiative established by the U.S. Department of Housing and

Urban Development (HUD) in 1995. Since then, hundreds of centers have opened throughout the United States.

These centers provide residents of HUD-assisted and/or -insured properties with programs, activities and

training promoting economic self-sufficiency. These guides contain examples of successful center initiatives and

how you can replicate them.

To receive copies of this publication or any others in the series, contact:

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Neighborhood Networks

9300 Lee Highway

Fairfax, VA 22031-1207

Neighborhood Networks Information Center

Toll-free (888) 312-2743

TTY: (703) 934-3230

All publications are available from the Neighborhood Networks website at:

www.neighborhoodnetworks.org
NO CAR? NO PROMBLEM!

INNOVATIVE TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS

JUNE 1999
No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions Page i

June 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions.......................................................................1

The Transportation Challenge ...................................................................................................................................1

United Resident Council Transit Mini-Transit to Jobs Program ..........................................................................1

Description of the Program ....................................................................................................................................1

The Problem to be Solved......................................................................................................................................3

Getting Started — First Steps ................................................................................................................................4

Formulating Strategies ...........................................................................................................................................5

Assessing Resources and Partners ......................................................................................................................5

Barriers Encountered .............................................................................................................................................7

Lessons Learned....................................................................................................................................................8

The Road to Sustainability ...................................................................................................................................10

Help to Develop Local Transportation Activities .................................................................................................10

Other Promising Transportation Models..............................................................................................................11

Residents at Neighborhood Networks Centers Take Advantage of Transportation Services .........................12
No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions Page 1

June 1999

No Car? No Problem!

Innovative Transportation Solutions

The Transportation Challenge

Transportation plays a critical role in providing the

access to jobs that are needed by persons leaving

welfare and seeking to become self-sufficient. Only

six percent of welfare families own a car. This fact,

combined with inflexible public transit systems serving

most of the country, prevents many would-be wage

earners from seeking employment in the job-rich

suburbs, from working late evening shifts or from

commuting to distant employment sites. This guide

seeks to provide Neighborhood Networks centers with

ideas, examples and tools that can be used to

enhance transportation services meeting the unique

needs of residents and overcome these barriers. The

guide focuses on the efforts of one community, not

because that community’s example offers the “perfect

model” to follow or because it is an overwhelming

success, but that its experience provide insight and

guidance to other communities considering

improvements to their transportation services.

The Transportation Challenge describes a small

transit system created by residents of public housing

to address their particular transportation problems. It

discusses the context in which the transit system was

developed, how it was started, strategies that

residents pursued to reach their objectives, barriers

they faced, lessons they have learned and issues of

sustainability that they face to ensure ongoing

services. Finally, it describes resources available to

assist in the development of transportation services,

examples of responses to transportation needs in

other communities and transportation activities

currently serving Neighborhood Networks sites.

United Resident Council Transit MiniTransit to Jobs Program

Description of the Program

After carefully assessing the formidable barriers to

self-sufficiency they faced daily, the residents of a Fort

Lauderdale, Fla., housing complex created a nonprofit

to develop and carry out activities improving their

potential for progress. The first activity of the newly

created organization, the United Resident Council

(URC), was to start a transit company to provide

transportation for residents to jobs in the suburbs.

Using vans provided by the local housing authority

and the city, the URC trained and hired residents as

drivers. During non-commuting hours, the vans are

used to transport residents to shopping centers,

grocery stores, interviews and social services. As

part of the URC’s effort to break down barriers to

employment, they host job fairs for major employers

and then provide rides to work for residents hired.

URC Transit was created by the URC, a nonprofit

organization composed of residents in public housing

owned by the Fort Lauderdale Housing Authority, for

the purpose of expanding residents’ access to

employment and services.

In February 1997, the first resident stepped on board

a URC Transit van to begin operation of specialized

transportation services for residents of public-assisted

housing in Fort Lauderdale. Since that time, the

“Wheels are power in America today. With them, people have personal freedom. Without

them they are captives. Wheels can mean the difference between living in comfort and

living in poverty. Those who own wheels can set their own course. Those who don’t can

only hope that their needs will show up on someone else’s agenda.

The Community Transportation Association of America
No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions Page 2

June 1999

resident-run transit system has proven its worth to the

community by transporting hundreds of residents to

their job sites, critical services and community events,

and it has developed into a viable operation with three

vehicles serving residents at nine properties.

A partnership of local governmental agencies and

residents, each providing critical ingredients, was

formed to start the transit program. Each partner

continues to play an important role in ensuring the

success of the operation.

Today, URC Transit provides transportation service to

residents of the nine housing authority properties

consisting of 928 apartments. URC Transit provides

residents with rides to job sites as part of an overall

strategy to increase opportunities for self-sufficiency.

It regularly transports 10 people to their job sites

throughout the workweek. While residents of the

housing authority properties are given priority, other

low-income community members are also served.

Daily pickups and drop-offs are scheduled at three

sites from 7-8 a.m. and from 4-5 p.m. As part of its

ongoing effort to increase employment opportunities

for residents, URC maintains strong relationships with

key businesses and hosts job fairs for major

employers two or three times a year. These on-site

recruiting trips are typically attended by 60-80

residents and generally result in the hiring of 10-15

residents.

In addition to transporting residents for employment

purposes, the vans and buses are used to transport

residents to services and activities. Twenty to 30

families per week are given rides to midday job

interviews and tests, services, shopping and youth

events. Finally, special shopping trips for 10 to 12

seniors are scheduled periodically. Residents

arrange for rides by calling the URC Transit

dispatcher 48 hours before transportation is needed.

Partners and Their Roles

q United Resident Council (URC). The resident-based nonprofit organization developed to plan

and carry out initiatives to increase resident self-sufficiency.

q URC Transit. The resident-run operational arm of the URC for transit services.

q Fort Lauderdale Housing Authority. The housing authority provides two vans for operation,

performs vehicle maintenance, trains drivers and dispatchers and provides space for transit

operations.

q Broward County Mass Transit (BCMT). BCMT, a division of Broward County government,

initially provided technical assistance and grant-writing services, and later, financial assistance

for equipment. Included were Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds of $20,000

per year for three years to assist in operation costs. They helped URC obtain a one-year grant

from the U.S. Department of Transportation for maintenance and operation costs.

q City of Fort Lauderdale. The city provided a 16-passenger, handicapped-accessible, low-floor

mini-bus in May 1998. In addition, it gave URC Transit $32,000 per year in CDBG funds for

operating the transit program over the next three years.

q The Business Community. Several businesses, most notably the Boca Raton Resort,

committed to employ residents and to conduct job interviews at the URC sponsored job fairs.

One business also helps job candidates obtain their driver's licenses.

q The Florida Department of Transportation. The state has awarded a one-year, $20,000 grant

to assist with expenses for maintenance, driver and dispatcher salaries, fuel and marketing.
No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions Page 3

June 1999

For further information on the United

Resident Council Transit Project,

contact:

Mercedes Brown-McVane

Personnel Director

United Resident Council

Telephone: 954-467-7818

An added spinoff of the program is employment and

job skills development opportunities for four residents.

Scheduling, dispatching, bookkeeping and

management of the operation are the responsibility of

an office manager/dispatcher hired by URC Transit.

The office manager/dispatcher is accountable to the

18-member resident board of the URC. Three parttime drivers operate the vehicles. The URC Transit

job skills training programs are also open to others

who are not employed by URC Transit. To date, six

people have

completed driver

training for

commercial

licenses through

the training

program. URC

Transit currently

employs three of the six graduates, and the others

have obtained jobs with businesses in the area.

Working together, this partnership has begun to make

strides in bridging some of the gaps in transportation

confronting residents of the Fort Lauderdale HUDassisted housing.

The Problem to be Solved

Until 1997, when URC Transit began providing

service, many of the 2,500 residents in the nine

apartment complexes managed by the Fort

Lauderdale Housing Authority had few choices when

it came to transportation to work. Public

transportation provided by BCMT met many of the

needs of county residents. However, like many other

metropolitan systems in the nation, the county transit

system was designed to bring people from the

suburbs to their jobs in the city. Nationwide, two out

of every three new jobs are located in the suburbs,

and urban job seekers face a difficult, if not impossible

task, of commuting to work.

When new businesses began locating to the suburbs

of Fort Lauderdale, people living in the city found bus

service to the suburbs inadequate. In the

metropolitan area, most of the new jobs were located

in suburban shopping malls and the office and

industrial parks of Dade and Broward counties.

Residents of the city’s older residential areas, where

most of the low- and moderate-income families live,

travel 20 to 30 miles to reach these new jobs. They

had little choice but to ride public transit for up to 90

minutes, making several transfers, in order to arrive at

work on time. In addition, several large employers in

the suburbs simply were not accessible by public

transportation.

For many of Fort Lauderdale’s low-income residents,

going to work in their own car is not an option. Few

residents of public housing own reliable vehicles.

While residents want steady, well-paying work, they

often cannot find it or decline their job offers due to a

lack of transportation. With either no job or a low

paying job, they have neither the money nor the credit

to purchase and maintain the car they need to reach

those better jobs.

Ironically, some suburban employers have had

difficulty finding qualified job applicants able to

commute to their job sites. The URC turned this

situation into a positive factor by securing

commitments from businesses to recruit employees

from the apartments in return for ensuring

transportation for those hired.

Inadequate transportation can create multiple

problems for persons with limited income. Difficulties

in reaching job sites combined with the lack of

accessible, affordable child care make transportation

an insurmountable barrier to finding and keeping jobs.

According to a Fort Lauderdale welfare office director,

"Without question, it is extremely difficult to negotiate

the public transportation system. And when you have

to deal with child care on top of that, it just compounds

the issue."

The lack of mobility also causes difficulty in meeting

other daily needs such as travel to shopping, keeping

medical and dental appointments and reaching

needed services.
No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions Page 4

June 1999

“We didn’t know anything about

transportation when we started.”

— Mercedes Brown-McVane

United Resident Council member

Getting Started — First Steps

URC

developed

transportation

strategies to

respond to the

long

commuting times faced by residents. Their strategies,

development process and public-private partnerships

provide excellent examples for Neighborhood

Networks centers and other groups seeking to

provide transportation services. Within a short period

of time, the residents made major strides in bridging

some of the transportation gaps they faced on a daily

basis. Today, URC Transit provides transportation to

jobs and services, helps match residents with

employers seeking new recruits and transports

seniors to distant shopping sites. While many groups

talk about developing partnerships, URC Transit

clearly demonstrates success in having built strong

working partnerships between the residents, federal,

state, city and county governments, the housing

authority, BCMT and local businesses.

Residents organized themselves to follow a number of

key steps toward solving their transportation

problems:

1. In 1994, resident groups formed a task force and

began meeting with management of the housing

authority to discuss barriers to resident selfsufficiency. These meetings with the Fort

Lauderdale Housing Authority executive director

and his staff led to a mutual agreement to work

together to improve opportunities for residents to

succeed. Lack of transportation was identified

among the major impediments to success.

2. It soon became clear that creating a nonprofit

organization was critical to gaining the legal

status needed to receive public funds for

transportation services. Task force members

found setting up a nonprofit was more difficult

than anticipated. Before filing papers with the

State of Florida to attain 501(c)(3) status as a

nonprofit organization, the group had to establish

bylaws and articles of incorporation, create

financial accountability systems, set up an

organizational framework and elect officers.

3. The creation of the URC as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

organization provided the group with both a legal

foundation and a much-needed emotional lift.

They now had the status needed to work with

government agencies. The 18-member URC

board and representatives of the city and the

county began meeting regularly to develop a plan

of action.

A Day in the Life of a Parent Lacking Adequate Transportation

One Fort Lauderdale Public Housing resident and mother of two young children without a car, but

with a job in Boca Raton, typically spends 3 1/2 hours of her day commuting. Her day begins at 4:30

a.m. preparing her children for school and child care. Leaving her apartment at 5:30 a.m. to walk her

youngest to child care (which she was fortunate enough to find within blocks of her home), she must

hurry back to the apartment to meet the 6 a.m. school bus that picks up her school-age child. She

then walks to the BCMT bus stop just in time to catch the local bus for the 20-minute ride to the Main

Broward County Bus Terminal. Next, she relaxes for one hour and 20 minutes on the bus ride to

Boca Raton. Timing is critical since the buses to Boca Raton only run every 30 minutes during the

commuting hours. After leaving work, she retraces her steps, picking up her oldest child from an

after-school program and taking time to shop for groceries. Typically, she arrives home to begin

preparing dinner at 7:45 p.m., barring any delays in traffic, bus breakdowns, or the need to run other

errands.
No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions Page 5

June 1999

“Persons coming off welfare are not used to being in the

workforce. It is difficult enough just to adjust to a work

environment. A strong focus is needed to succeed. We

don’t need distractions or reasons why we can’t regularly

show up for work.”

— Mercedes Brown-McVane

United Resident Council member

4. To validate its ideas about the needs of the area,

the URC surveyed the community, including the

surrounding neighborhoods. The survey

established community needs and suggested

potential actions to create a positive, supportive

atmosphere for the education and employment of

residents. “Transportation and child care really

stuck out as the two greatest barriers to selfsufficiency,” according to Mercedes BrownMcVane, head of the URC Transportation

Committee.

5. Armed with the results of the survey, the URC

formed a transportation committee in September

1996 to focus on strategies for developing

resources. Three members, headed by Ms.

Brown-McVane, formed a core working group

within the committee. In exploratory meetings

with officials of BCMT, committee members

learned that technical assistance was available

from the Community Transportation Association

of America (CTAA). CTAA and its National

Transit Resource Center offered to send two

advisors to help the community organize its

planning and development effort. Barbara Rasin

Price of CTAA and Ed Outler, a volunteer in the

CTAA Peer Program, met with Ms. BrownMcVane, Bill Smith of the Boca Raton Resort and

officials of Broward County six times during the

next few months. The group explored project

concepts, determined the steps necessary to

initiate a local transit project, identified potential

resources and developed strategies to obtain

needed financing. The meetings resulted in the

identification of two important issues: URC

needed a strategic plan to develop financial

resources, and success was dependent on

continuing cooperation of both city and county

governments.

Formulating Strategies

In the course of developing the transit service, the

URC followed a careful planning process that

assessed existing strengths of the community before

establishing strategies and mobilizing resources.

Assessing Resources and Partners

Developing a strategy to mobilize existing resources

and aggressively seeking new resources and

partners were keys to the success of URC Transit.

Early in the planning process, URC board members

identified the following assets available to accomplish

their goals:

q As an elected body representing a significant

number of consumers and potential employees,

the URC is able to speak with authority. As a

nonprofit organization, it can receive and

administer public funds, provide a voice for the

tenants and community and organize volunteers.

q The residents and other community members are

a ready source of potential employees.

Residents are also consumers of the transit

services, drivers and employees of URC Transit.

q The Fort Lauderdale Housing Authority, as

owner-manager of the apartments, has a vested

interest in the success of a transportation

program aimed at increasing resident stability

and self-sufficiency. The housing authority is

also experienced in vehicle purchase,

maintenance and operation. In addition, the

housing authority has a history of successful

contractual relationships with the city.

q Local government agencies (in this case, both the

City of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County)

offer broad planning expertise and they are

potential funding sources. In addition, linkages

and partnerships with local government are often

prerequisites for federal funding and foundation

grants.
No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions Page 6

June 1999

“The URC had a strong vision of

where they wanted to go. We only

had to help them with ideas of how

to get there.”

— Barbara Rasin Price

CTAA staff member

q Broward County Mass Transit, a division of

Broward County government, offers

transportation planning and operations expertise,

provides links to financial resources and is a

source for financial assistance and equipment.

q The federal government and national

transportation associations have a wealth of

information on existing programs and often have

a mandate to provide technical assistance to

community-based transportation efforts.

Additionally, they are a source of funding for

operations and equipment. See descriptions of

these organizations at the end of this guide.

q The business community, particularly large

employers, plays a critical role as the source of

jobs. Employers can also provide transportation

solutions that include on-site child care, free or

discounted bus passes and flexible work hours to

respond to employee commuting options and

family needs.

Setting Strategies

After assessing potential resources, the URC set

about putting the pieces together. The URC

established as its mission promoting empowerment

and self-sufficiency opportunities for area residents by

focusing on drug prevention, employment and

educational opportunities and expanding

transportation and community services. Their motto,

Linking Together for Success, reveals their approach

to doing business. URC leadership repeated the

theme of “let’s work together” when meeting with

partners or potential partners. Utilizing the expertise of

CTAA staff to guide their progress, they consistently

pursued and strengthened their partnerships with

local government, agencies and businesses.

The strategy

that evolved

added the role

of transit system

operator to the

URC Transit’s

role as

advocate/organizer/ planner of transportation

services. The organization would provide drivers to

operate transit vehicles and manage a program

providing transportation to job sites not served by

adequate public transportation. Local government and

agencies would provide the expertise in planning and

would donate needed equipment and operating funds

while assisting with writing grants for additional longterm funding. The URC Transit agency would

develop routes based upon individual rider needs,

which is something the public transportation system is

unable to do.

Mobilizing Resources

Aware of the importance of establishing a track record

of success to convince funding agencies to provide

long-term funding, the URC sought resources to

initiate a pilot project. The pilot project would

demonstrate to potential funding agencies the need

for, and value of, community-based transit services.

Members of the URC met with BCMT to discuss how

URC could provide a flexible, rider-responsive

transportation service, create jobs in the community

and become a training and employment site for

residents. URC’s positive approach and commitment

to succeed convinced BCMT to help.

Ongoing technical assistance from CTAA was

particularly helpful in guiding the URC. Ms. BrownMcVane, chair of the URC transportation committee

was placed in the CTAA Peer-to-Peer Program which

paired her with people in other communities who had

practical experience in planning and operating

transportation projects. The housing authority

provided assistance in grant writing in order to pursue

funding needed for project start-up and initial

operation.

Following the adoption of a URC Transit business

plan, the housing authority provided two vans and

agreed to assist with vehicle maintenance. BCMT

suggested that a contract be developed between the

city and their agency so that the city could provide

URC with a 16-passenger bus and operating funds.

Broward Transit offered to train URC drivers and

include them in their drug testing pool.
No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions Page 7

June 1999

At the same time, URC members were working with

employers to see if jobs would be offered to qualified

residents if transportation were provided. The URC,

city manager and BCMT Planning Division began

meeting with the Boca Raton Resort, located

approximately 30 miles from the property, to seek

commitments for jobs. The resort expressed great

interest as they were struggling with two major

problems: not enough employees to meet demand

and too few employee parking spaces. They agreed

to offer jobs if employees had group transportation to

the site.

In January 1997, resort staff came to Sunnyreach

Acres Townhouses to hold two one-day job fairs,

recruit for available positions and interview interested

residents for openings paying $6 to $10 per hour.

Resort staff interviewed 75 residents and hired 12.

The following month, nine residents boarded the

inaugural URC Transit shuttle to the resort. After the

success of the initial job fair, URC Transit arranged for

the Registry Resort and Spa to hold a hold a

recruitment fair the following May. This was followed

in June 1997 by another Boca Raton Resort fair.

The pilot effort of URC Transit operated for eight

months until September 1997 when the initial funds

were exhausted. However, URC Transit's pilot

operation had established a market for services and a

track record for management. During the winter

months, services were curtailed due to limited funding.

URC applied to several agencies for funding to cover

operation and the acquisition of a mini-bus. By spring

1998, the city, county and state had been sufficiently

persuaded by the progress of URC Transit to

contribute funds to begin full, long-term operation with

a fleet of three vans.

Barriers Encountered

The path to success was not without roadblocks and

hurdles. The obstacles and how they were overcome

are not unique to URC Transit. Major barriers faced

in developing the project are discussed below. They

provide insight as to how Neighborhood Networks

centers and other groups can avoid or overcome

similar difficulties as they develop their own

transportation services.

q Financial Assistance. There was no ready

source of seed money for planning and

implementing a transit program. By developing

partnerships with local organizations and piecing

together different types of assistance (from grantwriting assistance to driver training and CDBG

funds), the URC was able to build a program.

q Legal Requirements. Several legal steps slowed

the process. While the legal agreement between

the county and the city was necessary to channel

funds from the county to the URC Transit, delays

in preparing the legal documents slowed the

project’s start-up. Setting up the nonprofit

agency was a new and somewhat mysterious

experience for most of the residents and required

great patience. An unexpected problem arose

when the council tried to purchase liability and

collision insurance. Insurers were hesitant to

provide insurance to a new agency with no track

record. Eventually, an insurance company was

found to provide the necessary coverage.

q Driver Training. Each driver was required to

obtain a commercial driver’s license and meet the

requirements of the Drug Free Workplace Act.

The BCMT agreed to place the drivers under

their drug free testing program and train the

drivers to qualify for a commercial license.

q Inexperience in Operating a Transportation

Business. Residents did not have prior

experience with transit issues. However,

members of the committee aggressively went

about learning what they needed to know. They

were assisted by BCMT, CTAA staff and peer

volunteers from other communities. The housing

authority worked with URC Transit to develop a

business plan and set up financial accounting

systems.

q Progress Delays. There were several slowdowns and a major reduction in service while

URC Transit awaited funding. The perseverance

of URC committee members and their belief that

they would succeed overcame the lapses in

momentum.
No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions Page 8

June 1999

q A Lack of Child Care Services. Many of the

tenants, who might otherwise have taken jobs at

the resorts and other suburban businesses,

found the wages offered were insufficient to pay

for child care and still meet their other obligations.

In addition, the unavailability of late night child

care was a major reason why residents could not

accept late-shift jobs. A lack of accessible and

affordable child care remains a significant barrier

to employment. The URC is currently preparing a

request for funding for on-site child care services

to overcome this hurdle.

Lessons Learned

While the URC Transit experience is not a blueprint

for success, we can learn a number of important

lessons from their experience. The lessons described

below relate primarily to transit systems, but many

may be useful to groups developing other types of

community-based services or activities:

q Think Big, Start Small and Build. Don’t be

restricted in your thinking about what can and

should be done. You will probably not achieve

your objectives quickly and should be prepared

for delays and setbacks, but always keep in mind

your overall vision. Starting small usually results

in a program that is manageable. It is often

easier to find supporters and funds for activities

which are small in scope, including pilot projects

that help demonstrate the worth of the activity

and propel you toward a larger project.

q Find a Core Working Group. Dedicated people

who are willing to volunteer long hours for future

rewards are important to help overcome hurdles.

Spreading the workload among several

volunteers will make the job more feasible and

help maintain high energy levels during project

startup and throughout the planning and

development stages. The commitment of the

members of the URC was instrumental to the

program’s success.

q Organize for Success. A decision on the best

form of organization for planning and

implementing the project must be made in the

early stages of planning. Many groups decide to

establish nonprofit organizations. This provides

them a legal status and often opens the door for

funding opportunities not available to for-profit

groups. Be aware, however, that starting a

nonprofit is a detailed and time-consuming

process.

q Seek Help. Learn from other people’s mistakes.

Ask questions. URC Transit was able to eliminate

several problems by obtaining early expert advice

from peers who faced similar difficulties in the

planning, development and operation stages.

CTAA is an excellent place to start, but there are

often resources closer to home, such as similar

programs operating in nearby communities and

local city or county planning staff.

q Encourage Local Support. The early support of

local transit agencies and city or county

government staff is critical to the planning and

funding process. You may also find that the

congressional delegation, the mayor, city council

members and the state department of

transportation are helpful at certain stages of

development. Keep them informed. Government

officials typically are more helpful if they have at

least been made aware of your effort.

q Assess Needs and Resources. Surveys of

potential riders and service providers or

employers will demonstrate that you are serious

and have carefully considered the needs of the

community. Assessing need will help

demonstrate the extent of the problem to others

and better define it for you. You will then be able

speak with more authority. In addition, a survey

is often an effective method of advertising and

informing the community on what you are doing.

An assessment of resources should be

conducted early in the planning process. This will

also help identify areas of potential support and

funding.

q Identify the Market and the Systems Already

in Place. Identify the transportation systems

operating in the community, both formal and

informal. You may be able to coordinate with an
No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions Page 9

June 1999

existing program. Assessing current programs

will also reduce duplication or competition.

Consider how people are being served and how

you might be able to enhance service for your

clients. Remember that the riders are not your

only clients; the social services agencies and

employers who want the residents to arrive at

their doors are also clients. They may have

funds or other resources to help defray some of

the costs if they are convinced of the benefit.

q Don’t Limit Your Ideas. CTAA staff is quick to

remind that “you are not just putting vehicles on

the road. You are managing mobility.” During the

planning and design stages, avoid limiting your

thinking to what type of vehicle or method of

transportation to use. There are many ways to

provide mobility that do not include purchasing

expensive vehicles. Carpools, cab vouchers, bus

passes/tokens, loaned vans, mileage

reimbursement, volunteer drivers, bicycles and

private cars are among the alternatives. A

combination of several strategies may best meet

your needs.

q Secure Funding. All the effort in the world will

not ensure sustained success. Few projects can

sustain themselves without outside funding, at

least initially. Unless your project is very limited

in scope, it will be necessary to write grant

applications. Grant writers usually cost money,

but local government and transit agencies have

professional staff whose primary job is preparing

grant applications and they can be of great help

as partners. Volunteers can also fill this need.

Don’t limit requests to money. Inventory your

needs. Use the results of the assessment of

resources to think locally and nationally.

Remember that national grant agencies often

expect, if not require, that local government and

agencies invest in your project. Start locally

before seeking federal financial resources. Don’t

forget that when starting out, loaned or donated

secondhand equipment is much easier to obtain

than new equipment. The URC Transit began

operations with donated equipment and a

promise of operating and maintenance

assistance from the housing authority.

q Seek Links to Other Programs or Needs.

Think about the links between transportation to

essential destinations such as jobs and child

care. The URC negotiated with employers and

facilitated job fairs for potential employers while

setting up transportation services for residents.

In addition, links with other aspects of selfsufficiency may lead to additional funding support

or riders. For example, the Welfare to Work

initiatives and the Job Training Partnership Act

(JTPA) may offer opportunities for coordination.
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June 1999

The Road to Sustainability

There are two keys to sustainability:

q Financial Stability — Public transportation

services require ongoing public funding.

Consumers simply cannot pay the full cost of

operation. Therefore, full self-sufficiency should

not be a goal for community-based transit. Local

public assistance in operating and maintaining

service is essential to long-term viability. A

reasonable goal is to eliminate dependence on

financial assistance from outside the community.

National and regional funding sources are less

reliable, and it is much easier to justify continued

funding to local governments, agencies and

businesses by demonstrating the benefits to

citizens, residents, employees and voters in the

community. It is also important to view riders, the

service providers and employers as beneficiaries

of the program and therefore sources of

contributions to keep the service in operation.

q An Active, Ongoing Organization — People

who are empowered will often overcome

adversity. A strong organization able to marshal

volunteers and willing to collaborate with existing

agencies and other service providers has an

excellent chance of attaining stability.

A well-thought-out sustainability plan should be

developed as part of a business plan to ensure

success. The sustainability plan should include the

following:

q Identification of, and requests for, assistance from

all beneficiaries of the program.

q A strong, targeted education program to ensure

the program is well-known in the community.

q Accurate recordkeeping of use and benefit.

q A budgeting and fund-raising strategy that

includes equipment replacement.

q Community fund-raising activities to demonstrate

to public funding agencies that they are partners

rather than sole providers.

q Utilization of existing expertise and equipment

from local agencies and businesses, including

training drivers, maintaining vehicles, vehicle

parts and used equipment.

q A volunteer recruitment program and meaningful,

rewarding tasks for volunteers.

q Community involvement in making decisions

about important policy issues.

Help to Develop Local Transportation

Activities

Information, technical assistance and financial

resources are available to Neighborhood Networks

centers seeking to establish transportation services

for their residents. Some of these resources are

described below.

Information/Technical Assistance

National Transit Resource Center. Three primary

services are provided by the Community

Transportation Association of America (CTAA)

through its National Transit Resource Center. First,

center staff provide the public information on a range

of transportation subjects, including contacts for

model programs, research and data and funding

resources. Second, the center’s Peer-to-Peer

Program pairs organizations just beginning to develop

transportation projects with people and agencies that

are already operating similar transportation systems

to answer specific questions. In addition, they can

send a peer to provide on-site technical assistance.

Training and consulting services are available for both

urban and rural areas to help in planning and

operating transportation services. Third, the

organization publishes Community Transportation, a

magazine that provides a wealth of information,

including a resource guide to funding, agencies and

associations, as well as information on purchasing

transportation equipment.

Address 1341 G St., NW, Suite 600

Washington, DC 20005

( 1-800-527-8279

: http://www.ctaa.org/resource

E-mail resources@ctaa.org
No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions Page 11

June 1999

Financial Resources

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) of the U.S.

Department of Transportation. The most

commonly used funding source is the FTA, which

generally disburses its assistance through state

departments of transportation. Through the

JOBLINKS Program, the FTA provides grants for

innovative employment transportation initiatives.

Address 400 Seventh St., SW, TPM-10

Washington, DC 20590

( 202-366-4043

: http://www.fta.dot.gov

Community Transportation Association of

America (CTAA). The Association, through its

Community Transportation Development Fund,

provides low interest loans up to $150,000 as bridge

financing for new vehicles, facility construction and

local funding match.

Address 1341 G St., NW, Suite 600

Washington, DC 20005

( 1-800-527-8279

: http://www.ctaa.org/resource

E-mail resources@ctaa.org

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development. A locally available source of funds for

transit activities, planning, facilities or equipment

serving low- and moderate-income persons is the

Community Development Block Grant Program.

These funds are distributed to cities with populations

greater than 50,000, large counties and states.

Address 451 Seventh St., SW

Washington, DC 20410

( 1-800-998-9999

: http://www.hud.gov

Other Promising Transportation Models

Transportation models come in all sizes. There are

programs that use carpools, cab vouchers, bus

passes/tokens, loaned vans, mileage reimbursement,

volunteer drivers, bicycles and private cars. A

combination of several of these may best meet local

needs. The following are examples of programs

providing transportation to work operating nationwide.

ATAC Coordinated Transportation Services

(Richland County, Ohio). Sixteen private and public

social service agencies pooled their vans to develop a

coordinated transportation service for low-income

residents, filling gaps and reducing duplication in the

existing transportation system. Each agency submits

its standard route to a trip “broker” who reviews all

schedules for duplication in trips and timing. As new

trip requests are called in to the broker, they are

checked with the existing schedules for matches or

possible adjusted matches. Included in the resources

are the vans of all the collaborating agencies, the

public bus system and a taxi company. The system is

used for a wide variety of transportation needs,

including medical appointments, job testing, access to

services and ongoing trips to work or school.

Contact Kathy Wigton, Richland County

Regional Planning Commission

( 419-774-5685

The Freewheels Program (Northern Colorado).

Four cities north of Denver have acquired bicycles

through donations and have refurbished them for

reuse. The road-worthy bicycles are then loaned for

use under two programs. Under the Business Loaner

Program, businesses request bicycles to station at the

office to be used by their employees for errands,

meetings and commuting. Under the Bicycle Library

Program, individuals can check out bicycles for their

personal use for up to six months at time.

Contact Mr. Kelley Roberts, Transportation

Department, City of Fort Collins

( 970-224-6126

: www.ci.fort-collins.co.us/c_

transportation/SMARTTrips/freewheels.

html

The Wheels for Work Program (Anne Arundel

County, Maryland). This county program matches

30 low-cost, used vehicles per year with 30 lowincome parents whose only barrier to a job is the lack

of affordable and reliable transportation. The county

motor pool donates older cars with 80,000 or more

miles to nonprofit organizations. Cars from private
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June 1999

donors are also accepted. The local job center

screens potential customers for traffic fines and

violations, verifies employment and evaluates whether

their income is sufficient to pay for insurance and

maintenance of the car. The county assists by paying

insurance for the first two months. The purchase

price is based on the initial repair costs (averaging

$500) plus title and transfer fees, which are deducted

from the customer’s 60-month lifetime limit of cash

assistance.

Contact Vesta Kimble, Director

Anne Arundel County Department of

Social Services

( 410-269-4603

Residents at Neighborhood Networks Centers

Take Advantage of Transportation Services

Residents and staff of properties with Neighborhood

Networks centers are actively creating transportation

links with other services and activities to expand

opportunities for residents. A great deal of information

on methods of providing transportation to residents

already exists at centers. Centers can become active

in developing transportation linkages. Centers

interested in either creating new transportation

services or improving existing services are

encouraged to contact other centers with similar goals

and programs. There are a number of Neighborhood

Networks centers including centers in Alabama,

Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine,

Massachusetts, Missouri, Texas, Virginia and West

Virginia that have taken steps to develop

transportation links to services and events. Few

currently offer transportation to employment sites

although centers in Alabama and West Virginia are in

the process of creating job transportation services.

Centers in California, Colorado, Hawaii and Nevada

have transportation programs or are in partnership

with public or private transportation providers.

The following are some examples of Neighborhood

Networks centers that provide transportation services

for residents:

Anna Dupree Neighborhood Network Center —

Anna Dupree Terrace Apartments (Houston,

Texas). A van owned by the 151-unit property

provides residents with transportation on scheduled

trips for shopping, community events and classes at

no cost to the residents.

Contact Rudolph Rasmus

( 713-864-6033

Operation P.E.A.C.E. Reach Out Center – Village

of Bedford Pines (Atlanta, Georgia). This 700-unit

apartment complex developed transportation services

for seniors in partnership with a major grocery store

located some three miles away. The center

negotiated with the store manager of Krogers

Groceries to provide pickup and drop-off services for

its seniors twice a week for shopping trips, using the

store’s mini-van. In addition, a collaborative effort with

local transit, has resulted in bus tokens for seniors

and children at the center.

Contact Edna Moffett

( 404-892-8004

Advanced Technology Center — Chevy Chase

(Mexico, Missouri). Arrangements have been made

with a local cab company to obtain a reduction in rates

for residents of the 62-unit apartment building who

travel to and from the Neighborhood Networks center.

In addition, the department of social services provides

up to $5 per day to defray transportation and child

care expenses for participants.

Contact Susan Stegemoeller

( 314-539-6355

Kansas City Combined Transportation (Kansas

City, Missouri). Six HUD-assisted properties and the

Kansas City Housing Authority have combined

resources to provide transportation to services and

activities for youth and seniors living in a 15-block

area with over 1,000 subsidized apartment units. The

housing authority shares its vans and the HUDassisted properties share bus service obtained

through drug elimination grant funds to take youth to
No Car? No Problem! Innovative Transportation Solutions Page 13

June 1999

4-H events, sports activities and youth leadership

camps, and take the seniors to services throughout

the metropolitan area.

Contact Kellie Svoboda

HUD Kansas City Area Office

Community Builder

( 913-551-6946

E-mail kellie_svoboda@hud.gov

Family Development Center — Prichard

Comprehensive (Prichard, Alabama). Six

properties (St. Stephens Woods, Leeds Street

Cooperative, Townhouse Square, Parkside

Apartments, Center Ridge Apartments and the

Prichard Housing Authority) have joined together to

provide continuously operating daily bus service for

youth and adults to attend classes and services

offered at the Family Development Center. Rides are

also available for participants in youth soccer leagues

and other youth sports activities. The center

purchased two 15-passenger vans and hired drivers

from among the residents to operate services for the

700 apartments in the properties. Funds to support

the project come from the properties (the six

properties have pooled a portion of their individual

project funds into a $330,000 annual budget for the

services at the Comprehensive Neighborhood

Networks Center). The center is working to set up

emergency job transportation services to provide

temporary assistance to employed residents whose

cars have broken down or who otherwise are

temporarily without transportation to their places of

work.

Contact Frank Nelson

( 334-457-6004

Dunbar Abrams Community Center — The Pines

and Peppertree Apartments (Bessemer, Alabama).

These two properties, comprised of 150 apartments,

joined with the Bessemer Housing Authority, the City

of Bessemer and the school district to obtain

transportation for youth and adults on a fixed route

basis for late afternoon activities and classes.

School buses drop off youth at 3 p.m. for after-school

activities at the Neighborhood Networks center and

then return at 6 p.m. to pick up both youth and adults

who are involved in activities at the center and drop

them off at eight locations near their apartments. The

expense of operating the buses is funded through a

$25,000 Community Development Block Grant.

Contact Gwendolyn Alexander

( 205-426-8434

Versailles Arms Learning Center — Versailles

Arms (New Orleans, Louisiana). Residents of the

400-unit complex are provided group transportation in

vans leased by the Versailles Arms Learning Center,

a nonprofit organization, on an as-needed basis.

Residents use the service to attend job fairs, reach

social services and to take training and tests to obtain

their General Equivalency Diploma (GED). They also

have arranged with the transit agency to provide bus

tokens for individuals. The center was successful in

writing grant applications for the funds to provide

transportation and other services for the residents.

Contact Antonio Gibson

( 504-254-3718
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June 1999

Oakwood Terrace Neighborhood Networks Center

(NNC), Vandelia Terrace NNC, Southmoore Hills

NNC and Orchard Manor NNC — The West

Virginia Multi-County Consortium (Charleston,

West Virginia). Four properties, each with its own

Neighborhood Networks center sites, in a five-county

area, are served by Multi-County Community Action

Against Poverty’s transportation services. The

nonprofit agency provides rides to residents of the

950 apartment units in the consortium to social

services, food banks, medical appointments and

youth summer camps. The 22-person van also

serves as a link to the existing, but distant, public bus

system. Approximately 50 persons a day utilize the

van. Plans are being developed to increase the

number of vans to five, expand service to link with job

sites and better integrate the existing child care

program into the service.

Contact Kevin Dyer

( 304-342-1300 ext. 245

: www.multi-cap.org

E-mail kdyer@multi-cap.org

For More Information about Neighborhood Networks, visit the national website at:

:: http:/www.hud.gov.nnw/nnwindex.html

Call the Neighborhood Networks Or write:

Information Center at: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Neighborhood Networks

( 1-888 312-2743 9300 Lee Highway

TTY 703-934-3230 Fairfax, VA 22031-1207