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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0411.000 2002-2004 MSY OrN Harry Kim ~'cV, ~ William Takaba Mayor' Director • Nancy E. Crawford ~i••; Deputy Director h•oi•wi0 County of Hawaii Finance Department 25 Aupuni Street, Room 118 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 (soa»et-azsa .Fax Laos»a~-azas November 3, 2003 Honorable James Arakaki, Chairperson and ~o Members of the County Council ~ z Hawaii County Council S n 25 Aupuni Street r: Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • u' T Re: Operating Budget F~ N The State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, through its State Planning &~esea~q (SPR) Program, has authorized a $100,000 grant to the Hawaii County Mass Transit Agency for a pilot study on a Rural Paratransit System for the Puna and Kona districts. A paratransit system includes public and private mass transportation in the spectrum between the private automobiles and conventional transit, and includes modes that are demand responsive and share rides. These funds are derived from the Federal Highway Administration. Enclosed is a resolution to authorize the Mayor to enter into an agreement with the State of Hawaii Department of Transportation. Also enclosed is a bill for an ordinance amending the Operating Budget by appropriating this $100,000 Rural Paratransit System Study Grant. If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to call the Mass Transit Agency. William Tak ba Director of Finance APPROVED: Harry Kim Mayor Enc. Comm. No. Ref. To: cc: Mass Transit Ref. Date ~~5. /~..(o-C~a' t3~ I! I S~ Form B-52 7/18/91 DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION DEPARTMENT: Transit Agency DATE: 10/30/03 STAFF CONTACT: Tom Brown PHONE: 8343 A. REQUEST: The transit agency has received a $100,000 federal grant to prepare a pilot study for a rural para transit plan for the Puna and Kona districts. The local match of $25,165 will be comprised of in-kind labor or direct expenses. We request a revenue account be created for this grant in the amount of $100,000. These funds will be used to pay for the consultant who will prepare the study. B. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION (USE ADDITIONAL SHEETS AS NEEDED): Please see attachment SIGNED: DATE: 10/30/03 Department Head GRANT SUMMARY (Supplement to B-52, Request for Council Action) Type of Grant Appropriation being requested: (New or an additional appropriation) New (for this fiscal year period). OR ~ Additional appropriation (to an existing grant); Is a draft agreement attached? Has the original grant notification been transmitted to Yes ~ No Council? ~ Yes ~ No Name of Grant Program: State Planning and Research Program (SPR ) Grantor: Federal Highway Administration and State Department of Transportation County Grantee Department or Agency: (pass through agency) Hawaii Countv Transit Aaencv County Grantee Contact Person: Thomas Brown Phone Number: g61-8343 Amount of Grant: $100, 000 Grant Period (Commencement & Completion): 10/01/03 - 9/30/04 Purpose of Grant: Rural Transportation County Match required?: ®Yes ~ No If yes, Matching Amount? $25,165 Budgeted in account# : 010-311-5311.01-011 In-kind? Explain: Yes, will be matched by labor involved from various County departments. Explanation: County's personnel requirements: Amount of new position(s)? urn Qty: _ Permanent: ~ Temporary: Duration: Full-time: ~ Part-time: Time Element: Qty: Contractual: ~ Explain: Explanation: Match will include labor from Planning, Transit, Public Works, Data Processing, and County Council. Additional Comments about Grant: B-52 Gram Summary Form aoog-o~! srr-saa i (4/03) State Planning and Research (SPR) Program Proposed Work Item Form Fiscal Year 2004, Federal-Aid Project No. SPR-OOIO(26) I. Item & Aeency Work Item: I-HC-5.03: Pilot Study for a Rural Paratransit System (Amendment #I, Revised by Tom Brown per FHWA memo dated 1/27/03) Agency: Mass Transit Agency, County of Hawaii Coordinator: Thomas Brown Phone No.: (808) 961-8343 Position: Transit Administrator Fax No.: (808) 961-8745 II. Work Item Information A. Objectives: Paratransit includes public and private mass transportation in the spectrum between the private automobile and conventional transit, and includes modes that aze demand responsive and share rides. The vehicles used to supply paratransit include sedans, vans, ramp- and lift- equipped vans, and minibuses. In Hawaii County, similar to other jurisdictions, the transit operator focuses on fixed-route transit, while social service agencies provide paratransit. Typically paratransit is available only to special needs groups such as the disabled or lower income. The exception is the shared ride taxi program in this County that is open to anyone. The low-density, low-demand rural conditions of this County makes expansion of fixed-route transit to these areas impractical. Yet, there is a critical unmet need for affordable transportation to those who do not drive for trips such as nonemergency medical appointments, after school activities, shopping, employee shuttles, and airport shuttles. The objectives of this project aze twofold: I. To plan, identify and coordinate existing paratransit services in order to shaze and economize resources; 2. To develop a comprehensive planning process to expand services to the general public with a system that offers auser-specified origin to auser-specified destination at auser-specified time dispatched using GIS and Internet technology. B. Description (scope of work to accomplish objective): The County will select a pilot study area (Puna and Kona). Within this study area, the County or a consultant will identify the supply of paratransit providers including social services, school buses and taxis. A consultant will conduct a survey to estimate the demand and costs, and recommend a fee structure. A consultant will develop a prototype GIS/GPS system to match calls and scheduled pick-ups with location of service vehicles. An Internet system will be developed to schedule pick-ups. This website will be the same as the County's transit system so that users can readily understand the relationship of the paratransit system to the County's bus system. STP-SPR I (4/03) C, Project Justification (reason and need for project, cite regulatory requirements, if any): The lack of transportation alternatives has untold social ramifications: latch-lcey Kids, higher substance abuse due to lack of social activities, unemployment due to inability to get to job locations, neglect of medical conditions due to inability to get to doctors or dentists, increased accidents involving elders who should not be driving. Many existing paratransit services use their vehicles during specified times (before and afrer school or work), and the vehicles are otherwise idle. Or, when in use, the vehicles are not to capacity. Many potential users do not qualify to use available services. This project will attempt to optimize the use of available resources and expand availability to all potential users. The need is especially acute for the Big Island where ]ow-density land use is pervasive and transportation distances exceed walking/biking distances. While the State Department of Transportation is currently in the process of selecting a consultant to prepare a Technical Transit Study for Hawaii County, this proposed planning project will not duplicate the efforts of the Technical Study as it is district-specific, addresses more specific planning objectives, and experimental. The detailed worl<plan for this project will be coordinated with the selected consultant so that the results of this planning project can be incorporated into and enhance the recommendations of the Technical Study. D. Previous or on-going related work: None.