Title

A scalable and replicable design for a coordinated human service transportation system

Document Type

Conference Paper

Publication Date

2007

Subject Area

Location - USA, Transport accessibility - Access to Technology, Transport programs - Flexible Transport Solutions, Transport programs - Transport coordination

Abstract

Through the United We Ride (UWR) and the Mobility Services for All Americans (MSAA) joint initiatives, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) launches a demonstration program to explore the technical and institutional feasibility of an ITS-enhanced human service transportation system for the transportation disadvantaged, especially elderly and disabled persons. The demonstration takes place in two phases: model system development and design (Phase 1) and model system deployment and evaluation (Phase 2). The USDOT has selected eight Phase 1 project sites to carry out detailed design and development of a coordinated human service transportation system that utilizes ITS technologies. In Phase 2, the USDOT selects two or more local communities from the Phase 1 project sites to deploy and evaluate their systems. To promote stakeholder acceptance and wide-spread impacts of demonstration outcomes, the USDOT requests that all demonstration sites consider scalability and replicability in their system design process and resultant products. Scalability focuses on a system’s flexibility in deployment, with respect to the levels of agency/program participation, changes in service and jurisdictional boundaries, as well as modifications in system components and functionalities. Replicability avoids “one of a kind” design outcomes that only apply to unique service and environmental scenarios. A replicable design not only allows other local communities to adopt the same model with minimum modifications, but also facilitates smoother transitions when the system faces changes in service providers, policies and regulations, and program administration. The main purpose of this paper is to shed light on key determining factors that affect human service transportation (HST) system’s scalability and replicability, and consequently, to assist local communities in developing a coordinated human service transportation system that accommodates future growth and changes. In this paper, the authors first define the terms of scalability and replicability within the context of coordinated human service transportation systems and explain why they are important to the human service transportation stakeholders. Finally, the authors recommend, based on previous studies and observations from the field, some key areas of focus and system design principles to promote the scalability and replicability of demonstration outcomes, that is, ITS-enhanced human service transportation systems.