Coordinated Public Transit–Human-Services Transportation Plan for Delaware

PROJECT SYNOPSIS

Limited access to transportation can affect the health and economic vitality of Delawareans and disproportionately affect older adults, people with disabilities, individuals of low income, or other transportation-disadvantaged populations.1 The need to coordinate human-services transportation in Delaware has been a topic of study for over a decade. Several reports and plans detail issues concerning human-services transportation coordination, advancing mobility management, and addressing rising costs and transportation-service inefficiencies.

Public transit agencies and human-services transportation partners across the nation have implemented various transportation coordination strategies to improve mobility options available to transportation-disadvantaged populations, including older adults, persons with disabilities, low-income populations, veterans, non-drivers, and no-car households. Moreover, transportation access has been linked to employment rates, health outcomes, and economic and social opportunities. Hence, reliable, safe, and affordable transportation can provide transportation equity. 

This Coordinated Public Transit–Human Services Transportation Plan, or “Coordinated Plan,” for the State of Delaware was developed through a participatory planning process and serves as a strategic framework for addressing the state’s existing and future mobility needs. It is aligned with and conforms to the current federal framework focused on the need to enhance mobility for all transportation-disadvantaged populations (e.g., older adults, persons with disabilities, veterans, low-income individuals, non-drivers, and no-car households). Specifically, the plan responds to the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which was enacted in 2015 and provides increased emphasis on advancing mobility management practices and projects, including those related to the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program (herein referred to as the Section 5310 program).

Beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, the Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC), with research support and facilitation assistance from the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration (IPA), launched a multi-phased work plan to evaluate the state of mobility and specialized transportation services coordination in Delaware. Additionally, extensive community outreach was conducted to better understand and develop recommendations for the implementation of policies and partnerships designed to improve Delaware’s specialized transportation and mobility management framework. These efforts aided DTC in officially launching its Mobility in Motion initiative and invited Delawareans to envision and provide critical input on the future of mobility in Delaware.

Outcomes of the preliminary research and outreach work are detailed in the report titled Evaluating the State of Mobility Management and Specialized Transportation Coordination in Delaware and identify recurring themes and challenges related to the state’s evolving mobility demand drivers, demographic trends, and transit costs. Thereafter, a more formalized outreach plan was developed and implemented in 2018 by IPA that involved both high-touch and hightech outreach and engagement strategies, including the facilitation of three surveys. Outcomes of these surveys are highlighted in the following documents: Survey Outcomes: Delaware Section 5310 program Funding Subrecipients and Outcomes Report: Delaware Transportation Needs Assessment Survey. Results of these surveys, a Snapshot Survey, and other high-touch and high-tech engagement initiatives, are summarized in the Community Outreach and Public Involvement section of this plan and were used to inform DTC and its appointed Mobility in Motion Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). This formal group of representative stakeholders is charged with helping the agency meet new federal requirements while providing strategies and considerations for updating the Coordinated Plan.

Between February and October 2019, the TAC met four times to review all aforementioned materials and consider national and regional best practices to address Delaware’s current public transit challenges and gaps. The group also offered additional perspectives related to advancing a more innovative and consumer-driven mobility framework. Meeting materials are documented on DTC’s Mobility in Motion webpage (www.MobilityDE.org). Final considerations and prioritized strategies were obtained in the October meeting and included as part of this plan’s recommended strategies. In accordance with federal requirements and national best practices, DTC looks forward to a continuous relationship with identified partners on implementing these strategies over the next five years.