18th National Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation Conference

Sessions by Route

Route 1: Planning, Design and Research


Different Spins on New Statewide Coordination Efforts

Monday, October 20, 2008	10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Moderator: Bethany Whitaker, Nelson-Nygaard Consulting Associates

Since the passage of SAFETEA-LU with its requirement for coordinated human service-public transit plans, states have taken a variety of approaches in establishing a network of coordinated plans across the states. Several have been extremely proactive in providing resources such as toolkits and technical assistance to assist with the process. This session will profile three approaches used in three states: Wisconsin, Nebraska and Illinois - the successes, the challenges, and future directions.


	Wisconsin's Toolbox for Locally-Developed Coordination Planning
	Roberta Beson-Crone, Wisconsin Department of Transportation

	Nebraska Rural Transit Needs Study and the Statewide Coordinated Transportation Plan
	Joe Kern, SRF Consulting Group, Inc.

	Transportation Coordination Primer: How to Design a Rural Transit System Tailored to the Exact Needs of Your Community
	Dawn Piper and Edward Heflin


State Approaches to Intercity Bus Needs Assessments

Monday, October 20, 2008	2:00 PM-3:30 PM
Moderator: Robin Phillips, American Bus Association

Many new requirements for rural public, human service agency and intercity bus transportation, including new planning and consultation requirements for the FTA 5311(f) program were introduced in the passage of SAFETEA-LU. This session will present an overview of three (3) successful state DOT planning and consultation efforts with the intercity bus network.


	New Approaches to Estimating Demand for Rural Intercity Bus Service.
	Frederic Fravel, KFH Group, Inc.

	State of California Rural Intercity Bus Study; Results, Solutions, and Accomplishments
	Kimberly Gayle, California Department of Transportation

	Missouri DOT's Intercity Bus Study: Matching Users with Destinations
	Christopher Kinzel

	Are There More Intercity Bus Needs Than We Know About? Recent Changes in Intercity Service Delivery in Minnesota.
	Gerry Weiss, Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Transit


Cool Tribal Transit Efforts

Monday, October 20, 2008	4:00 PM-5:30 PM
Moderator: Dennis Trusty, Northern Plains Tribal Technical Assistance Program

SAFETEA-LU established the Public Transportation on Indian Reservation Program (referred to as the Tribal Transit Program (TTP) which authorized direct grants from the Federal Transit Administration to Indian tribes for capital, planning and operating assistance for rural public transit service. This session will profile best practices in coordinated planning efforts by tribes around the country.


	Tribal Transit Needs Assessment & Program Planning - A Case Study of the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation
	Jon Mielke, Small Urban & Rural Transit Center

	Tribal Transportation: Planning, Partnerships & Coordination of Transportation for the Yakama Nation
	Renee Biles, People for People

	Transportation Development by the Santee Sioux Tribe
	Mike Crosley


New Tools for Public/Stakeholder Involvement

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Moderator: Ed Heflin, Western Illinois University

Developing new or expanded transit services in fiscally-constrained times requires meaningful public participation to create a plan that meets the needs of the community. This session will provide an explanation of processes and data collection tools that support more effective public participation from the grass roots level.


	Human Services Transportation Coordination - Hands On Exercise
	Bethany Whitaker, Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates

	Public and Stakeholder Involvement: Recruiting the General Public and Stakeholders at the Grass Roots
	Beverly Raymond, Tri-County Community Action Program, Inc.

	Profiling Stakeholders and Identifying Client Transportation Needs
	Pam Couch


Partnerships Not on your Radar Screen -- That Work!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	1:45 PM-3:15 PM
Moderator: Will Rodman, Nelson-Nygaard

Creativity in design, partnerships, planning and funding are leading to new mobility options for rural citizens. This session will focus on just a few of those examples of new or revamped options in taxis, school bus, charter and intercity bus services.


	Cabs to Augment the Bus System (CABS): Collaboration at Its Best, Surely!
	Ann Hearn, Linn County Community Services

	The Town-Gown Connection That Works: UMass and PVTA
	Allan Byam, UMass Transit Service

	Partnering with School Districts in Rural Washington State
	Kelly Scalf


Innovative Strategies in Rural Transit Planning

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	3:45 PM-5:15 PM
Moderator: Patrisha Piras, Pat Piras Consulting

Planning for rural transit services requires substantial data and managers often must be creative in acquiring information for good decision-making. From determining gaps in service through measurement of availability, to alternatives analysis to determine sustainability of service, to identification of potential service partners regardless of jurisdictional boundaries, these presenters all have approached service planning with an eye to improved mobility.


	Measuring Rural Transit Availability
	Nicholas Lownes, University of Connecticut

	Challenges and Benefits of a Free-Fare System: Is It Sustainable?
	Van Chesnut, Advance Transit

	Rural-Urban Partnerships
	Curt Simon

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Route 2: Policy, Funding and Finance


Environmental Justice in Transportation – Seeking Equity for All

Monday, October 20, 2008	10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Moderator: Patrisha Piras, Pat Piras Consulting

Environmental Justice is intended to prevent the denial, reduction, or delay in transportation benefits received by minority and low-income populations and to ensure the full and fair participation by all potentially affected communities in the transportation decision-making process. This session will bring together national-level civil rights leaders to provide insights on transit equity and tribal issues. An update on last year’s new FTA Title VI circular will be included.


	Social Justice in Transportation
	Marc Brenman, Washington State Human Rights Commission

	Environmental Justice in California's Indian Country
	Joseph Myers, National Indian Justice Center

	Environmental Justice: Policies, Guidance, and Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
	Thomas Harris


Developing a Funding Plan for your Transit Agencies: Exploring Public and Private Opportunities

Monday, October 20, 2008	4:00 PM-5:30 PM
Moderator: Richard Garrity, RLS & Associates

In constrained fiscal periods, rural transit agencies must adopt innovative approaches to maintain diverse revenue streams and enhance financial stability. Diversification brings additional challenges, however, in finding and cultivating relationships with new revenue sources and collecting and maintaining cost reporting data to demonstrate that the transit agency is fulfilling program goals. This session will provide basic customer-focused principles to the nonprofit arena and helps participants recognize opportunities for applying traditional fundraising techniques and approaches to bring increased revenue to the organization. Additionally, suggested methods for developing uniform approaches for cost reporting will be discussed. An open forum will permit audience members to participate in this discussion.


	"Friendraising and Fundraising"
	Michael Audino, Center for Urban Transportation Research

	Your Vital Statistics: Cost and Service Data for Coordination
	Jon Burkhardt, Westat


National Transit Database for Rural Systems: What We've Learned So Far

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Presenters: Mary Martha Churchman, FTA, Washington, DC and Cindy Terwilliger, FTA Region 7, KCMO

SAFETEA-LU added a significant funding increase to FTA's Section 5311 Rural program and also expanded the National Transit Database Program to include data from Section 5311 Grant Recipients. What have we learned from the first two years of data collection in the Rural NTD? FTA Staff will present early results from the just-collected 2007 Rural National Transit Database, providing quantified details on the size and scope of rural transit across the country.


Rural Transit Achievements: Assessing the Outcome of Increased Funding for Rural Transit

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	1:45 PM-3:15 PM
Moderator: Mokhtee Ahmad, Federal Transit Administration, Region VII

SAFETEA-LU provided significant new funding for the FTA Section 5311 program, plus new formula funds for JARC, New Freedom, Indian Tribal Transportation, Transit in the Parks, and requires new planning and consultation requirements by state DOTs. FTA, Congress and even OMB are rightfully beginning to ask what has been achieved with the new money and planning/consultation requirements. Even though NTD and other data are not yet able to respond to these questions, a project was funded to help close the information gaps and provide a useful tool for all stakeholders to measure achievement. Sue Knapp and Fred Fravel, KFH Group and contractor leading the project will provide preliminary findings and examples from states of implementation.


New Partnerships for Funding Intercity Bus Programs

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	3:45 PM-5:15 PM
Moderator: Fred Fravel, KFH Group, Inc.

The FTA 5311(f) program is receiving new attention subsequent to passage of SAFETEA-LU. Aside from new rules for ensuring proper planning and consultation for intercity bus services, FTA also approved a demonstration program for intercity bus operating assistance grants. The new match program, which allows the use of calculable value of unsubsidized intercity bus service to which a rural feeder service operator connects, has been used in several projects across the nation. This panel discussion presents information on how the match program has worked in several states and regions, and discusses the mechanics of its use. Panel members for this session include Stephen Abernathy, Washington State DOT; Matthew Barnes, Oregon DOT; John Valerio, Colorado DOT; Ross Peterson working with Utah DOT; and Charlie Zelle, Jefferson Lines.

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Route 3: Special Topics on Rural Mobility


Looking Backward, Thinking Backward: Hindsight Judgment of Human Error in Transportation Accidents

Monday, October 20, 2008	10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Presenter: Michael Dilich, Foresight reconstruction, Inc.

Although most transportation accidents are attributed to human error, establishing what qualifies as an error, what errors constitute unreasonable conduct, and what causes errors to occur in the first place relies heavily on an investigator’s expert judgment. This session will address two powerful, natural, but not deliberate judgmental biases, hindsight bias and counterfactual thinking. The primary theme will be that those who know how things turned out have trouble believing others didn’t see what was coming. (Part I) Speakers also include John Goebelbecker of Foresight reconstruction, Inc. and Carlton Fisher, an attorney with the law firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson in Chicago.


Mobility for Disabled Veterans in Rural Communities

Monday, October 20, 2008	2:00 PM-3:30 PM
Moderator: Lyn Hellegaard, Missoula Ravalli TMA

Disabled veterans receive limited assistance with personal mobility, and more public mobility may be warranted, particularly in rural communities. With America's growing number of disabled veterans, this topic is timely and needs to be included in rural transit discussions. This session provides a starting point in addressing how to better meet the mobility needs of disabled veterans living in rural communities. In addition, this session will include avenues that are being taken to improve veterans' mobility through public transportation.


	Veterans Transportation in Rural America: Legislative Efforts to Help Meet the Challenge
	Scott Bogren, Community Transportation Association of America

	Meeting Transportation Needs of Veterans in St. Johns County: A Partnership with DAV, VA and Community Transportation
	Cathy Brown, St. Johns County Council on Aging

	Breaching Barriers to Ambulatory and Non-Ambulatory Veterans Transportation
	Lyn Hellegaard


Looking Backward, Thinking Backward (Part 2)

Monday, October 20, 2008	2:00 PM-3:30 PM
Presenter: Michael Dilich, Foresight reconstruction, Inc.

This session is Part 2 and a continuation of the workshop offered at 10:30 a.m with speakers John Goebelbecker of Foresight reconstruction, Inc. and Carlton Fisher, an attorney with the law firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson in Chicago.


Public Transportation in Resort Communities: Planning and Funding Opportunities and Challenges

Monday, October 20, 2008	4:00 PM-5:30 PM
Moderator: David Kack, Montana State University

Often resort areas, e.g., ski communities, etc. are viewed differently from other small communities. These communities may find it difficult to find and receive financial support to provide transportation services to guests, visitors, etc. This session will focus on the planning and implementation of transit services in and to resort locations.


	Public Transportation in a Montana Ski Community
	David Kack, Western Transportation Institute

	Characteristics of Bus Transit Users in a Small-Urban Resort Community
	Wayne Cottrell, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

	Coeur d’ Alene Tribe’s Citylink System
	Alan Eirls


Mobility and Emerging Transportation Needs of Seniors

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Moderator: Jill Hough, SURTC

The growing number of people over age 65 is receiving increasing amounts of attention in the United States and Abroad. Higher levels of mobility are a must for today’s seniors and certainly will be a must for tomorrows’ seniors given the high levels of vitality. This trend could create challenges for rural and areas because, percentage-wise, rural areas have a larger proportion (20%) of senior residents than their urban counterparts (15%). It will be increasingly important for rural areas to develop and implement innovative ways to provide mobility options to their senior populations. This session addresses the changes in demographics and provides examples of ways communities are bridging the gaps to provide transportation service to populations 65 years and older.


	Transportation and Aging - A Community Approach
	Jim Courtney, Mr. Goodcents Foundation

	The Aging Tsunami
	Al Abeson, Small Urban & Rural Transit Center

	How Transportation Services Make Rural Communities Livable.
	Robert Courtney

	Bridging the Gap: Meeting the Needs of Critical Populations
	Jeffrey Arndt, Texas Transportation Institute Transit Mobility Program


New Directions in Rural Transit: Student Paper Competition Winners

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	1:45 PM-3:15 PM
Jill Hough, SURTC

The winners of the student paper competition will present their papers. The 2008 winners are: 1st Place: Craig D. Yannes, University of Connecticut; 2nd Place: Marc Scott, North Dakota State University; and 3rd Place: Chung-Jen Hsu, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.


	Demand Analysis of Rural University Bus Systems through Network Flow Theory and GIS Applications
	Craig Yannes, University of Connecticut

	Using Third Party Concept to Design Innovative Services to Foster Mobility and Access in Rural Areas through Partnership and Coordination
	Marc Scott, North Dakota State University

	Improving Intercity Bus Reliability by Automatic Vehicle Location and Vehicle Infrastructure Integration
	Chung-Jen Hsu


Specialized Medical Transportation in Rural Communities

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	3:45 PM-5:15 PM
Carol Wright, SURTC

This session focuses on the specialized medical trips that are necessary in rural communities including, but not limited to dialysis and cancer treatments. The long distances between rural communities and major medical services poses challenges for many rural areas in the United States. This session provides examples of unique ways rural communities are addressing these challenges.


	Community Partnerships for Innovative Medical Transportation in Rural North Dakota
	Pat Hansen, South Central Adult Services

	Medicaid Transportation and Rural Public Transit: Seeking Business Opportunities
	Kenneth Hosen, KFH Group, Inc.


Can Fuel Costs Get Any Higher? How Can I Possibly Get Any More People on This Bus?

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	3:45 PM-5:15 PM
Moderator: Bob Bourne, Bourne Transit Consulting, LLC

Squeezed by skyrocketing fuel prices and increasing service demands by people no longer able to afford to drive? All modes of transportation are being battered by record fuel costs and customer demands, and all public transportation stakeholders -- from state DOTs to private bus companies to local nonprofits -- are being forced to develop creative ways to deal with the problem. This session will provide an overview of some of the stakeholder reactions.


	Effects of Rising Fuel Prices on Bus Ridership for Small Urban and Rural Transit Systems
	Jeremy Mattson, Small Urban and Rural Transit Center, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute

	Meeting Rider Needs in an Era of High and Unstable Fuel Costs: The OATS' Experience
	Scott Kosky, Oats, Inc.

	Community Transportation Energy Management Initiative
	Dale Marsico

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Route 4: Rural Transportation in Today’s Operating Environment


Strategies for Meeting Safety and Security Challenges in Community Transportation

Monday, October 20, 2008	10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Moderator: Gary Hegland, SURTC

This session will provide an overview of what operators should be doing to prepare for emergencies. Transit agencies will discuss how they handled the emergencies in their community and the lessons learned through those experiences.


	Strategies for Meeting Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness Challenges in Community Transportation
	Ream Lazaro, Revacast Corporation

	Developing an Internal Safety and Security Program for Rural Transit
	Lenna Kotke, Special Transit

	A Multi-County Emergency Preparedness Program in Alabama
	Lisa Sandt


Tribal Transit Models for Success and Lessons Learned

Monday, October 20, 2008	2:00 PM-3:30 PM
Moderator: Peter Schauer, Peter Schauer Associates

Tribal passenger transit programs operate in a unique setting on each reservation responding to the individual cultural environments of each reservation and historical relationships of those living around them. Yet while each reservation and its surrounding environment are unique certain principles of organizing for success have emerged such as: cultural sensitivity, responsiveness to a variety of governmental and institutional requirements and expectations, and coordination. This panel discussion presents lessons learned from several tribally-based transit services and compares and contrasts their strategies for success.


	Development of the Oglala Sioux Transit: Putting the R in Rural
	Emma Featherman-Sam, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Transportation - Transit Program

	The Fort Peck Transportation System: 35 years focusing on tribal mobility needs.
	Henri Headdress, Fort Peck Tribes

	Coordination of Tribal and Non Tribal Transportation: The Namekagon Transit Experience
	Joe Eichinger


Creating a Rural Transit Marketing Toolkit

Monday, October 20, 2008	4:00 PM-5:30 PM
Moderator: Jacklyn Montgomery, CalACT

Rural transit agencies seldom have the expertise or resources to do a very effective job of marketing. What they do have is a close connection to their communities. With the right tools and assistance, that connection can be leveraged into an effective marketing effort.


	Creating a Rural Transit Marketing Toolkit: A Statewide Campaign to Build Support and Enhance Funding
	Selena Barlow, Transit Marketing, LLC

	A Case Study: Missouri's Rural Public Transit Statewide Campaign
	Shirley Tarwater, Missouri Department of Transportation


Tools for Successful Transit Managers

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Debbie Sapper, Center for Urban Transportation Research, USF

Every small transit manager has to juggle a million duties while supervising staff and maintain quality services. This session will provide several tools to assist managers in the following job duties: Employee Compensation, Substance Abuse Programs, and Bus Accident Investigation.


	Employee Compensation Guidelines for Transit Providers in Rural and Small Urban Areas
	Sue Knapp, KFH Group, Inc

	Developing a Compliant Substance Abuse Education and Training Program
	Diana Byrnes, Center for Urban Transportation Research

	Bus Accident Investigation- What's a Rural Agency to Do?
	Debbie Sapper

	How To Build A Better Bus Barn: Minnesota's Facility Guidebook
	Gerry Weiss, Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Transit


Mobility Management in Rural Environments

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	1:45 PM-3:15 PM
Moderator: Jacklyn Montgomery, CalACT

Mobility Management centers are being used across the United States to provide transportation information and assistance to individuals as they seek transportation through web based services, customer service centers, cell phones and other technology. The speakers will cover several different mobility management models, including information on planning, funding and implementing mobility management centers or tools that meets rider’s needs and eliminates service gaps. The session will also discuss different technology that is being used to coordinate trips/services between transit operators, employers, human service providers and health agencies.


	If You Want Something to Happen, You Have to Make a Space for It: A Best Practice on Increasing Mobility Options in Rural Areas
	Lisa Love, St. Johns County Council on Aging

	Mobility Management in Wisconsin
	Ingrid Koch, Wisconsin Department of Transportation

	Developing a One-Call Center: The Path to a Travel Management Coordination Center
	Todd Allen


Human Factors in Transportation Coordination: Organizational Development Approaches for Success

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	3:45 PM-5:15 PM
Moderator: Peter Schauer, Peter Schauer Associates

Coordination is more than counting empty seats on vans and buses and estimating cost savings to cooperating agencies. Human factors are often more significant in bringing about coordination than any “good fit” of available buses and agencies or people in need of transportation. Human factors such as trust, jealousy, likes and dislikes, beliefs, values and central mission or purpose are known to influence collaborative efforts. These concepts are central to the broad field of study known as Organizational Development (OD) and were explored in a doctoral dissertation prepared by Dr. Arthur Saltzman, entitled “Coordination of Transportation by Human Service Agencies: An Interorganizational Perspective.” In this session Dr. Saltzman presents findings from his seminal research and a panel of experts in coordination and Organizational Development respond and share their insights on the “real” factors that bring about collaboration and coordination of transportation services. Respondents to Dr. Saltzman's presentation include Margi Ness, Dr. Beverly Ward, and Jim McLary, United We Ride Ambassadors; Chris Zeilinger, CTAA; Pat Weaver, University of Kansas; and Cathy Brown, St. Johns County Council on Aging. The paper is available for review by visiting http://www.paratec.com/sbform/saltzman_dissertation_1980_downloadform.htm.

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Route 5: Technology Solutions to Improve Service


Interlining with Intercity Bus Service

Monday, October 20, 2008	10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Moderator: Robin Phillips, American Bus Association

The Importance of Seamless, Online Ticketing & Service Information. Our transportation system is a network of services. The intercity bus industry does not operate like the nation's airline industry. Using intercity bus service, passengers are frequently routed over the routes of different interline operators. The importance of operational seamlessness between intercity bus carriers is essential to the business. This session explores how rural feeder bus services can enjoy increased ridership and a nationwide ticketing and information system.


	Connectivity between Rural Transit and Intercity Bus Selling Intercity Bus Tickets
	Bill Brannan, National Bus Traffic Association

	Interlining with Greyhound
	Tim Lukes, Greyhound Lines, Inc.

	Linked in for National Intercity Bus Connectivity
	Brandon Buchanan


Technology Tools for Rural System Management

Monday, October 20, 2008	2:00 PM-3:30 PM
Moderator: David Ripplinger, SURTC


	An Evaluation of RouteMatch Software in the Billings MET Special Transit System
	David Kack, Western Transportation Institute

	An AVL Pilot Project for Kansas Transit Providers
	Lisa Koch, Kansas Department of Transportation

	Real Regional Coordination: A Multi-Agency Computer Assisted Scheduling and Automatic Vehicle Location Deployment
	Sarah Lenz


Travel Information for Rural Customers

Monday, October 20, 2008	4:00 PM-5:30 PM
Moderator: Stephen Abernathy, Washington State DOT

Travel information is not just for big cities anymore. Small cities and rural communities are getting their schedules, routes and buses on line and in real time. See your bus on a map, plan your trip on Google, or work with your state to increase the access and visibility of your system.


	NDinfo.org: Building a Regional Transit Travel Information System
	David Ripplinger, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute

	Big ideas fit in small towns: Google Transit and travel information in Modoc County
	Pam Couch, Modoc County Transportation Sage Stages

	I Can See Clearly Now The Phone Is On
	Larry Harman

	The Long Road Home: Multimodal Information Makes Connections
	Stephen Abernathy, Washington State Department of Transportation


Technology to Support System Management

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Moderator: Patricia Weaver, University of Kansas

A number of states have implemented systems to support agencies in reporting ridership data, financial data, and for grants management. These tools range from documents and templates that can be downloaded from their web site, to web-based tools that provide transit agencies with direct input to their State DOT's. This session will profile examples of some of the systems and discuss how these tools have contributed to streamlined reporting and how they can be used to the advantage of the transit system.


	Dealing with the Data: Minnesota's Public Transit Administration Database and Application Project
	Charles A. Morris, Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Transit

	Electronic Grants Management: Plain and Simple Success
	John Valerio, Colorado Department of Transportation

	Online Expenses, Passenger and Vehicle Information Reporting: Oklahoma's Web-Based MYLEO-Net
	Kenneth LaRue


Best Practices for Online Tools in Rural System Operations

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	1:45 PM-3:15 PM
Moderator: Pam Ward, Ottumwa Transit

An increasing number of tools are available to rural transit managers to assist in training, improving operations and management practices, or even networking with other agencies across the country. This session will present some of the state-of-the art resources available to you right now and some cautions on appropriate uses of the technology.


	Up Close and Personnel: Distance Learning can take you places you need to go.
	Karen Wolf-Branigan, Easter Seals

	Virtual Training Delivers Real Information
	Henrika Buchanan-Smith, Federal Transit Administration

	Are You Surfing Without a Life-Jacket? Navigating the Pros and Cons of Web-Based Software
	Karen Burkhardt

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Roundtable


Estimating Demand for Rural Transit New Strategies

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	7:30 AM-8:30 AM
Facilitator: Frank Spielberg, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin

A Transit Cooperative Research Project (TCRP Project B-36) is underway to update the methods for estimating rural transit demand. We have identified issues of importance and have defined approaches to forecasting demand. This is a listening session for potential users of the methodology with an opportunity to discuss needs and critique the work in progress.


	Forum for receiving comments from potential users of Updated Methods for Estimating the Demand for Rural Transit (TCRP Project B-36)
	Frank Spielberg, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin


Hot Topics for New Managers

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	7:30 AM-8:30 AM
Facilitator: Gary Hegland, SURTC

Are you relatively new to transit? Are there questions you're afraid to ask - or haven't found anyone with the right answers. Come to this session to get to know other new managers, join in a discussion on topics with enough basic information to “hit the ground running.” Learn of technical assistance resources available to you.


Tribal Transit Funding: Program Experience wih SAFETEA-LU

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	7:30 AM-8:30 AM
Facilitator: Lorna Wilson, FTA , Dennis Trusty, Northern Plains TTAP & Cathy Monroe, FTA Region VII

The Tribal Transit Provisions of SAFETEA-LU provide grants directly to Indian tribes for public transportation services on Indian reservations. In the past, tribes received program funds as sub-recipients of States. SAFETEA-LU defined tribes as eligible direct recipients under the Section 5311 program. With experience in two rounds of directly funding tribes, FTA representatives will be on hand to discuss the program and answer questions.


Lessons Learned: State Experiences with JARC and New Freedom

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	7:30 AM-8:30 AM
Facilitator: Kimberly Gayle, CALTRANS and Joni Roeseler, FTA Region VII

The New Freedom Program (Section 5317) was developed to encourage services and facility improvements to address the transportation needs of persons with disabilities that go beyond those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. It provided a new formula grant program for associated capital and operating costs, a portion of which is allocated to rural areas. In addition, the Job Access-Reverse Commute Program (Section 5316) was transitioned to a formula grant program also with an allocation to rural communities. This roundtable will provide an opportunity to discuss experience to date with these two program in rural communities.


	Lessons Learned: Minnesota's JARC and New Freedom Grants
	Tom Gottfried, Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Transit


Filling the Void: Connecting Rural Feeders with Intercity Bus Services

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	7:30 AM-8:30 AM
Facilitators: Charlie Zelle, Jefferson Lines and Dan Mundy, CALTRANS

A number of new rural intercity feeder bus services are in various stages of planning and development. This roundtable will provide an opportunity to discuss the operational, administrative and regulatory issues involved in operationalizing a feeder service

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Plenary


Conference Opening: Welcome

Monday, October 20, 2008	8:30 AM-9:00 AM

Welcome to the 18th National Conference on Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation from the City of Omaha, the State of Nebraska, and the TRB Committee on Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation.


Keynote Address: Progress with Foresight..Regress with Hindsight..

Monday, October 20, 2008	9:00 AM-10:00 AM
Michael Dilich, FORESIGHT reconstruction, Inc.

With introduction by Peter Schauer, Peter Schauer Associates. Sharper hindsight leads to better foresight. True or false? Hindsight is supposed to help us learn from our errors and progress into a better future. Not true, psychologists say. A natural human judgmental bias, the “the hindsight bias,” distorts our perception of the past. 20/20 hindsight eyes that clearly see, with no surprises, the certainty of what happened, are remarkably blind to the uncertainty the future. Michael Dilich will teach how our plans for progress must use the lessons of our experience without hindsight bias.


18th National Conference Awards Luncheon

Monday, October 20, 2008	12:00 PM-1:30 PM

The luncheon features presentation of the 18th National Conference Student Paper Awards competition, presented to three students who competed and won the TRB Rural Conference paper competition. In addition, the Transportation Research Board "Roger Tate is Smiling" Award will be presented to an individual who, like Roger Tate, has a record of passionate, innovative, and unswerving commitment to improving transportation services in rural America.


Where Are We Now and Where Do We Go From Here?

Tuesday, October 21, 2008	8:45 AM-10:00 AM
Moderator: Jon Burkhardt, Westat

Bill Millar, President of the American Public Transportation Association and Dale Marsico, Executive Director of the Community Transportation Association of America share their perspectives on how far rural transportation has come since the passage of SAFETEA-LU and insights on where we go from here. An opportunity for questions and answers will be provided within this session.


Town Hall Meeting: Rural Transit Achievements Under Safetea-LU

Wednesday, October 22, 2008	8:30 AM-10:30 AM
Moderator: Cathy Brown, St. Johns County Council on Aging with Sue Knapp and Fred Fravel, KFH Group

Assessing the Outcomes of Increased SAFETEA-LU Funding for Rural Passenger Services. SAFETEA-LU provided significant new funding for the FTA Section 5311 program, plus new formula funds for JARC, New Freedom, Indian Tribal Transportation and Transit in the Parks. It also requires new planning and consultation requirements by state DOTs. FTA, Congress and even OMB are rightfully beginning to ask what has been achieved with the new money and planning/consultation requirements; however, NTD and other data are not yet able to respond to these questions. The Town Hall Meeting is your chance to provide input on how your community has benefited from the increased funding; to tell your stories on how SAFETEA-LU has impacted your program and the service you deliver. The meeting also will provide the opportunity to provide recommendations on how the programs can be improved to encourage more efficiency in service delivery. The outcomes of this discussion will be included as part of a Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)study final report.


FTA's State Programs' Meeting

Wednesday, October 22, 2008	11:00 AM-3:30 PM

The Federal Transit Administration’s Mini State Program Meeting will focus on implementation of State managed programs: Elderly and Individuals with Disabilities Program (Section 5310), Non-urbanized Area Formula Program and Tribal Program (Section 5311), Job Access and Reverse Commute Program (Section 5316), and New Freedom Program (Section 5317). The meeting will be an opportunity for peer exchange regarding implementation strategies for program features such as public transit-human service coordination plans and tribal transit.

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