SVRHP TRANSPORTATION STUDY: INTERVIEWS OF TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS

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SVRHP TRANSPORTATION STUDY INTERVIEWS OF
TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS

• Michael L. Patten
• The Pennsylvania State University
• June 17, 2005

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Survey Methodology

• On-site interviews with transportation providers
  in SVRHPs service area
• The interviews were conducted between April 18
  and May 10, 2005
• Survey Process
• Introductory Telephone Call
• Information Letter
• The Interview
• Follow-Up Mailings

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Survey Results Participating Organizations

• City BusUrban/rural fixed Route
• Endless Mountains (EMTA) Rural fixed route
  Paratransit
• STEP, Transportation, Inc.Paratransit
• Billtown CabParatransit

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Survey ResultsHours of Service

• City BusDaily except Sundays major holidays
• Endless Mountains
• Fixed route BusDaily except Sundays major
  holidays
• ParatransitDaily
• STEP24/7/365
• Billtown Cab24/7/365

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Survey ResultsParatransit Participation
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Survey ResultsParatransit Operations

• Daily Averages
• 530 passengers
• 8,500 miles
• Most common destinations
• Medical Facilities
• Senior centers

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Survey ResultsMedical-Related Trips
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Survey ResultsPublicity

• City Bus and Billtown Cab do not publicize
  paratransit
• EMTA and STEP
• Utilize traditional publicity methods (brochures
  and posters) and outlets (radio, TV, newspapers)
• Both reported that visits to senior centers and
  similar groups are the very successful

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Survey ResultsCoordination of Services

• Advantages
• Problem solving
• Better service to public
• More efficiency
• Extend hours
• Allows more trips
• Assists with client certification and
  registration
• Ease of service provision
• Lower costs
• Less administrative burden

• Disadvantages
• Not-for-profits dont have same funding issues as
  for-for-profit organizations
• Dont always understand both sides of problems
• At times may be less efficient
• Does not have full control of service
• Need to field complaints about services not
  controlled

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Survey ResultsProblems Possible Solutions

• Abuse of the medical assistance program
• Solution Educate clients about issue (???)
• Combining personal activities with
  medical-related trips
• Solution Educate clients about issue (???)
• Medical providers dont consider transportation
  when scheduling appointments
• Solution Inform medical providers about issue
  and encourage them to schedule appointments
  within the operating hours of the paratransit
  providers

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Survey ResultsProblems Possible Solutions

• Shortage of dentists participating in medical
  assistance program
• Solution Encourage more dentists to participate
• Emergency medical transportation requests for
  non-MAP clients
• Solution Explore revisions to the PENNDOT 203
  shared-ride program
• Long-distance trips, especially those that cross
  county lines.
• Solution Changes to current legislation and/or
  regulations

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Findings

• SVRHPs service area is well served by both
  paratransit and fixed-route transit.
• All major paratransit programs are available.
• Daily paratransit usage
• 530 passengers
• 8,500 miles
• 50 to 60 of paratransit trips are for medical
  purposes.

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Findings (continued)

• Medical Assistance program no longer requires use
  of the closest available medical provider, trips
  may be significantly longer than necessary.
• Visits to senior centers and similar groups are
  the very successful in informing potential
  clients about the availability of these services.
• All of the responding organizations coordinate
  their transportation operations with other
  organizations.

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Findings (continued)

• Because the Medical Assistance program no longer
  requires a client to use the closest available
  specialist medical provider, trips may be
  significantly longer than necessary.
• Clients seem to combine a high number personal
  activities with medical-related trips when
  utilizing this service.
• Medical providers often dont take requirements
  of transportation into account when scheduling
  appointments

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Findings (continued)

• There seems to be a shortage of dentists
  participating in medical assistance program which
  can results in very long trips.
• Use of the PENNDOT 203 shared-ride may allow some
  trips for bona fide medical emergencies not
  covered under other programs.
• Long-distance trips, especially those that cross
  county lines often cause problems.