Pam Couch, Executive DirectorModoc Transportation Agency / Sage Stage

18th National Conference on Rural Public & Intercity Bus Transportation

Omaha, NE - October 20, 2008 (TEC3)

“Big Ideas Fit in Small Towns”

TEC3 (10/20/08) 2

Frontier Rural Context & Issues

Older and poorer population

Often with lifeline mobility issues

Long travel distances >100 mi. one-way

Limited services / infrastructure

Few operators / providers

Most with limited schedules / service

TEC3 (10/20/08) 3

Where We Started

Need to solve a real problem (2000)

How to get to, from and through remote, rural places?

Need for information - options

Need for bus traveler information

Need for on-line information tool

TEC3 (10/20/08) 4

Systems Approach

Think “system”

Solve problems - one at a time

Assemble “building blocks”

Integrate solutions

Coordinate and collaborate with others (neighbors, colleagues, operators & vendors)

Share ideas and lessons learned

TEC3 (10/20/08) 5

Enhanced Connectivity

CALnections project (http://www.calnections.com)

Greyhound Interline Partnership

Google Transit on Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/transit)

Plus some lessons learned

TEC3 (10/20/08) 6

Research projects yield important learning

Must report and share all lessons learned

TEC3 (10/20/08) 7

TEC3 (10/20/08) 8

Enlarged Message Display

”No service is provided at 11:35 AM on Thursday, but you can make this trip if you start travel at 12:40 PM on Wednesday”

Important information for rural traveler

Offers ‘doable’ option and alternatives

TEC3 (10/20/08) 9

Building an on-line trip planner, ain’t easy

Really need data exchange standards!

Converting one advanced technology (brokerage management system) to another is tough (on-line trip planner)

Use / re-use everything you can, and always remember they’re your data

Need good partners (who keep commitments)

CALnections.com Lessons Learned

TEC3 (10/20/08) 10

Intercity trips to/from remote, rural areas typically require using 2+ bus operators (mainstream and upstream)

o Must report and share all lessons learned

TEC3 (10/20/08) 11

Ticket sales (commissions) reflect population within service area

Need ~20% commission to break even (or consider as ‘mobility service’)

Invaluable referrals and exposure

Need more creative solutions and innovative public/private partnerships

Greyhound Interline Partnership: Lessons Learned

TEC3 (10/20/08) 12

Intercity trips to/from remote, rural areas typically require using 2+ bus operators (mainstream and upstream)

o Must report and share all lessons learned

TEC3 (10/20/08) 13

TEC3 (10/20/08) 14

Works really well for large urban transit systems (with many routes and frequent headways)

Exposed challenges when transit systems connect / overlap

Invaluable referrals and new riders

Need more creative solutions and innovative public/private partnerships

Google/Transit Partnership: Lessons Learned

TEC3 (10/20/08) 15

Basic Lessons Re-Learned

Be willing to work hard!

Development costs are hard to recover and often underestimated

Effective public/private partnerships are absolutely necessary

Share all lessons learned

Keep on “keeping on”

TEC3 (10/20/08) 16

Pam Couch, Executive DirectorModoc Transportation111 W. North StreetAlturas, CA 96101-3936Phone (530) 233-6422pamcouch@frontiernet.net