State Transit Report2016

Georgia Transit VisionCritical Points of Consideration

1. Who is in charge of Georgia’s transit strategy and implementation?

2. Is multi-county and multi-regional transit important to Georgia?

3. How can Georgia’s leadership strengthen transit?

4. What entity is in charge of coordinating public and human services transit?

5. Are Millennials important to Georgia’s future workforce?

6. Is transit important for Georgia’s rising elderly population?

Georgia Transit Milestones

1. Human services transit programs are coordinated (1998)

2. GRTA express bus services provide suburban to urban linkage

3. Georgia Rural and Human Services Transit coordinating council is established• Repealed 2015

4. Transportation Investment Act of 2010• Provided operating funds for transit programs – regional based

5. Transportation Funding Act of 2015 (HB170)• Provided operating funds for transit programs – county level

6. Authorization of Go Transit Bond s - $75 Million

State Transit GovernanceState Level Transit Governance

The Georgia Transit Association (GTA) supports a state transit governance model that enhances access to public and human services transit, preserves local control, and coordinates existing transit programs to eliminate the duplication of services.

Recommendations

• Designate a single state agency to administer public and human services transit programs, streamline policy guidance, and to maximize state transit funding to create a stronger transit network.

• Authorize the state agency to establish a statewide transit planning process, and direct it to produce a strategic transit plan every five years.

State Transit Governance Cont’d.

Figure 1: Transit Coordination Chart (FTA, 2016)

Georgia Transit Systems - 2016

Issue:

There are multiple agencies that are responsible for delivering transit services. Improved state governance is a critical first step to optimize local, multi-county, and multi-regional transit services.

• There are multiple definitions of a “region”

• Public transit is available in 120+ of Georgia’s 159 counties

• Human services transit is available in all 159 counties (DHS)

• Medicaid transit service is available in all 159 counties (DCH)

• GRTA Express Bus services provides critical suburban to urban linkage

Figure 2: Transit Map (GDOT, 2016)

Regional Transit Governance

Regional Level Transit Governance

The Georgia Transit Association (GTA) supports a regional transit governance model that enhances access to public and human services transit, preserves local control, and coordinates existing transit programs to eliminate the duplication of services.

Recommendations

• Develop a voluntary process for local governments to designate a transit service region, and to establish all reasonable and necessary intergovernmental agreements to administer public and human services transit programs, streamline policy guidance, and to maximize funding to create a stronger transit network.

Georgia Transit Funding

Figure 3. State Funding Chart (AASHTO, 2016)

Georgia provides a small amount of state funding for capital projects, but it provides no operating funds for local transit programs.

Georgia Transit Funding Per Capita

2014 State Transit Funding Per Capita

Alabama $ 0.00Georgia $ 0.33Florida * $11.55Mississippi* $ 0.53North Carolina* $ 7.98South Carolina* $ 1.24Tennessee* $ 7.62Virginia* $30.19

Table 1. State Funding Per Capita (AASHTO, 2016) Note: * Indicates state operating assistance

How is Transit Funded?

50%50%

Operations

FederalStateLocal

80%

10%

10%

Capital

FederalStateLocal

• Georgia must contribute a significant level of funding, primarily in operations, to increase transit competitiveness

• Transit cannot exist without local government funding and support• Large urban areas (200,000+ population) must fund 100% of operational costs

Figure 4. Funding Percentages (AASHTO, 2016)

Georgia Transit FactsFleet Capacity

• The urban transit fleet size, as of 2014, was approximately 1,400 (bus/rail)

• The rural transit fleet size, as of 2014, was approximately 461 shuttle buses

Number of Transit Systems

• The AASHTO 2016 public transit survey report indicated that Georgia has the third highest number of transit systems in the country (NTD, 2014)• Kansas (146) • California (139)• Georgia (120)• New York (114)

Economic Activity

• The economic activity, as of 2014, generated by Georgia’s public and human services transit programs was approximately $4.3 billion dollars. (NTD, 2014)

Georgia 2030: Senior Livability• Georgia’s aging population will rise sharply

through 2030

• Human services transit, including the elderly, will need a 31% funding increase to keep up with population growth (Aging, 2012).

• Public transit systems will have to increase system flexibility to accommodate older riders

Figure 5. Aging Population Projections (Aging, 2012)

Georgia 2030: Millennial Livability• Millennials prefer to have multiple

transportation choices

• Transportation options influence where Millennials live and work

• Millennials are more willing to use transit, but car sharing services are also popular

• Millennials utilize technology to find the best transportation alternative

Figure 6. Millennial Mobility (APTA, 2013)

Georgia Transportation Options?

Questions to Consider:

How can Georgia compete for Millennial talent with a state transit system that rates a D- from ASCE?

How does a suburban Millennial take GRTA into Atlanta if their local county can’t provide reliable access to the park and ride lot?

Can a Millennial worker use technology to build and navigate transit options to reliably commute across counties in Georgia?

Stranded Millennial Worker

Contact Information

Robert HiettPresidentGeorgia Transit Associationwww.gatransit.org rhiett@threeriversrc.com 678-692-0510

References

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. (2016). Public Transportation: Survey of State Transit Funding. Retrieved from http://scopt.transportation.org/Documents/SSFP-10-UL.pdf

American Public Transportation Association. (2013). Millennials & Mobility. Retrieved from http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/APTA-Millennials-and-Mobility.pdf

Federal Transit Administration. (2016). Grant Programs. Retrieved from https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/grant-programs

Georgia Division of Aging Services. (2012). Just the Facts. Retrieved from http://dhs.georgia.gov/sites/dhs.georgia.gov/files/Just%20the%20Facts%202012.pdf

Georgia Department of Transportation. (2016). Transit Map. : Author.

Georgia Regional Transportation Authority. (2014). 2014 RHST Report. Retrieved from http://www.grta.org/core-business/rural-and-human-services-transportation/

National Transit Database. (2014). NTD Transit Agency Profiles. Retrieved from https://www.transit.dot.gov/ntd/transit-agency-profiles