Research Projects Underway

Assessment Shows Transit, Training Needs

A significant goal of the Small Urban & Rural Transit Center (SURTC) is to determine the education, research and technical assistance priorities of transit providers. One of the first initiatives of SURTC was to survey public transportation providers in the states: Western Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming to learn more about their needs. Having information from people on the front lines of transportation helps SURTC create effective, efficient and useful programs.

Providers were given background information about SURTC and asked about training, education, technical assistance and research priorities. Of the 311 questionnaires sent out, 137 were returned. The responses provided excellent information for the SURTC team.

The survey revealed that 81 percent of responding agencies participate in transit-related training and 71 percent have funds available for training. The top survey conclusion is that driver training is a priority and training for others involved in transit systems is of high interest. Prioritization of driver training showed defensive driving was a high priority followed by safety and security, passenger assistance, customer service, Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, and drug and alcohol testing.

The previously mentioned training sessions fit into the educational priorities of SURTC. In addition to short-term and non-degree training programs, SURTC is planning one or more college courses. These courses will be offered on the North Dakota State University campus and possibly via the World Wide Web or teleconferencing. (TEL8, which regularly conducts teleconference classes, is located on the NDSU campus.)

Providers were also asked what technical assistance activities they considered valuable. The top ranked activities include: 1) a resource library; 2) Website with links to on-site technical assistance; and 3) Tel/Web "ask an expert".

The survey asked providers to rank research priorities. Items with high priority included: 1) advanced technology; 2) new approaches to service design and delivery; 3) needs assessment and rider forecasting technology; and 4) case studies of best practices.

Based on survey responses, SURTC will conduct applied research to develop data and recommendations that have the promise of helping rural and small urban systems improve the effectiveness and efficiencies of their services.