SURTC Sets Priorities for Coming Year

Helping transit agencies in the region find lower cost insurance and evaluating the feasibility of van pools for workers in North Dakota are among two priorities for SURTC in the coming year.

Many of the research projects and priorities are selected with input from the SURTC steering committee, notes Jill Hough, SURTC director. "The input of committee members is crucial to us. They help us focus on issues that are most important for transit providers and where we can provide the most practical help."

When SURTC's steering committee met Sept. 15, members representing small city and rural transit agencies outlined issues and challenges. Members discussed issues including consolidating efforts such as dispatching and record-keeping among transit agencies; reducing insurance costs; improving service to elderly and special-needs riders; finding and retaining qualified employees; finding affordable resources, such as scheduling software and equipment; and a lack of funding.

"For many of our agencies, savings doesn't have to be big to be significant," says Bruce Lindholm of the South Dakota DOT. "Our agencies are in the $100 business not the $1 million business."

Based on steering committee discussions, SURTC researchers are investigating the best ways for transit agencies to work together to purchase insurance. "Insurance costs are a huge issue for transit agencies. We want to find out if there are benefits to them for pooling their resources to purchase insurance together. What prevents them from doing that now? What can be done to make that process easier?" Hough says.

In addition, SURTC researchers will evaluate the feasibility of van pools for employees in the state. "Mobility is a key issue for employers and for employees. Finding enough good employees is a challenge for some employers. For employees, finding affordable transportation to work can be difficult. Perhaps van pools are an option," Hough says. That research will initially focus on the largest employers in the state.

Another area of concern for steering committee members is the amount of time and money devoted to maintaining a library in each state of materials provided by the Federal Transit Administration's National Rural Transit Assistance Program. "Those materials are valuable resources, but in sparsely populated regions it may make more sense for states to cooperate and establish a regional resource center," Hough says. "We'll be exploring that issue."

SURTC is also developing a business plan training program for transit managers. Handi-Wheels Transportation, Inc., of Fargo will be the pilot case for that program. "Our goal is to help transit agencies develop clear and effective business plans that will help them manage their resources better. As budgets become tighter, better management becomes more important," Hough says.

At the request of the Federal Transit Administration, SURTC will also examine the nation's bus manufacturing industry. The study will be an update of research conducted a decade ago. "We will provide a snapshot of the industry," Hough said. "We'll evaluate the structure and performance with an eye toward identifying areas of strength that can be built on and areas of weakness that need to be addressed."

SURTC will also develop training materials for the Detroit Michigan area's Suburban Mobility Authority Regional Transportation (SMART) system. Researchers are establishing a school bus routing program to help schools in the region plan more efficient bus routes. These programs are featured elsewhere in this newsletter.

For more information on the SURTC steering committee and for meeting minutes visit www.surtc.org/about/steer.php.