James River Transit Director Selected to Study in South America

With barely a month back on the job after an 18-day trip to study transit in South America, the transit director for Wells, Sheridan and Stutsman Counties in North Dakota is already reaping benefits from the adventure.

"One of the big advantages of the trip was the opportunity to network with other professionals from across the country," says Carol Wright, Executive Director of James River Transit and Wells/Sheridan Transit headquartered in Jamestown. "The people I partnered with are very knowledgeable in transit operations, networks and resources."

Wright traveled with a dozen other transit professionals from across the United States to Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; and Quito, Ecuador. Each participant was assigned topics to study during the tour and will report their observations through journal papers in the coming months. Wright was nominated for the trip by the North Dakota Department of Transportation and SURTC. The trip was coordinated by the Eno Transportation Foundation on behalf of the Federal Transit Administration. The foundation fosters innovative thinking and discussion about transportation issues.

The group assembled in Miami and from there they flew to Sao Paulo. "Our purpose was to look at innovations in transportation. As Americans we tend to have very big egos about how far advanced we believe our systems are. We were surprised at how advanced and sophisticated their transit systems were, particularly in Brazil and Chile," she explains.

"We were also amazed at the caliber of people we met from each of the transportation systems and government organizations in each country. We were pleased and honored by the amount of time they spent with us. Without exception I was impressed with how they assisted us," comments Wright.

Most of the trip focused on light rail transit. "The metro systems in all cases are run by the government whereas the bus systems are run by private operators overseen by the government. The governments have poured a great deal of resources into the metro systems to make them sophisticated and successful," she says.

Speaking of her travel partners, Wright says, "What a great opportunity to meet that many individuals, each with their own expertise. "We formed a particularly close kinship after spending 18 hours a day together for 18 days. I know these are people I will be able to call on from now on."

Recently she received a package of documents on starting fixed-route bus service from Timothy Newby, asistant vice president of Dallas Area Rapid Transit and one of the trip participants. The packet included background and a complete set of planning documents for adding fixed-route service to an existing paratransit operation – something James River Transit is exploring. "This will be invaluable to us."

Highlights included:

• A huge marketing campaign for the Sau Paulo metro focused on respect. "The campaign incorporated people as a part of the system and reminded them that they had a vested interest in keeping the system running properly and in keeping it clean," Wright says.
• Art exhibitions in transit stations, also in Sau Paulo, that featured sculptures and other artwork. "The idea was that art could come to people in their daily lives," she says.
• Libraries in transit stations. "This was a fabulous innovation in partnering with another organization to make life easier for the public," she says. Similarly, many transit stations had book vending machines. "Many machines featured classics rather than typical paperbacks," she notes.
• Pharmacy-like shops for urban poor in transit stops where people were able to fill prescriptions for free. "In large cities, this kind of accessibility could be incredibly important for someone who is very poor, Wright says.
• The texture of floor surfaces signal blind individuals that they are moving closer to trains. Special tracks in the floor provide guidance for canes.
• Braille on handrails provide warning for blind pedestrians as they approach the top or bottom of stairs. The Braille also provides directions to turn left or right at the end of the stairway.
• Personal attendants meet disabled passengers on special cars at each stop and escort them to their next destination.

Wright noted that the cities the team visited were very large. The Sau Paulo metropolitan area is the world's third largest with more than 23 million people. "When you are talking about transporting 23 million people in an integrated transportation system, you're taking on a monstrous challenge. That's why these cities have such an emphasis on mass transit."

Although the team studied primarily rail systems in very large cities, there are practical lessons that can be applied in small cities and rural areas like Jamestown that rely on buses, Wright says. "I can take some of the things we saw operationally and from a management perspective that I can apply to my project every day."

As she applies those principles, she has a backup team in place to provide support and direction. "The networking opportunity was tremendous. I have incredible respect for the people I partnered with on this team. The trip was remarkable and I am very grateful for the chance to have particiapted."