Humans Services Transportation (HST) focuses on the transportation options available, accessible, and needed by frequently underserved populations, whose options are often reduced due to disability or low income. "Managing Mobility in the Atlanta Region: A plan to integrate disability and low income needs into the regional transportation system," completed in 2016 for Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), provides solutions to the challenge of addressing regional Human Services Transportation (HST) issues including a 1) strategic approach for local-level action, 2) framework based on personal decision-making processes, 3) education and training, and 4) integration with local-level funding mechanisms. Disability and income greatly reduce the accessibility of generally available transportation options. Due to disability, some may not have the ability to independently drive a personal vehicle. Due to income restrictions, many with lower incomes are not able to afford a personal vehicle. Therefore, they often rely on non-SOV (single occupancy vehicle) options to get around the region. Non single occupancy vehicle options include all travel options except driving a car by oneself. For the purposes of this Plan, they include fixed route/guideway public transit (i.e., bus and train), cycling, walking, carpool/vanpool, taxis and transportation network companies (e.g., Lyft/Uber), specialized services (i.e., door-to-door services for HST populations), hybrid demand-response/fixed transit, and telework/teleconnect.
As the first HST Plan at ARC with a strong education and training component, decision makers on the local level can use the framework to identify challenges, pinpoint solutions, and measure progress towards goals over time. This enables local level solutions, which then increase regional (metro-wide) improvements. A companion document called "Plan Methods" was created so ARC can repeat the same analysis structure with new data at any time. This Plan was completed with ARC staff Shelley Price and Maria Sotnikova. * All products property of ARC.
As the first HST Plan at ARC with a strong education and training component, decision makers on the local level can use the framework to identify challenges, pinpoint solutions, and measure progress towards goals over time. This enables local level solutions, which then increase regional (metro-wide) improvements. A companion document called "Plan Methods" was created so ARC can repeat the same analysis structure with new data at any time. This Plan was completed with ARC staff Shelley Price and Maria Sotnikova. * All products property of ARC.