|
The Agency Council on Coordinated Transportation (ACCT) is a partnership of members from the legislature, state agencies, transportation providers and consumer advocates whose mission is to direct and promote activities that efficiently use all available state and community resources for special needs transportation across the state. The legislature created ACCT in 1998 to facilitate coordination and eliminate cross-jurisdictional and government program barriers to transportation. The ACCT Council concentrates on three critical areas: Identify and Address Barriers, Focus on Results, and Increase Advocacy.
|
IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS BARRIERS
Vanpooling as a Mobility Strategy
In August transportation representatives presented projects to ACCT to illustrate how vanpooling makes a difference for people with special needs. Vanpools are low cost or revenue neutral and provide mobility and access to jobs across jurisdictional lines. The state supports expansion of transit agency vanpool programs through its statewide grant program.
King County Metro has two new van programs. The AddVANtage Van Program provides accessible vans, maintenance, and driver training to non-profit agencies that serve seniors or people with disabilities. The Special Use Vanpool Program is for non-profit agencies that transport seniors or people with disabilities to work or training.
Intercity Transit's Village Vans Program supports low-income families in their search for self-sufficiency by transporting them to
essential destinations. Intercity Transit has developed a drivers' training course as part of the program. Village Vans drivers
are recruited from social service job programs. The presentations are at: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/acct/library/meeting_handouts/08-05-2005_handouts.htm
INCREASE ADVOCACY
Cabulance Workgroup Organized
The ACCT Council recently voted to work with the City of Seattle and other communities to stem potentially inconsistent cabulance regulation by multiple local jurisdictions. The council has taken the position that varying regulatory schemes are bad for coordinated transportation.
As an alternative, ACCT is working with interested parties to develop a state wide regulatory structure which will allow transportation providers to travel between jurisdictions while ensuring they meet high levels of safety and service. Anyone interested in participating should contact Don Chartock.FOCUS ON RESULTS
Jaffe Joins ACCT to Work on Trip Planner
Marcy Jaffe has returned to the Public Transportation Office as Outreach Liaison for Bi-State Trip Planner Project. Marcy worked for WSDOT in 1999 managing an initial demonstration project for ACCT. It was Marcy who first identified the need for a dynamic, web-based travel tool and sought out partnership with the Oregon State Department of Transportation to create a bi-state trip planner.
Marcy is on a temporary assignment to help implement the project. With masters degrees in both business and public administration, Marcy is sensitive to the public needs and the economic realities of business. She will be meeting with transportation providers to provide information about the project and secure data-sharing agreements.
|