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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.
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IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS BARRIERS
Trip Planner Outreach
ACCT staff has met with representatives from Greyhound, Pierce Transit, Yakima, Ben Franklin, Grant, Wenatchee's Link and Mason Transit to discuss the trip planner project and begin development of agreements for sharing route and schedule information. Meetings with additional transit providers will occur in May.
The trip planner is a joint Washington and Oregon project to share on-line travel information for different modes of transportation including intercity bus, rail, and local transit statewide.
The team projects completion of the first phase of the trip planner in the spring of 2006, and connections to individual transportation provider websites as early as December 2005.
INCREASE ADVOCACY
ACCT Legislative Agenda Review
ACCT wishes to thank the Legislature and everyone involved for making this session a success for coordinated transportation! Several bills and issues supported by ACCT made it through the legislative process this year.
- The passage of HB 1237 will enable people who travel in a lying down position to choose their transportation method.
- The state budget was passed without imposing Medicaid Co-Pays for transportation as originally proposed. Removing the co-pay provision protected access to medical services for the poor and people with disabilities. It also saved DSHS from the increased costs associated with creating a method to accept and track fares.
- The passage of SB 5105 will allow the UTC to issue temporary permits to transportation providers and enable communities to more effectively respond to transportation needs.
- Increased funding for transportation will enable coordinated transportation partners to provide more rides and access to the community.
FOCUS ON RESULTS
Brokers Identify Performance Measures
The Washington transportation brokerages have met and chosen the following performance measures to meet ACCT coordination goals.
| ACCT Goals | Measure |
|---|---|
| Effectiveness | Number of one-way trips |
| Efficiency | Cost per trip |
| Coordination | Number of partners that share customers, vehicles and resources |
| Information | Attend meetings with coordination partners |
| Accountability | Meeting contractual terms for each agency purchasing transportation |
Brokerages arrange and monitor Medicaid transportation for individuals with special needs for the entire state. Additional agencies that purchase transportation have also chosen to utilize brokerage transportation services for homeless students and people going to employment and related services.
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