Local
Transportation Commission
Regional Transportation Improvement Program
Public Transit
Unmet Transit Needs
Relevant Documents and Studies
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Unmet Transit Needs
As the administrator of Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds for Inyo County, the Inyo County Local Transportation Commission (LTC) is charged with performing the annual Unmet Transit Needs process. The purpose of this process is to ensure that all unmet transit needs that are reasonable to meet are met before funds are expended for non-transit uses, such as streets and roads. The Social Services Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC) usually kicks off the annual Unmet Transit Needs process at a special meeting usually held in February (February 25, 2010). The SSTAC meeting is the first step in deciding disbursement of the Transportation Development Act funds. This year, a Bishop Unmet Transit Needs Workshop was held on February 17th in conjunction with an Eastern Sierra Transit Authority transit service planning workshop. Results and ideas from the SSTAC meeting will be presented to the Inyo County LTC at an April 21st Unmet Transit Needs workshop in Independence and at an Unmet Transit Needs hearing in Bishop on May 19th.
The Inyo County LTC has not allocated TDA funds to the County and the City for local streets and roads for at least seven years. TDA revenues have leveled out the past few years. Thus, the Eastern Sierra Transit Authority might have to cut an existing service to serve a newly identified unmet transit need. ESTA has been able to fine tune their system to address some of the identified transit needs in the last several years. The LTC still holds an unmet transit needs workshops and a hearing to gauge the health of the transit system and to further refine the use of transit funds. Public input from transit users and the transit-dependent is an effective way to identify when transit needs change.
In 2010, key dates in the Unmet Transit Needs process are summarized in the following table. You can click on the highlighted links to view the documents as they become available.
|
Event |
Date |
Notice |
Minutes |
Location |
|
SSTAC Meeting |
February 25, 2010 |
Notice |
Caltrans District 9 Mt. Tom Conference Room at
500 South Main Street in Bishop |
|
|
North County Unmet Transit Needs Workshop |
February 17, 2010 |
Notice |
Bishop City Council
Chambers |
|
|
South County Unmet Transit Needs Workshop |
April 21, 2010 |
Notice |
Inyo County Board of Supervisors Room at 224 North Edwards St in Independence |
|
| North County Unmet Transit Needs Hearing | May 19, 2010 | Notice | Minutes |
Bishop City Council
Chambers |
| The formal Unmet Transit Needs findings for 2007, 2008, 2010 as well as the minutes from the 2010 SSTAC meeting can be viewed by following the corresponding links. | ||||
It is helpful to review the definitions of “Unmet Transit Need” and “Reasonable to Meet”. These definitions serve as important barometers of the need for new or changed transit services.
An Unmet Transit Need exists if an individual or individuals of any age or physical condition are unable to transport themselves from one location to another. An Unmet Transit Need is, at a minimum, those public transportation or specialized transportation services that are identified in the Regional Transportation Plan and that have not been implemented or funded.
A documented Unmet Transit Need is reasonable to meet if:
A service can be provided which meets a minimum farebox ratio of 10% of operating costs; and
a) It is transit service for essential intra-county purposes which are defined as medical or dental services, shopping, employment, personal business, or social service appointments; or,
b) It is a transit service for essential inter-county purposes which are defined as medical or dental services or social service appointments not available in this county or the out-of-county destination is the closest location where the services are available to the origin of the trip; and, The origin and/or designation of the trip is within two miles of the established area of operation of cohesive community.