The History of Florida’s Coordinated system, when and how we began. The Accomplishments that Florida has achieved. The Future Growth and Challenges for

The History of Florida’s Coordinated system, when and how we began.

The Accomplishments that Florida has achieved.

The Future Growth and Challenges for the Florida program and what lies ahead.

Federal Initiatives and Recognition the State of Florida has received.

What is “Coordinated What is “Coordinated Transportation”?Transportation”?“Simple” Concept :

• Legislative Action Taken• Appointment of Planning

Agencies• Community Transportation

Coordinator (CTC) Designations Begin in Each County

• Unmet Needs Identified• Dedicated Funding Source

Created• More Riders Served• Independent State Agency

Housed at FDOT (12 full time employees)

How the Florida TD Program How the Florida TD Program WorksWorksThe Public/Rider Calls the CTC

CTC’s are competitively procured by the Planning Agency

The Planning Agency staffs the Local Coordinating Board (LCB)

The LCB Evaluates and Provides Guidance to the CTC

The LCB is Chaired by a Locally Elected Official

History- When and How Did We History- When and How Did We Begin?Begin?

Original Coordination Legislation Passed

3 Official CTCs

33 Official CTCs

47 Official CTCs

58 Official CTCs

63 Official CTCs

67 Official CTCs

TD Trust Fund was Created- $4-5 Million per Year (.50 cent fee for

every motor vehicle registration that was not exempted), Law Updated

Membership of the Commission Altered


15% of the DOT Public Transit Block Grant was transferred to the

TD Trust Fund (additional $1.9 million)

Legislature authorized $5.00 off of each Temporary Disabled Parking

Placard ($200,000 per year)

Legislature authorized an additional $1.00 tag fee ($1.50

total), increase of $10 million per year

Voluntary Dollar added to increase the TD Trust Fund

Commission Membership Altered


FDOT transfers an additional $6 million to the TD Trust Fund

FDOT creates the Rural Capital Equipment Grant (“Shirley

Conroy Grant”) to assist rural communities with Capital

Equipment, Commission manages

Commission signs an agreement with AHCA to manage their

Medicaid NET Program

Commission Membership Altered

Part I of Chapter 427 , F.S. Updated

How Does Florida Define “TD”?How Does Florida Define “TD”?

Those persons who because of physical or mental

disability, income status, age are unable to transport

themselves or purchase transportation and are,

therefore, dependent on others to obtain access to health care, employment,

education, shopping, social activities, or other life-sustaining activities or

children who are handicapped or high-risk or at-risk.”

(Chapter 427.011[1], F. S.)

Definition of Definition of Transportation Transportation Disadvantaged Disadvantaged

or “TD “or “TD “

How Does Florida Fund the How Does Florida Fund the TD Trust Fund ?TD Trust Fund ?

AccomplishmentsAccomplishments

Florida’s Transportation Disadvantaged Program is one of the most coordinated and standardized programs in the nation.

It works well because all of the TD Partners work together to make our state the best in the nation!

2008 CTAA State 2008 CTAA State Agency of the YearAgency of the Year


• 1979- Little access to Public Transportation Services

• 1985- 63.2% of TD Population covered by an MOA

• 1986- 9.6 million Vehicle Miles Reported

• 1987- TD Population Estimate is 4.2 million

• 2007- All 67 Counties have access to Public Transportation Services

• 2007- 100% of TD Population covered by an MOA

• 2007- 140.5 million Vehicle Miles Reported

• 2007- TD Population Estimate is 8.5 million


• 1987- 4,755,013 Trips reported in the AOR

• 1988- $12.4 million in Local Revenue reported

• 1989- TD Trust Fund is at $4 million

• 2007- 51,532,055 Trips reported in the AOR

• 2007- $155.7 million in Local Revenue reported

• 2007- TD Trust Fund is at $38 million


Proven Cost Savings:• Medical Trips $1 Invested

= $11.08 Returned*• Employment Trips $1

Invested = $5.71 Returned*• Education Trips $1

Invested = $5.85 Returned*• Nutrition Trips $1 Invested

= $12.52 Returned*• Life-Sustaining/Other Trips

$1 Invested = $4.62 Returned*

*- “Florida Transportation Disadvantaged Services: Return on Investment Study” -- March 2008 the Marketing Institute -- Florida State University College of Business


Proven Cost Savings:• Agency for Health Care

Administration conducted an Independent Assessment of Medicaid Non-Emergency Transportation (NET) Services that were coordinated*

• Analysis 1- Based on Growth Rate of Costs from the Previous Model = $41 million saved for FY 2002

• Analysis 2- Based on county level econometric model = $22.77 million saved for FY 2002

*- “Independent Assessment: Florida Non-Emergency Mediaid Transportation Waiver”– October 2003 University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research

Emergency PreparednessEmergency Preparedness

Special needs are the first to evacuate.

Most CTCs are the local entity to facilitate evacuations.

CTCs continued to provide services to dialysis and urgent care medical trips.

Assisted in the delivery of water and food.

Our providers Our providers are ready and are ready and

willing to assist willing to assist in any situation.in any situation.

Future Growth and Challenges: Future Growth and Challenges:

What Lies Ahead?What Lies Ahead?The demand for Transportation Disadvantaged services in Florida will continue to grow.

The Florida Population is estimated to be 22.9 million by the year 2020.

The TD Population will be estimated to be 11.3 million (49.3%).

By the year 2020, one in four Floridians will be over the age of 65, half will be 75 or older.

Transportation Transportation Alternatives Alternatives

must must be be readily readily

available and available and easily easily

accessible. accessible.


What Lies Ahead?What Lies Ahead?

Costs are Costs are skyrocketskyrocketing ing


What Lies Ahead?What Lies Ahead?In the last five years, 3.75 million trips have been denied due to lack of funding or other reasons.

Rates are increasing, due to spiraling costs.

The $1.50 tag fee has not been increased since 1994.


What Lies Ahead?What Lies Ahead?Challenges:

• Keeping up with demand

• Being flexible enough• Cost of service• New Medicaid

contract/Other Contracts

• Funding• Proper Allocation of

Funding• Regionalization

The TD The TD Program must Program must

continue to continue to grow and adjust grow and adjust

to these to these challengeschallenges

Federal InitiativesFederal Initiatives

Federal Support:• United We Ride Initiative• A nationwide push for

coordinated transportation• Executive Order issued by

President Bush on February 24, 2004

• State of Florida Received an award (only 1 of 5 states)

• Federal Interagency Transportation Coordinating Council created

Recognition ReceivedRecognition Received

Awards: •USDOT United We Ride Leadership Award for excellence in improving transportation for citizens with disabilities, older adults, & low-income families.

•US Department of Transportation and US Department of Human Services “Best Practice” Model

•Received the 1998 and 2004 Florida Tax Watch and Florida Council of 100’s Davis Productivity Award

•Received Community Transportation Association of America’s (CTAA’s) “2000 and 2004 Distinguished Service Award”

•Received CTAA’s 2008 State Agency of the Year

The TD The TD Program Program

continues to continues to receive state receive state

and federal and federal recognitionrecognition

Thank You!Thank You!

Contact Information:

Karen Somerset

Interim Executive Director

Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged

605 Suwannee Street, MS 49

Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450

(850) 410-5700

[email protected]

Documents

The History of Florida’s Coordinated system, when and how we began. The Accomplishments that Florida has achieved. The Future Growth and Challenges for