Iowa DOT Presentation to IPTA November 4, 2014

Today’s Topics • Upcoming training

opportunities

• New/Experienced Transit Manager Training

• Training resources

• Promotional materials available

• State Management Plan

• DBE Shortfall Study

• 2015 DBE Workshop

• CY2015 Intercity Bus Grant applications

• Deadhead definition reminder

• Obligation dates

• Procurement

• Year-End Reviews

• Crossing county and regional boundaries

• Iowa Commuter Transportation Study

Upcoming Training Opportunities • Iowa DOT DBE Workshop, February 4 and 5, 2015,

Adventureland Inn, Altoona

• CTAA’s Certified Safety and Security Officer Training, April 1 and 2, 2015, Iowa DOT East/West Materials Conference Room, Ames

• Easter Seals Project Action Travel Training Course, April 28-30, 2015, Iowa DOT East/West Materials Conference Room, Ames

Upcoming Training Opportunities • Passenger Transportation Summit, May 14, 2015,

Iowa Valley Continuing Education Conference Center, Marshalltown

• NTI Procurement Series I, January 20-23, 2015, Lincoln, NE

New/Experienced Transit Manager Training

• New format for ‘New’ Transit Manager Training

• To be held quarterly at Iowa DOT, one afternoon session and one morning session

• Still covering the Transit Manager’s Handbook

• New managers strongly encouraged to attend at earliest convenience

• Any transit manager welcome to attend whenever a refresher is needed

• Upcoming sessions: – December 2 and 3 - June 2 and 3

– March 3 and 4 - September 1 and 2

Training Resources • FTA Safety and Security Training,

http://www.fta.dot.gov/12531.html

• Center for Transportation e-Learning, http://www.ctelonline.com/, with online courses covering Wheelchair Securement (for drivers) and Hiring the Right Staff (for management) plus more to come

• Your Ticket to Safety: Bloodborne Pathogen Awareness brochure and video are available on the OPT website, http://www.iowadot.gov/transit/training.html

Promotional Materials Available • Public Transportation Service in Iowa brochure can be

ordered or downloaded at: http://www.iowadot.gov/transit/order/default.asp

• 2015 Calendar Strips can be ordered from Laurie Carnahan, laurie.carnahan@dot.iowa.gov or 515.233.7870

State Management Plan • An update of the Iowa DOT’s State Management Plan is

available for public comment through November 10 at: http://www.iowadot.gov/transit/publications/State%20Management%20Plan.pdf

• Details how Iowa DOT administers the FTA Sections 5310 and 5311 Programs

• If one has comments or questions on the State Management Plan, please contact Kristin Haar at kristin.haar@dot.iowa.gov or 515.233.7875

DBE Shortfall Study

• Potential DBEs not interested in filing paperwork and going through process

• Not too many DBE businesses listed that meet the needs of the transit agency, mostly construction firms

• Using out-of-area DBE firms for some services such as IT and/or vehicle repairs not feasible as these are often time sensitive and need immediate attention

DBE Shortfall Study, continued

• Better directory search feature would be helpful

• Some existing DBEs were contacted and invited to submit proposals but there was no response

2015 Iowa DOT DBE Workshop

• February 4 and 5, 2015 Adventureland Inn, Altoona

• Tentative plan for Day 1 of this year’s workshop to have transit focus

• Plan for transit panelists to address topics of interest

• DBE vendors will be present to share products/services

• Review of new searchable DBE directory

DBE, continued

• Procedures for DBE certification have been simplified

• Interstate certification is just a one-page form now

• New searchable directory is available online, https://secure.iowadot.gov/DBE/Home/Index/

• Please continue efforts to encourage potential DBEs to become certified

• Keep documenting efforts to engage and/or work with DBEs

CY 15 Intercity Bus Grant Applications

CY 15 Intercity Bus Grant Applications

CY 15 Intercity Bus Grant Applications

CY 15 Intercity Bus Grant Applications

Deadhead Definition

• From the Transit Manager’s Handbook Glossary:

Deadhead Hours/Miles - Hours/miles traveled by a transit revenue vehicle when there is no reasonable expectation of carrying passengers.

Examples: In the case of fixed routes, deadhead is the travel between the garage/lot and the beginning of the route and the travel from the end of the route back to the garage/lot. For demand response service, deadhead is the travel from the garage/lot to the first passenger pick-up and the travel from the last passenger drop-off to the garage/lot. Also, trips made for purposes of vehicle maintenance or fueling.

Obligation Dates • The date of which a capital project must be under contract or a

purchase order has been submitted. • Obligation dates are used to promote the spending of funds in a

timely manner. • If funds are held too long, then FTA may take them back. • The obligation date is one year after the contract start date. • For projects longer in duration (i.e. HD Bus Procurement/purchases,

construction, etc.), the procurement process should begin around the time you are first notified of pending funds. For Example: If you know you are getting a contract for HD buses, being that the procurement may take 6 months and the lead time on having a bus delivered is 18 months, that takes you right to the end of a 2 year contract.

• Be proactive and plan ahead!

Procurement • Beginning approximately 2/1/15, the OPT

(with the aid of a yet undetermined group of transit mangers) will be conducting a HD bus procurement.

• Procurement: Series 1, offered by NTI. If you have not taken it, take it. Next class is in tropical Lincoln, NE (January 20-23).

• Q and A: The current van, LD, and MD bus procurement – Questions/concerns?

Year-End Reviews • FINAL year-end stats are due August 15th

• The portal will automatically generate year-end stats if you enter 4 quarters, you are still required to review those YE statistics.

• Starting FY15, 4th Quarter stats must be submitted. You must submit all 4 quarters within 45 days of the last day of the quarter. YE will automatically be generated.

• 5307/5311 funds can also be used for capital • Data Analysis

Crossing County and Regional Boundaries

• Okay to cross public transit system boundaries, and in the case where subcontractors are used, okay to cross county lines within a region

• Coordination between systems is encouraged

• If one transit agency wishes to provide service wholly within another transit region on a regular basis, the Office of Public Transit strongly encourages the creation of a MOU to prove both transit agencies are of the same understanding with rides, miles, and other considerations

Iowa Commuter Transportation Study • The Iowa DOT is conducting a study to identify and evaluate

alternatives for commuter transportation in one of Iowa’s major travel corridors, the Interstate 380 corridor.

• Service concept evaluation phase, which focuses on determine the capital and operating costs of the transportation service improvement packages, identify potential funding opportunities, and recommending an implementation strategy for commuter transportation services within the study area.

• This phase will go until the end of November, and a report of the findings and recommendations will be made available to the public on or before December 15, 2014.

Iowa Commuter Transportation Study • The top 15 employment centers in the seven county area have

been interviewed to determine their employment transportation practices and needs

• A public survey was released (9/15/14 – 10/12/14) to gather input on the employment transportation needs in the study area (Johnson, Linn, Benton, Jones, Iowa, Cedar and Washington counties)

• The first public open house was held October 2nd, at the North Liberty Public Library (5-7 pm).

Iowa Commuter Transportation Study

• The Iowa Commuter Transportation Study - Initial Needs Survey was open to the public for four weeks. 619 completed surveys. – 89 percent of respondents commute alone to work

– 86 percent of respondents reported that they may be willing, depending on the type of revenue generating approach, to support a future increase in public funding for inter-regional public transportation improvements along the I-380 corridor

– 93 percent of respondents think improvements are need to the I-380 corridor

– When asked what other transportation improvements to I-380 should be considered, 70 percent of respondents selected Lane/Capacity expansion

Iowa Commuter Transportation Study

• A summary report of the Initial Needs Survey can be found at: http://www.iowadot.gov/commuterstudy/pdfs/ICTS_NeedsSurveyResults.pdf

Iowa Commuter Transportation Study • A second survey was released on 10/20/14, as a way to gain

public input on the potential commuter transportation service enhancements, based on the analysis to date and responses from the first survey.

• The second survey is available at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/IowaCommuterSurvey2, will be open through 11/17/14, and the results will be incorporated in the preliminary recommendations presented at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, from 5-7 p.m. on November 19th.

• For more information about the study, visit: http://www.iowadot.gov/commuterstudy

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Visit the Iowa DOT Office of Public Transit website at http://www.iowadot.gov/transit/

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