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HomeMy Public PortalAbout12 December 7, 2020 Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council TIME: 10:00 a.m. DATE: Monday, December 7, 2020 LOCATION: Pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-29-20, (March 18, 2020), the meeting will only be conducted via video conferencing and by telephone.  COUNCIL MEMBERS  Gloria J. Sanchez, Chair, Menifee Senior Advisory, Southwest Riverside County Lisa Castilone, Vice Chair, GRID Alternatives, Western and Southwest Riverside County Kenneth Woytek, Second Vice Chair, Menifee Senior Advisory Committee, Southwest Riverside County John Chavez, Retired, the Pass George Colangeli, Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency, Palo Verde Valley Betty Day, Hemet Public Library Trustee, Hemet-San Jacinto Alejandra Gonzalez, Norco Seniors on the Move, Western Riverside County John Krick, T-Now Member, Western Riverside County Jack Marty, Retired Citizen, Banning Priscilla Ochoa, Blindness Support Services, Western Riverside County Mary Jo Ramirez, Workforce Development Member, Southwest Riverside County Catherine Rips, Angel View, Coachella Valley Ivet Woolridge, Independent Living Partnership, Riverside County Riverside Transit Agency, Western Riverside County SunLine Transit Agency, Coachella Valley  RIVERSIDE COUNTY PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERATORS  City of Banning City of Beaumont City of Corona City of Riverside Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency Riverside County Transportation Commission – Commuter Rail & Vanpool Riverside Transit Agency SunLine Transit Agency  STAFF  Lorelle Moe-Luna, Multimodal Services Director Eric DeHate, Transit Manager Monica Morales, Senior Management Analyst Ariel Alcon Tapia, Management Analyst RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION CITIZENS AND SPECIALIZED TRANSIT ADVISORY COUNCIL www.rctc.org AGENDA* *Actions may be taken on any item listed on the agenda 10:00 a.m. Monday, December 7, 2020 Pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-29-20, (March 18, 2020), the Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council meeting will only be conducted via video conferencing and by telephone. Please follow the instructions below to join the meeting remotely. INSTRUCTIONS FOR ELECTRONIC PARTICIPATION Join Zoom Meeting https://rctc.zoom.us/j/85752127807 Meeting ID: 857 5212 7807 One tap mobile +16699006833,,85752127807# US +1 669 900 6833 US Meeting ID: 857 5212 7807 For members of the public wishing to submit comment in connection with the Committee Meeting please email written comments to the Clerk of the Board at lmobley@rctc.org prior to December 6, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. and your comments will be made part of the official record of the proceedings. Members of the public may also make public comments through their telephone or Zoom connection when recognized by the Chair. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Government Code Section 54954.2, if you need special assistance to participate in a Committee meeting, please contact the Clerk of the Board at (951) 787-7141. Notification of at least 48 hours prior to meeting time will assist staff in assuring that reasonable arrangements can be made to provide accessibility at the meeting. 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council December 7, 2020 Page 2 4. ADDITIONS/REVISIONS (The Council may add an item to the agenda after making a finding that there is a need to take immediate action on the item and that the item came to the attention of the Council subsequent to the posting of the agenda. An action adding an item to the agenda requires 2/3 vote of the Council. If there are less than 2/3 of the Council members present, adding an item to the agenda requires a unanimous vote. Added items will be placed for discussion at the end of the agenda.) 5. CONSENT CALENDAR - All matters on the Consent Calendar will be approved in a single motion unless a Commissioner(s) requests separate action on specific item(s). Items pulled from the Consent Calendar will be placed for discussion at the end of the agenda. 5A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 5B. PROPOSED 2021 MEETING SCHEDULE Page 1 Overview This item is for the Council to adopt its 2021 Meeting Schedule. 6. PUBLIC HEARING – TRANSIT NEEDS IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY Page 3 Overview This item is for the Council to conduct a public hearing to receive comments on transit needs in Riverside County. 7. 2021 PUBLIC TRANSIT – HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION COORDINATED PLAN Page 6 Overview This item is for the Council to receive and file the 2021 Coordinated Public Transit- Human Services Transportation Plan. 8. FISCAL YEARS 2021/22 – 2023/24 WESTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY MEASURE A SPECIALIZED TRANSIT CALL FOR PROJECTS Page 182 Overview Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council December 7, 2020 Page 3 This item is for the Council to receive and file an update on the 2021 Measure A Specialized Transit Call for Projects for approximately $6.8 million covering Fiscal Years 2021/22 – 2023/24 for Western Riverside County. 9. TOGETHER 2020: RCTC YEAR-IN-REVIEW Page 185 Overview This item provides the opportunity for the Committee Members, transit operators, and staff to report on attended and upcoming meetings/conferences and issues related to Committee activities. 10. COMMITTEE MEMBER / STAFF REPORT Overview This item provides the opportunity for the Council members, transit operators, and staff to report on attended and upcoming meetings/conferences and issues related to Council activities. 11. ADJOURNMENT The next Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council meeting is scheduled for April 12, 2021. AGENDA ITEM 5A MINUTES RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION CITIZENS AND SPECIALIZED TRANSIT ADVISORY COUNCIL September 24, 2020 Minutes 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting of the Citizens and Specialized Transit Council was called to order by Lorelle Moe-Luna, Multi-Modal Services Director at 10:01 a.m. via Zoom ID 872 7031 9311. Pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-29-20, (March 18, 2020), the Citizens and Specialized Transit Council was only be conducted via video conferencing and by telephone. 2. ROLL CALL Members Present Members Absent Lisa Castilone John Chavez George Colangeli Betty Day Alejandra Gonzalez John Krick Jack Marty Priscilla Ochoa Mary Jo Ramirez Catherine Rips Gloria J Sanchez Ivet Woolridge Kenneth Woytek Tom Franklin, Riverside Transit Agency Brittney Sowell, Sunline Transit Agency 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS None 4. ADDITIONS/REVISIONS None 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - July 9, 2019 and December 3, 2019 M/S/C (Sanchez/Sowell) to approve the minutes as presented. 6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS M/S/C (Woytek/Ramirez) to elect Gloria Sanchez as Chair. Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council September 24, 2020 Page 2 M/S/C (Woytek/Ramirez) to elect Lisa Castilone as Vice Chair. M/S/C (Castilone/Ramirez) to elect Ken Woytek as Second Vice Chair. 7. FISCAL YEAR 2020/21 SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN UPDATES AND TRANSIT FUNDING ALLOCATIONS This item is for the Council to receive and file Fiscal Years 2020/21 – 2022/23 Short-Range Transit Plans (SRTPs) for the cities of Banning (Banning), Beaumont (Beaumont), Corona (Corona), and Riverside; Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency (PVVTA); Riverside Transit Agency (RTA); SunLine Transit Agency (SunLine); and the Commission’s FY 2020/21 – 2024/25 SRTP for the Rail and Vanpool Programs. Eric DeHate introduced the item and presented on behalf of the Commission. Craig Fajnor and Tom Franklin presented on behalf of RTA. Ms. Ramirez asked which areas the two discontinued routes were in, Mr. Franklin stated one was a loop route near the Moreno Valley Mall and the other was from the Banning/Beaumont are to downtown Riverside. Ms. Castilone asked how the discontinued routes are communicated to the public, and Mr. Franklin discussed communication through social media, newspaper, on the bus routes themselves, and public hearings. Mr. Chavez asked about the conversion of existing equipment to electric if it would happen in-house or would be contracted out. Mr. Franklin stated the board would be making the decision later in the year, but the vehicles would be purchased new, they would not be converted, and the charging stations would be installed by a contractor. Mr. Krick asked when the front entrance will be reopened to enable the busses to collect fares. Mr. Franklin explained the 40 foot busses are the only ones utilizing rear-entrance boarding as the smaller busses only have the front doors and are still collecting fares – and the decision to reopen the front entrance will be made depending on the spread of Covid within the County. Sudesh Paul presented on behalf of the City of Corona. George Colangeli presented on behalf of PVVTA. Ms. Castilone confirmed the acronym for CNG is related to natural gas. Ms. Ramirez asked about the lifeline system during COVID. Mr. Colangeli confirmed they use an extra sweeper bus for those individuals who use wheelchairs, and they are able to sanitize the bus between each trip. Brittney Sowell presented on behalf of Sunline. Mr. Chavez asked about the storage facility for hydrogen and the rate/usage of hydrogen production. Ms. Sowell explained the Hydrogen Electrolyzer is on-site in the bus yard. Ms. Sowell stated it produces 900 kg per day and the bus fleet uses 300-450 kg per day so there is room to expand. Ms. Ramirez expressed her appreciation for Sunline’s outreach to the community. Ms. Castilone asked if Sunline sells their Hydrogen to others, and Ms. Sowell confirmed they currently do not sell Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council September 24, 2020 Page 3 hydrogen however that is in the plan for the future and they are looking for funding for a public station. Celina Cabrera presented on behalf of the City of Beaumont. Ms. Castilone asked about the electric vehicles and the availability of the charging stations. Ms. Cabrera explained the vehicles are going to be one hundred percent battery operated and the infrastructure is open to the public outside of Beaumont City Hall. Jessica Jacquez presented on behalf of the City of Riverside. Sheldon Peterson presented on the RCTC Rail program on behalf of RCTC. Melissa Williams presented on behalf of the City of Banning. Brian Cunanan presented on the RCTC Vanpool program on behalf of RCTC. 8. COMMITTEE MEMBER/STAFF REPORT John Standiford, RCTC Deputy Executive Director, thanked the Committee members for their time and participation in the meeting, expressing his appreciation for their involvement in the Committee. Chair Sanchez thanked everyone for the great information provided by the presentations and asked for the presentations to be sent to the Committee. 9. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business for consideration by the Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council, the meeting adjourned at 12:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Lorelle Moe-Luna, Multimodal Services Director AGENDA ITEM 5B Agenda Item 5B RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION DATE: December 7, 2020 TO: Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council FROM: Eric DeHate, Transit Manager THROUGH: Lorelle Moe-Luna, Multi-Modal Services Director SUBJECT: Proposed 2021 Meeting Schedule STAFF RECOMMENDATION: This item is for the Council to adopt its 2021 Meeting Schedule. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Council is scheduled to meet on an as-needed basis. Meetings will be held on the following Mondays at 11:00 a.m.: April 12th, August 9th, and December 13th. The August 9th meeting will include the Transit Needs Public Hearing. Please note, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Council will be meeting via videoconference and telephone only, pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-29-20 (March 18, 2020), until further notice. Attachment: Proposed 2021 Meetings Schedule 1 2021 CSTAC MEETING SCHEDULE Following is the 2021 Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council (CSTAC) meeting schedule. All meetings will commence at 11:00 a.m. until further notice. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we will be meeting via videoconference and telephone only, pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-29-20 (March 18, 2020), until further notice. Monday, April 12, 2021 @ 11:00 AM Monday, August 9, 2021 @ 11:00 AM* Monday, December 13, 2021 @ 11:00 AM *With Transit Needs Public Hearing 2 AGENDA ITEM 6 Agenda Item 6 RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION DATE: December 7, 2020 TO: Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council FROM: Ariel Alcon Tapia, Management Analyst THROUGH: Lorelle Moe-Luna, Multimodal Services Director SUBJECT: Public Hearing – Transit Needs in Riverside County STAFF RECOMMENDATION: This item is for the Council to conduct a public hearing to receive comments on transit needs in Riverside County (County). BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The California State Transportation Development Act (TDA) requires that transportation-planning agencies ensure the establishment of a citizen’s participation process for each county. This process includes an element in which the California Public Utilities Code (PUC) Section 99238.5 states, “The transportation planning agency shall ensure the establishment and implementation of a citizen participation process appropriate for each county. The process shall include a provision for at least one public hearing in the jurisdiction represented by the social services transportation advisory council.” The Commission is required to identify any “unmet transit needs” that may exist within the County only if there is intent of using TDA funds for local streets and roads per PUC Section 99401.5 and 99401.6. Currently, the Commission intends to use 100% TDA funding on transit, therefore, the Commission is not required to initiate the “Unmet Transit Needs Process” and additional public hearings. The public hearing was advertised by transit operators, specialized transit providers, and other stakeholders on buses, facilities, and social media. Staff also published a 30-day hearing notice in The Press-Enterprise, The Desert Sun, The Palo Verde Times, and Excelsior (Spanish). The following methods were made available to the public to submit comments via oral or written testimony: 1)Email at info@rctc.org. 2)Postal Mail to: Riverside County Transportation Commission Attn: Transit Needs Public Hearing Comments P. O. Box 12008, Riverside, CA 92502-2208 3)Via the website at www.rctc.org/contact-us/. 4) By phone at (951) 787-7141 3 Agenda Item 6 5) In-person via video/teleconference on Monday, December 7, 2020 at 10:00am at the Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council meeting As of the writing of this report, no public comments have been received through the alternative methods noted above. Staff recommends that the CSTAC hold a public hearing at today’s meeting to receive public comments. Staff will continue to work with transit operators to address the public comments received and support service improvements that will meet those needs. Attachment: 1) Public Notice Flyer for Public Transit Operators 4 Riverside County Transit Needs Public Hearing Monday, December 7, 2020 10:00 AM RCTC is holding a public hearing to gather input on transit needs within Riverside County. RCTC and transit operators will use information provided by the public for future transit improvements. How to submit a comment? • Live at Virtual Public Hearing Join Us! Join the meeting via video/telephone conference https://rctc.zoom.us/j/85752127807 Meeting ID: 857 5212 7807 Phone: (669) 900-6833 • Mail a comment to: RCTC Attn: Transit Needs Public Hearing PO Box 12008 Riverside, CA 92502-2208 • Email comments to info@rctc.org with Transit Needs Public Hearing Comments as subject • Fill out the online form at www.rctc.org/contact-us/ • Call (951) 787-7141 Lunes 7 de decimebre del 2020 10:00 AM RCTC está organizando una audiencia pública para coleccio- nar opiniones sobre las necesidades de transporte en el con- dado de Riverside. RCTC y los operadores de tránsito utilizarán la información recopilada del público para futuras mejoras de tránsito. ¡Acompáñenos! Únase a la junta a través de video/conferencia telefónica https://rctc.zoom.us/j/85752127807 ID de la junta: 857 5212 7807 Teléfono: (669) 900-6833 ¿Cómo enviar un comentario? • En vivo en la audiencia pública virtual • Por correro a RCTC Attn: Transit Needs Public Hearing PO Box 12008 Riverside, CA 92502-2208 • Por correo electrónico a info@rctc.org con comentarios de audiencia pública de necesidades de tránsito como asunto • Complete el formulario en línea en www.rctc.org/contact-us/ • Llamar al (951) 787-7141 5 PUBLIC HEARING –TRANSIT NEEDS Ariel Alcon Tapia, Management Analyst 1 Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council December 7, 2020 Background DECEMBER 7, 2020 2 •Transportation Development Act PUC 99238 –Establish a Citizen Participation Process –Hold on public hearing represented by Social Services transportation Advisory Council •Commission Allocating 100% of TDA to Transit •Comments and Feedback •Notice and Outreach Staff Recommendation 3 1.Conduct a public hearing to receive comments on transit needs in Riverside County AGENDA ITEM 7 Agenda Item 7 RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION DATE: December 7, 2020 TO: Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council FROM: Eric DeHate, Transit Manager THROUGH: Lorelle Moe-Luna, Multimodal Services Director SUBJECT: 2021 Public Transit – Human Services Transportation Coordinated Plan STAFF RECOMMENDATION: This item is for the Council to receive and file the 2021 Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan (2021 Coordinated Plan). BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Coordinated Plan documents the mobility needs and gaps of seniors, persons with disabilities, persons of low-income, and veterans living and traveling in Riverside County (County). The Coordinated Plan serves two purposes: fulfills the requirements to receive funding through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310, Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program; and is utilized to identify projects for the Commission’s Measure A Specialized Transit Triennial Call for Projects. The Commission’s first Coordinated Plan was approved in April 2008 as was required under the federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to receive funds to enhance mobility options for job access and reverse commutes, and seniors and individuals with disabilities. Since SAFETEA-LU, the requirement for a coordinated planning process was reaffirmed in 2012 under the federal transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), and again in 2016 under Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) for the FTA Section 5310 Program. With the approval of the 2008 Coordinated Plan, the Commission also adopted a strategy for developing and conducting a specialized transit call for projects for western Riverside County. This process was intended to be used to competitively disburse Measure A Specialized Transit funds to qualified non-profit providers and public operators whose projects are consistent with strategies identified in the Coordinated Plan. Since that time, the Commission approved and awarded funds from five separate call for projects. DISCUSSION: FTA Circular 9070.1G requires that the Coordinated Plan be developed and approved through a process that includes participation by seniors, individuals with disabilities, representatives of 6 Agenda Item 7 public, private and nonprofit transportation and human services providers, and other members of the public (e.g., veterans, persons of low-income, etc.). The 2021 Coordinated Plan update was completed by AMMA Transit Planning, who also conducted the public outreach needed to comply with FTA requirements and applicable public participation and stakeholder consultation provisions. The development of the 2021 Coordinated Plan also considered existing documentation relevant to its target populations, including but not limited to Southern California Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan, Short- Range Transit Plans, and the Commission’s Traffic Relief Plan. Various activities were conducted countywide to comply with the federal requirement that the 2021 Coordinated Plan be developed through local processes, including the following: • Public and Human Services Interviews, consisting of 20 public and human service agencies during the months of April and May of 2020. • Countywide E-Survey, consisting of a stakeholder network with over 300 email contacts, the Commission’s promotion over social media, website and blog, and promotion of the survey by the county’s transit operators’ social media and email lists. This effort was promoted in English and Spanish to all of the stakeholders throughout the month of July 2020 and over 756 surveys were completed. • Coordinated Plan Website, http://transportationcoordination.org/ consisting of outreach and marketing materials relating to the development of the Coordinated Plan, the results from the interviews and e-survey, and the link to the Virtual Open House. The website also accepted written comments and ranking of the priorities developed from the results of the interviews and surveys. The website was promoted through email blasts to the Commission’s stakeholder network, the Commission’s promotion over social media, website and blog, and promotion of the survey by the county’s transit operator’s social media and email lists. The promotion of the event took place in September and October 2020. • Virtual Transportation Strategies Workshop, consisting of a Zoom presentation open to the public that contained the results from the interviews and e-survey. Spanish translation was available during the workshop and was posted on the Coordinated Plan website. The Virtual Transportation Strategies Workshop was promoted with the Coordinated Plan website outreach activities. 2021 Coordinated Plan Elements The Coordinated Plan compiles demographic information on the target populations such as individuals with disabilities, seniors, people with low incomes, and military veterans within the County. The Coordinated Plan also assesses existing public, private, and nonprofit transportation services and the mobility needs and gaps throughout the County. The results from the outreach activities described above provided over 900 responses from individuals and/or organizations directly contributing to the 2021 Coordinated Plan process in identifying the following seven (7) key themes for the document: 7 Agenda Item 7 1) Public transit provides vital links to the Coordinated Plan’s target groups and continuing investment in this network countywide is of benefit. 2) Unique travel challenges exist for consumers that are not readily addressed by public transit while specialized transportation meets some mobility needs that public transit cannot. 3) Long-distance trips are difficult to make on public transit; some specialized transportation programs can assist. 4) Sustaining and expanding specialized transportation will help to meet particular trip needs, for existing and anticipated mobility requirements. 5) Effective information strategies to Coordinated Plan populations will involve combinations of human service agency personnel, technology and traditional communication methods. 6) Infrastructure needs impact the safe travel of transit users, pedestrians and bicyclists. 7) Coordination among transit services and other human service programs happens at modest levels; there is interest and opportunity for expanded relationships. These themes constructed the framework of four goals and 20 priority strategies, as shown in Table 1, for implementation to address identified needs and gaps. Table 1: 2021 Coordinated Plan Goals and Strategies Goal 1: Build a More Responsive, Sustainable Public Transit Network 1.1 Address essential worker trip needs. 1.2 Grow ridership. 1.3 Promote mobility innovations and use of technology, seeking funding to support these. 1.4 Promote alternative fuel innovations, while seeking new funding. 1.5 Promote multi-modal connections. 1.6 Ensure safety and security. Goal 2: Strengthen Specialized Transportation Options 2.1 Promote operations and capital support for specialized transportation. 2.2 Grow capacity on specialized transport programs, anticipating continued population growth. 2.3 Address long-distance trips needs. 2.4 Promote mobility innovations in specialized transportation. Goal 3: Equitably Distribute Transportation Resources 3.1 Ensure proactive outreach to vulnerable populations. 3.2 Identify Pandemic transit use patterns to understand new or more clearly revealed trip needs. 3.3 Establish social and racial equity frameworks for transportation planning and resource allocation. 3.4 Expand affordability strategies. 3.5 Target and expand bus stop, bus shelter and transfer location enhancement and accessibility. Goal 4: Grow Public Transportation Awareness to Re-build Ridership 4.1 Expand use of information technology, with emphasis on customer-facing tools. 8 Agenda Item 7 4.2 Promote “teaching” use of transit information technology. 4.3 Ensure communication with vulnerable populations embraces the broadest array of methods. 4.4 Promote leadership and information exchange around transportation by RCTC and others. 4.5 Develop regional transit information tools to facilitate long, cross-jurisdictional trips, particularly to medical facilities. Various fund sources are available, or potentially available, to support the implementation of these strategies, including the two primary fund sources: FTA Section 5310 Program and Measure A Specialized Transit Program. Section 5310 provides formula funding to states for the purpose of assisting private non-profit groups in meeting the transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities when existing transportation service is unavailable, insufficient, or inappropriate to meeting these needs. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is responsible for program administration and statewide awards of the FTA Section 5310 funds. As the regional transportation planning agency, the Commission is responsible for reviewing and evaluating projects from Riverside County to ensure that projects are consistent with the locally developed Coordinated Plan. In Caltrans’ 2019 Section 5310 call for projects, over $3.4 million was awarded to 11 recipients in Riverside County. In order for transportation providers in the County to continue receiving funds in future cycles, an update to the Coordinated Plan is required at least every four years. The Measure A Specialized Transit Program also requires projects to be consistent with an approved Coordinated Plan. Currently, the program provides operating and capital funding for 18 transportation providers in western Riverside County. The 2021 Specialized Transit Call for Projects is expected to be released in January 2021 and will program three years of funding covering Fiscal Years 2021/22 through 2023/24. Other formula funds include those through FTA Section 5307 and 5311, as well as the State’s Local Transportation Fund and State Transit Assistance Funds. The Plan can also support grant applications to municipalities for Community Development Block Grants, or private discretionary foundations supporting older adults or persons with disabilities. There is no financial impact related to the staff recommendation to receive and file the 2021 Coordinated Plan as approval does not involve a funding commitment at this time. Attachment: 1) 2021 Public Transit – Human Services Transportation Coordination Plan for Riverside County 9 Draft Final Plan RIVERSIDE COUNTYCOORDINATED PUBLICTRANSPORTATION PLAN December 2020 Developed for Riverside County Transportation Commission by: 2021-2025 Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County 10 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE i This page intentionally left blank. 11 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE ii Coordinated Public Transit — Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................ vi Why This Plan is Undertaken ................................................................................................................. vi What We Learned .................................................................................................................................. vii Chapter 1. Purposes and Approach ......................................................................................... 1 Background ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Coordinated Plan’s Value to RCTC ........................................................................................................ 3 Coordinated Plan’s Organization and Process ..................................................................................... 4 Transportation Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic ........................................................................... 6 Chapter 2. Existing Demographics .......................................................................................... 8 Countywide Demographics .................................................................................................................... 8 Region-Level Demographics ................................................................................................................ 22 Equity Focused Communities ............................................................................................................... 27 Chapter 3. Assessment of Available Transportation ............................................................. 32 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 32 Public Transportation ............................................................................................................................ 32 Regional and Intercity Rail and Bus ...................................................................................................... 38 Specialized Transportation ................................................................................................................... 41 Assessment of Service Levels ............................................................................................................... 51 Chapter 4. Assessment of Mobility Needs and Gaps ............................................................ 54 Phased Outreach Approach ................................................................................................................. 54 Phase I – Agency Interview Findings .................................................................................................... 54 Phase II - Countywide E-Survey Findings ............................................................................................ 68 Summary of Mobility Needs, Gaps and Opportunities ..................................................................... 78 Chapter 5. Goals and Strategies ............................................................................................ 83 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 83 12 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE iii Goal 1: Build a More Responsive, Sustainable Public Transit Network .......................................... 84 Goal 2: Strengthen Specialized Transportation Options .................................................................. 89 Goal 3: Equitably Distribute Transportation Resources .................................................................... 92 Goal 4: Grow Public Transportation Awareness to Rebuild Ridership ............................................ 96 Chapter 6. Implementation Approach to Coordinated Plan Direction ................................ 101 Developing Strategy Priorities ............................................................................................................ 101 Interested, Willing and Able Partners ................................................................................................ 102 Funding Coordinated Plan Strategies ............................................................................................... 102 Appendices .......................................................................................................................... 106 Appendix A: Regional Demographic Maps ...................................................................................... 106 Appendix B: Inventory Matrix ............................................................................................................. 106 Appendix C: Historical Passenger Trips by Provider ....................................................................... 106 Appendix D: Countywide E-Survey Summary Reports ................................................................... 106 Appendix E: Countywide E-Survey Open-Ended Responses ........................................................ 106 Appendix F: Strategy Prioritization Public Input and Rankings ...................................................... 106 List of Figures Figure 1: Target Populations Overview ................................................................................................... 10 Figure 2: Historic and Projected Population — Countywide ................................................................. 11 Figure 3: Historic and Projected Population by Age Group as Percentage of the Total Population ...................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Figure 4: Commute Mode — Older Adults .............................................................................................. 15 Figure 5: People Living in Poverty at Various Poverty Thresholds, Between 2014 and 2018 .......... 17 Figure 6: Commute Mode — People Living in Poverty .......................................................................... 18 Figure 7: Inflow/Outflow of Commuters, 2017 ...................................................................................... 21 Figure 8: Map — Riverside County Regions ............................................................................................ 23 Figure 9: Map — Countywide Population by Census-Designated Place and Regions ...................... 25 Figure 10: Equity-Focused Communities in Western Riverside County ............................................. 29 Figure 11: Equity-Focused Communities in Coachella Valley ............................................................. 30 Figure 12: Equity-Focused Communities in the Palo Verde Valley ..................................................... 31 Figure 13: Public Transit Network in Western Riverside ....................................................................... 32 Figure 14: Public Transit Network in Coachella Valley .......................................................................... 34 13 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE iv Figure 15: Public Transit Network in Palo Verde Valley ........................................................................ 36 Figure 16: Areas of Riverside County Served by Agency Respondents ............................................. 70 Figure 17: Agency-Provided Transportation Assistance ....................................................................... 70 Figure 19: Clients' Transportation Challenges ....................................................................................... 71 Figure 20: Mobility Improvements Helpful to Clients ........................................................................... 72 Figure 21: Where Respondents Live in Riverside County ..................................................................... 73 Figure 22: Respondents' Demographic Characteristics ....................................................................... 73 Figure 23: Transportation Availability ..................................................................................................... 74 Figure 24: How Respondents Regularly Travel ...................................................................................... 74 Figure 25: Transportation Challenges ..................................................................................................... 75 Figure 26: Other Transportation-Related Challenges ........................................................................... 76 Figure 27: Transportation-Related Improvements ................................................................................ 77 Figure 28: Other Transportation-Related Improvements ..................................................................... 77 List of Tables Table 1: Historic and Projected Population by Age Group — Countywide ......................................... 12 Table 2: Older Adults — Demographics .................................................................................................. 13 Table 3: People with Disabilities — Demographics ................................................................................ 16 Table 4: People Living in Poverty, Unemployment Rate and Health Coverage ................................. 17 Table 5: Veterans — Demographics ......................................................................................................... 19 Table 6: People with Limited-English Proficiency .................................................................................. 20 Table 7: Commute Characteristics ........................................................................................................... 20 Table 8: Origin-Destination Commute Characteristics ......................................................................... 22 Table 9: Regional Statistics ....................................................................................................................... 27 Table 10: Overview of RTA Coordinated Plan-Related Improvements since 2016 Coordinated Plan Update ......................................................................................................................................................... 43 Table 11: Overview of SunLine Coordinated Plan-Related Improvements since 2016 Coordinated Plan Update ................................................................................................................................................ 45 Table 12: Current Measure A Funded Programs, Fiscal Years 2019-2021 ........................................ 48 Table 13: 2019 Section 5310 Awarded Projects .................................................................................... 50 Table 14: Specialized Transportation Funding Awards ........................................................................ 51 Table 15: 2021 Coordinated Plan One-Way Trips and Available Vehicles ........................................ 52 Table 16: Trips per Capita by Coordinated Planning Periods ............................................................. 53 14 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE v Table 17: Agencies Participating in Phase I Interviews ......................................................................... 55 Table 18: Summary of Interview Findings Topical Areas ...................................................................... 56 Table 19: Agencies Responding to the E-Survey on Mobility Needs ................................................. 69 Table 20: Coordinated Plan Goals and Strategies ................................................................................. 83 Table 21: Coordinated Plan Strategies’ Prioritization and Implementation Matrix ......................... 104 15 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE vi Coordinated Public Transit — Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Executive Summary Why This Plan is Undertaken The PUBLIC TRANSIT-HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION COORDINATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 (Coordinated Plan 2021 Update) serves to document mobility needs and gaps of seniors, persons with disabilities, persons of low income, veterans and Tribal members living and traveling within Riverside County (County). Through goals to enhance mobility, strategies and potential projects, this Plan provides direction to Riverside County stakeholders that include Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), the County’s public transit providers and human service agencies, as well as sovereign Tribes, municipalities and the County. Authorization and Responsibilities The coordinated planning process is required by Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Circular 9070.1G, originating in Public Law 109-059, SAFETEA-LU, as amended in Public Law 112-141, MAP-21. This requires that projects selected for funding in several grant programs, including FTA Section 5310, be: “…included in a locally developed, coordinated public transit–human services transportation plan”…and these plans must be “... developed and approved through a process that included participation by seniors, individuals with disabilities, representatives of public, private and non-profit transportation and human service providers, and other members of the public.” As the designated Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) and County Transportation Commission (CTC) for Riverside County, RCTC has assumed responsibility for developing the Coordinated Plan and its recurring updates. RCTC is also responsible for administration of the Specialized Transportation Program, which provides operating and capital funding to eligible projects in Western Riverside. As with the FTA 5310 program, proposed projects must be identified in the Coordinated Plan. 16 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE vii Organization and Approach Consistent with the FTA’s Circular 9070.1G, the planning process identified mobility needs and gaps through the following steps and processes: § Chapter 1 — Introduction of Coordinated Plan requirements and values to the County. § Chapter 2 — Assessment of existing conditions through compilation of relevant demographic information on the target populations, from the U.S. Census. § Chapter 3 — Inventory assessment of available public, private and nonprofit transport. § Chapter 4 — Assessment of mobility needs and gaps conducted via two phases of outreach efforts conducted in English and Spanish: o Phase I Agency Interviews — identifying needs through interviews with more than 20 agencies. o Phase II Countywide e-survey — identifying needs through an online survey. § Chapter 5 — Presentation of goals and strategies to enhance mobility developed based upon outreach and analysis. § Chapter 6 — Prioritization of strategies, including the locally conducted process of prioritizing these strategies. Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic Finally, this Plan was being developed during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring and into the early fall of 2020. This global outbreak of a respiratory disease is caused by a novel (new) coronavirus. The disease it causes has been named “the coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”). California responded with a Stay-at-Home order limiting travel to essential trips only, such as grocery shopping, urgent health care and social services, and travel to jobs that were deemed essential and could not be moved to remote work. This legal order has disrupted almost every aspect of day-to-day life, and most certainly, has affected public transportation. As with the country as a whole, this statewide “shut down” has resulted in a loss of riders, service hours and, often, reduced efficiencies, while Riverside County’s public transportation services continued to incur administrative and payroll costs. Transit operators began to see sharp declines in ridership beginning the second week of March. Notably, public transit did continue to provide rides for essential workers, those getting to and from work, and for essential items for individuals who relied upon on public transit during the spring Stay-at-Home period. And it continues to serve essential workers and essential trips, even as transit ridership fell off with other workers no longer commuting and most students attending school from home. The direction offered by this Plan to address mobility topics and prepared during the winter of 2020-2021, will require continuing flexibility in prioritizing or re-prioritizing Coordinated Plan 17 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE viii strategies. This may include developing new strategies as the County and region move through and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts. What We Learned About Demographics and Population Changes Chapter 2 of this Coordinated Plan 2021 Update describes key demographic and socioeconomic characteristics for the Countywide population as a whole and the target populations of this plan — older adults, people with disabilities, low-income populations and veterans. Data sources include 1-year Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey for years 2014 and 2018 and some California Department of Finance projections. This chapter looks at changes among these groups between 2014 and 2018 and reports on demographic characteristics for each of the County’s regions. Chapter 2 explores communities or neighborhoods likely to experience significant mobility needs. Changes in Riverside County’s population include 12.3 percent growth between 2010 and 2020, while the State of California grew only by 7.4 percent for the same period. These estimates show that in the next 10 years, the County population is projected to increase by 10.3 percent to more than 2.7 million in year 2030 with a net increase of more than 255,000 people. The statewide population is only projected to increase by 5.3 percent. Figure ES-1 presents a graphical overview of this Plan’s target populations within Riverside County, specifically older adults, persons with disabilities and persons of low-income. The graphic shows, at a glance, that youth under the age of 18 are more likely to be living in poverty than are adults. It also shows that older adults are much more likely to have a disability than are adults and youth. Among Riverside County’s almost 2.5 million residents: § 14.4 percent are older adults (over 65 years old) § 11.2 percent have a disability § 21.9 percent are living in poverty § 6.2 percent are veterans § 15.7 percent have limited-English proficiency Other key changes among the Coordinated Plan target populations highlighted in Chapter 2 include: § Older adults increased by 14.8%, a much higher growth rate for Riverside County as a whole (5.9%) than for the prior Coordinate Plan’s review period, between 2014 and 2018. § Adults over age 70 are projected to increase from 11.1 percent of the population in 2020 to 14.3 percent by 2030 and then 17.1 percent by 2040. 18 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE ix § Between 2014 and 2018, the population of people with disabilities grew by 15,248 people, or 5.9 percent, while the statewide population of people with disabilities grew by only 0.4 percent. § People with disabilities living in poverty decreased by -7.1 percent between 2014 and 2018. § In 2018, about 21.9 percent of individuals lived in households below 150 percent of federal poverty thresholds, a significant drop from 27.8 percent in 2014. § Unemployment decreased to 6.5 percent while people with health insurance increased to 91.9 percent. § Veterans decreased by -9% between 2014 and 2018, directly mirroring decreases at the State level. Figure ES-1: Target Populations Overview 19 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE x About the Public and Human Services Transportation Network Chapter 3 summarizes the County’s public, private and specialized transportation providers; describes the services they provide; and presents an assessment of service levels. Figure ES-2: 2021 Coordinated Plan One-Way Trips and Available Vehicles Mode of Transportation 2021 Coordinated Plan Annual Trips FY 19/20 % of Total Trips Vehicles in Max Service % of Total Vehicles Public Fixed-Route [1] 10,418,477 75% 337 48.6% Regional (RTA/SunLine) 10,073,283 301 Local (Banning/Beaumont/Corona/PVVTA) 345,194 36 Public Demand Response [2] 550,043 4% 194 28.0% Regional (RTA/SunLine) 405,475 147 Local (Banning/Beaumont/Corona/RivConnect) 144,568 47 Regional Rail [3] 2,453,576 17.7% Excluded n/a Metrolink (91-PVL/IEOC/Riverside) 2,453,576 Specialized Transportation [4] 465,086 3.3% 162 23.4% Western Riverside Measure A Providers 234,494 73 5310 Providers 230,592 89 Totals 13,887,182 100% 693 100% [1] As reported by the public transit operators through the TransTrack Data Management System [2] As reported by the public transit operators through the TransTrack Data Management System [3] Metrolink reported boardings on all train lines that service Riverside County. Trips for FY 19/20 are based on ticket sales, not boarding counts. [4] Specialized transportation trips for FY 19/20 include Measure A & Section 5310 funded projects The provision of 13.8 million passenger trips on public transit in Riverside County during fiscal year (FY) 2019/2020, includes 465,000 specialized transportation programs supported by FTA Section 5310 funds or by the local Western Riverside Measure A Specialized Transportation Program. Together, all transit trips reflect a 5.6 trips-per-capita rate, a benchmark that can be used to assess transportation growth. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which drastically reduced people’s ability and willingness to travel on public transit, this trips-per-capita rate had been increasing despite a continuously growing population. About Mobility Needs and Gaps The Coordinated Plan outreach approach and findings are documented in Chapter 4. Outreach Phases I and II provided a wealth of detail, returned from qualitative and quantitative data gathering. These activities — more than 20 stakeholder interviews and a Countywide e-survey with 20 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE xi 748 general public respondents (including 33 in Spanish) and 55 agency respondents — brought back information related to the following themes: § Public transit provides vital links to the Coordinated Plan’s target groups and continuing investment in this network countywide is of benefit. § Unique travel challenges exist for consumers that are not readily addressed by public transit while specialized transportation meets some mobility needs that public transit cannot. § Long-distance trips are difficult on public transit; some specialized transportation programs can assist. § Sustaining and expanding specialized transportation will help to meet particular trip needs, for existing and anticipated mobility requirements. § Effective information strategies reaching Coordinated Plan populations will involve combinations of human service agency personnel, technology and traditional communication methods. § Infrastructure needs impact the safe travel of transit users, pedestrians and bicyclists. § Coordination among transit services and other human service programs happens at modest levels; there is interest and opportunity for expanded relationships and mobility- focused coalitions. Chapter 5 of this Coordinated Plan 2021 Update presents the four Goals and their 20 strategies to improve mobility. The direction offered through these goals, strategies and potential projects was informed by four months of outreach across Riverside County, coupled with additional analyses. The goals of the Coordinated Plan 2021 Update are: § Goal 1: Build a More Responsive, Sustainable Public Transit Network Public transit responsive to older adults, persons with disabilities and persons of low income, that is reliable, well-funded and ensures a network supporting travel within and between communities in this large County. § Goal 2: Strengthen Specialized Transportation Options Travel needs of Coordinated Plan target groups that cannot be met by fixed-route and rail public transit require alternative modes and services that recognize individuals’ unique transportation requirements. § Goal 3: Equitably Distribute Transportation Resources A recognition of public transit’s importance in the lives of underserved and under- represented, including communities of color and persons with disabilities, which has been more clearly revealed by the Coronavirus pandemic. 21 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE xii § Goals 4: Grow Public Transportation Awareness Rebuilding public transit ridership and growing awareness of specialized transportation services requires an active information network. Chapter 6 reports on the local process to prioritize strategies and their resultant rankings. It also presents a discussion of implementation by “interested, willing and able” partners and identifies potential funding sources for Coordinated Plan strategies. Figure ES-2 presents the four goals with their strategies, highlights responsible partners and proposes a current implementation rating. Implementation priority may change as funding availability or other circumstances change. Figure ES-3: Coordinated Plan Strategies Prioritization and Implementation Matrix Goal Strategies Responsible Party, Lead Responsible Party, Support Priority Rating Goal 1: Build a More Responsive, Sustainable Public Transit Network 1.1 Address essential worker trip needs. Public transit operators RCTC High 1.2 Grow ridership. Public transit operators RCTC High 1.3 Promote mobility innovations and use of technology, seeking funding to support these. Public transit operators RCTC Moderate 1.4 Promote alternative fuel innovations, while seeking new funding. Public transit operators RCTC, other public agencies High 1.5 Promote multimodal connections. Public transit operators RCTC, other regional operators High 1.6 Ensure safety and security. Public transit operators RCTC, municipalities Moderate Goal 2: Strengthen Specialized Transportation Options 2.1 Promote operations and capital support for specialized transportation. RCTC with human service providers Moderate 2.2 Grow capacity on specialized transport programs, using technology and other tools to address continued population growth. RCTC with human service providers Public transit operators High 2.3 Address long-distance trips needs. Human service providers Public transit operators High 2.4 Promote mobility innovations to address unique travel needs, including first-mile/last-mile solutions. Human service providers Public transit operators Moderate 22 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE xiii Figure ES-3 Continued Goal Strategies Responsible Party, Lead Responsible Party, Support Priority Rating Goal 3: Equitably Distribute Transportation Resources 3.1 Ensure proactive outreach to vulnerable populations. RCTC and public transit providers High 3.2 Identify pandemic transit use patterns to understand new or more clearly revealed trip needs. Public transit providers Human service agencies High 3.3 Establish social and racial equity frameworks for transportation planning and resource allocation. All parties High 3.4 Expand affordability strategies. Public transit providers Human service agencies High 3.5 Target expansion and enhancement of bus stops, shelters, stations and transfer locations to improve accessibility for target populations. Public transit providers Municipalities Moderate Goal 4: Grow Public Transportation Awareness to Rebuild Ridership 4.1 Expand use of information technology, with emphasis on customer-facing tools. Public transit providers Human service agencies High 4.2 Promote “teaching” use of transit information technology. Public transit providers with human service agencies High 4.3 Ensure communication with vulnerable populations embraces the broadest array of methods. Public transit providers with human service agencies High 4.4 Promote leadership and information exchange around transportation by RCTC and others. RCTC Public transit providers High 23 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 1 Coordinated Public Transit — Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Chapter 1. Purposes and Approach Background The PUBLIC TRANSIT–HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION COORDINATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 (Coordinated Plan 2021 Update) serves to document mobility needs and gaps of seniors, persons with disabilities, persons of low income, veterans and Tribal members living and traveling within Riverside County (County). Through goals to enhance mobility, strategies and potential projects, it provides direction to a number of Riverside County stakeholders that include the Commission, the County’s public transit providers, human service agencies, and city and County personnel. RCTC’s Funding Responsibilities The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) was established in 1976 by the state to oversee the funding and coordination of all public transportation services within Riverside County. RCTC is the designated Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) and County Transportation Commission (CTC) for Riverside County. As the designated RTPA and CTC, its responsibilities include setting policies, establishing priorities, providing oversight on transportation funding and coordinating activities among the County’s various transit operators and local jurisdictions. Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 Program The goal of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310, Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program is to improve mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities by removing barriers to transportation services and expanding the availability of transportation mobility options. This program supports transportation services planned, designed and carried out to meet the special transportation needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities in all areas — large urbanized (more than 200,000), small urbanized (50,000–200,000) and rural (under 50,000). Section 5310 program provides grant funds for capital, mobility management and operating expenses for: 24 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 2 § Public transportation projects planned, designed and carried out to meet the special needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities when public transportation is insufficient, inappropriate or unavailable; § Public transportation projects that exceed the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); § Public transportation projects that improve access to fixed-route service and decrease reliance on complementary paratransit; and § Alternatives to public transportation projects that assist seniors and individuals with disabilities and with transportation. For rural and urbanized areas of Riverside County, Caltrans (California’s Department of Transportation) is the direct recipient of Section 5310 funds with responsibility for program administration. Each funding cycle, Caltrans administers a statewide competition. As the RTPA, RCTC is responsible for scoring the Traditional 5310 projects from Riverside County using state- mandated criteria and submits the scores to Caltrans for the statewide competition. Per FTA Circular 9060.1G, all projects selected for funding must be included in a locally developed, coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan and the plan must be developed through a process that includes representatives of public, private and nonprofit transportation and human service providers and members of the public. RCTC’s Measure A Specialized Transportation Program RCTC is responsible for administering Measure A funds, Riverside County’s first voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, first passed in 1988. In 2002, Measure A was extended by Riverside County voters and will continue to fund transportation improvements through 2039. A portion of the tax generated in Western Riverside County supports specialized transportation services directed to three target groups: seniors, persons with disabilities and/or individuals who are truly needy. This specialized transportation funding is available only in Western Riverside County, between the Orange County border to the west, the San Bernardino County border to the north, Cabazon/Banning to the east and San Diego County border to the south. Measure A fund allocations for the Coachella Valley and the Palo Verde Valley are directed to public transit providers. Measure A specialized transportation funding supports directly operated services that expand or extend existing transit or fill mobility gaps that would otherwise exist without these services. RCTC awards and allocates Measure A Funding under its Specialized Transportation Program. RCTC invites proposals for project funding every two or three years through a competitive process. The Measure A program requires that projects are consistent with the Coordinated Plan 2021 Update. 25 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 3 Coordinated Plan Authorization The Coordinated Plan concept was first required by federal statute by 2005’s Public Law 109-059 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). In 2012, the Coordinated Plan requirement was reaffirmed in authorizing legislation Public Law 112-141 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). Within the federal context, its direction narrowed from three funding programs authorized in SAFETEA-LU to just a single program under MAP-21, Section 5310, Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities. In January 2016, Congress authorized new transportation legislation with Public Law 114-22 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST Act) with five-year provisions that will expire during 2020. FAST Act guidance continues requirements for coordination and long-range planning, with public transit providers and planning agencies continuing to implement the guidance provided under MAP-21. Until reauthorized or replaced, the FAST Act is the current authorizing legislation for this Plan. Coordinated Plan Requirements The FTA Circular 9060.1G describes the Coordinated Plan process, identifying four required elements: 1. An assessment of available public, private and nonprofit transportation providers; 2. As assessment of transportation needs of individuals with disabilities and seniors; 3. Strategies, activities and/or projects to address identified gaps between current services and needs, as well as opportunities to achieve efficiencies in service delivery; and 4. Priorities for implementation based on resources, time and feasibility for implementation. The regulation also requires that a Coordinated Plan be developed and approved through a process that includes participation by seniors; individuals with disabilities; representatives of public, private and nonprofit transportation and human services providers; and other members of the public (e.g., veterans, persons of low income, etc.). FTA maintains flexibility in how projects appear in a Coordinated Plan. Accordingly, projects may be identified as strategies, activities and/or specific projects addressing an identified service gap or transportation coordination objective articulated and prioritized within the plan. Also required, to the maximum extent feasible, funded services are to be coordinated with transportation services assisted by other federal departments and agencies. Coordinated Plan’s Value to RCTC The Coordinated Plan 2021 Update, while prepared in compliance with federal rules, works to enhance the mobility of individuals with disabilities, seniors, low-income persons and military veterans. The Coordinated Plan also supports this array of objectives: 26 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 4 § Supporting the effective administration of RCTC’s Measure A Specialized Transit Program; § Supporting agencies in developing projects and securing grant awards from the Section 5310 program; § Supporting agencies in developing projects and securing grant awards from RCTC’s Measure A Specialized Transit Program; § Expanding vehicle and operating funding available to Western Riverside County Specialized Transit Program participants; § Enhancing mobility for individuals with disabilities, seniors, persons of low income, or those who served in the military, who are Tribal members or have limited English- speaking proficiency; § Developing better coordinated transportation between public transit and human service organizations, providing more trips to more people; § Supporting new and continued partnerships to better coordinate and leverage resources and funding; § Supporting more stakeholder agencies in seeking funding by which to address mobility needs; and § Monitoring the mobility landscape in relation to services to the Coordinated Plan populations and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Coordinated Plan’s Organization and Process RCTC prepared this Coordinated Plan 2021 Update with assistance provided by AMMA Transit Planning, in compliance with federal requirements and applicable public participation and stakeholder consultation provisions. Various activities, detailed in this section, were conducted Countywide to comply with the federal requirement that the Coordinated Plan be developed through local processes. The Coordinated Plan 2021 Update is organized as follows: Chapter 2 – Existing Demographics This chapter describes the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics for the countywide population as a whole and the target populations of this plan: older adults, people with disabilities, low-income populations and veterans. Chapter 2 also presents equity focused communities — block groups where significant numbers of non-white and persons of low income reside. This demographic analysis was conducted using 1-year Estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS) for years 2014 and 2018, the most current population data available at the time. 27 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 5 Chapter 3 – Assessment of Available Transportation This chapter describes the transportation network in Riverside County, from rail and regional fixed-route and ADA-complementary paratransit Access Services, to municipal transit operators and vanpool programs. Information about human services agency transportation, Measure A, and 5310 recipients is also presented. The inventory was developed by updating the 2016 Coordinated Plan Inventory, through conversations with public and municipal transit operators and through information gathered during agency interviews and the countywide e-survey processes. Chapter 4 – Assessment of Mobility Needs and Gaps This chapter presents the Coordinated Plan’s outreach to target populations and the agencies that serve them and the general public. It also includes representative community members’ assessment of their mobility needs and gap. This chapter presents findings from two phases of virtual outreach activities: § Phase I Agency Interviews – Identifying needs through interviews with more than 20 agencies during April and May 2020. § Phase II Countywide e-survey – Identifying needs through an online survey during July 2020. o The e-survey was promoted via email blasts to a stakeholder network of more than 300 contacts; RCTC’s social media, website and blog; and County transit operators’ social media and email lists. o Marketing materials in English and Spanish were distributed to stakeholders to aid in e-survey promotion. Chapter 5 – Goals and Strategies Chapter 5 presents the organizing framework for this Coordinated Plan 2021 Update: four goals, 20 strategies and potential projects by which to address these goals. The goals and their supporting strategies are designed to address the findings developed through the demographics analysis, the transportation inventory and the two-phased public engagement process. Chapter 6 – Implementation Chapter 6 reports on the prioritization of the Coordinated Plan Strategies for implementation and provides guidance on implementing this Coordinated Plan 2021 Update for Riverside County. Consistent with federal regulation, a community process informed the Coordinated Plan strategies and implementation priorities, which were further refined by near- and long-term implementation, funding levels and complexity of implementation. The community process for prioritizing strategies consisted of: 28 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 6 § Phase III Virtual Workshop and Open House – This invited comments upon and assistance in prioritizing strategies responsive to needs in October 2020. During the week- long open house community members, target population groups and agency stakeholders were invited to visit the project website to learn about project findings, attend an interactive, virtual workshop on Coordinated Plan strategies, rate the strategies’ priority and provide written comments. o The Workshop and Open House was promoted via email blasts to a stakeholder network of more than 300 contacts; e-survey respondents; RCTC’s social media, website and blog; and County transit operators’ social media and email lists. o Marketing materials in English and Spanish were distributed to stakeholders to aid in promotion. Spanish interpretation was provided during the workshop and all open house and workshop materials were provided in English and Spanish. Transportation Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic Finally, this Plan was being developed during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020. This global outbreak of a respiratory disease is caused by a novel (new) coronavirus. The disease it causes has been named “the coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”). California was the first state to respond with a statewide Stay-at-Home order to protect the health and well-being of all Californians and to establish consistency across the state in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. California’s Stay-at-Home order limited travel to essential trips only, such as grocery shopping, urgent health care and social services, and travel to jobs that were deemed essential and could not be moved to remote work. This legal order has disrupted almost every aspect of day-to-day life, and most certainly, has affected public transportation. The long-term implications of this time have yet to be understood, but the immediate impact has been a precipitous reduction in transit ridership. Federal funding did arrive due to the passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion economic aid package that includes $25 billion in emergency relief funding for public transportation. These funds can be used for “operating costs to maintain service and lost revenue due to the coronavirus public health emergency, including the purchase of personal protective equipment, and paying the administrative leave of operations personnel due to reductions in service.” State apportionments will be available to recipients of 49 U.S.C. §§ 5307, 5311, 5337 and 5340. Additionally, the FTA has established an Emergency Relief docket that allows recipients in states with an emergency declaration for COVID-19 to request temporary relief from federal requirements under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53. As with the country as a whole, this statewide “shut down” has resulted in a loss of riders, service hours and, often, reduced efficiencies, while Riverside County continued to incur administrative and payroll costs. Transit operators began to see sharp declines in ridership beginning in the second week of March. Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) has seen a loss of ridership of 60 percent 29 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 7 system-wide year-to-date compared to this period last fiscal year, while SunLine Transit Agency (SunLine) has seen a 46.5 percent reduction in ridership for this period. Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency (PVVTA) reports an 80 percent loss of ridership, and Metrolink saw a loss of 90 percent. Some human service providers have seen ridership losses due to program closures and clients quarantining. Others have experienced reduced efficiencies due to social distancing on vehicles. Transit providers have responded to this crisis through multiple methods, including: § operating reduced service schedules in response to reductions in ridership; § instituting enhanced vehicle and facility cleaning; § encouraging social distancing and limiting the maximum capacity on vehicles; § increased communication with riders; § delivering meals and groceries to vulnerable individuals unable to leave their homes; and § temporarily suspending fares and implementing mobile ticketing. As the pandemic continues with waves of infection, the public transit response continues to adapt and shift. The current prioritization of strategies in Chapter 6 reflects priorities as of this writing. Continuing flexibility in prioritizing of Coordinated Plan strategies — and in developing new responses — will be critical in the months and years ahead. 30 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 8 Chapter 2. Existing Demographics This chapter describes key demographic and socioeconomic characteristics for the Countywide population as a whole and the target populations of this plan: older adults, people with disabilities, low-income populations and veterans. Limited-English proficiency (LEP) persons and selected commute characteristics are also described. This chapter is divided into two main sections: Countywide Demographics and Region-level Demographics. The latter will include information regarding the target populations for each of the three regions in the County: § Western Riverside § Coachella Valley § Palo Verde Valley Countywide Demographics This section focuses on County-level demographic and the changes that occurred since the previous Coordinated Plan. This section includes: § Overview of the Target Populations § Historic and Projected Population Change § Older Adults § People with Disabilities § Low-Income Populations § Veterans § Limited-English Proficiency § Commute Characteristics Methodology The prior 2016 Coordinated Plan primarily used 2010-2014 5-Year Estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS) compared to the 2000 Census. This Coordinated Plan 2021 Update primarily uses 1-Year Estimates from the ACS for years 2014 and 2018, respectively, to show demographic and socioeconomic changes at the County level, unless otherwise noted. At the time of this writing, the most recent data available from the ACS is for 2018. At the various points where poverty is discussed, living in poverty in Riverside County is defined as having a household income below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Thresholds. This is described in federal guidelines constructed for Coordinated Plans. It also recognizes California’s generally higher cost of living than the national average. Federal Poverty Level thresholds are 31 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 9 defined by the Census by the number and age of people living in a household. For example, in 2018 at 150 percent of the poverty thresholds, an older adult living alone with an annual income of less than $18,064 would be considered to be living in poverty and a household consisting of a single parent with two children would be considered to be living in poverty if their household income was less than $30,364.1 Disability status is self-reported to the ACS and is based on a series of questions about six different disability types, which are described in the text. Disability status is only determined by the ACS for civilian noninstitutionalized population, so persons in prisons or living in skilled nursing facilities or long-term hospitals are not included in these counts. Overview of the Target Populations Figure 1 provides a graphical overview of the target populations within Riverside County. The graphic shows, at a glance, that youth under the age of 18 are more likely to be living in poverty than adults aged 18 to 64 and older adults over the age of 65. It also shows that older adults are much more likely to have a disability than adults and youth. Among Riverside County’s almost 2.5 million residents: § 14.4 percent are older adults (over 65 years old); § 11.2 percent have a disability; § 21.9 percent are living in poverty; § 6.2 percent are veterans; and § 15.7 percent have limited-English proficiency. Each of these populations will be discussed further within their respectively named sections. 1 U.S. Census Poverty Thresholds for all years can be found here: https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-thresholds.html. Note that these tables show household income poverty thresholds at 100 percent. The examples described for 150 percent of the poverty thresholds were calculated from these tables. Information about how the U.S. Census measures poverty can be found here: https://www.census.gov/topics/income-poverty/poverty/guidance/poverty-measures.html 32 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 10 Figure 1: Target Populations Overview 33 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 11 Population Change Riverside County has grown, and is projected to grow, at significantly faster rates than California as a whole. Figure 2 identifies the historic and projected population change for the County using the California Department of Finance (CA DOF) population estimates.2 These CA DOF estimates show that between 2010 and 2020 the County population increased by 12.3 percent, from 2,198,503 to 2,468,145, a net increase of 269,642 people. During this same time period, the population of California increased by 7.4 percent. In the next 10 years, the County population is projected to increase by 10.3 percent to more than 2.7 million in year 2030 with a net increase of 255,340 people, while the state is projected to increase by only 5.3 percent. Figure 2: Historic and Projected Population — Countywide Source: California Department of Finance (DOF) — Total Estimated and Projected Population for California Counties: July 1, 2010, to July 1, 2060, data set. Table 1 and Figure 2 show the CA DOF historic and projected population change estimates by age group. From 2010 to 2020, the youngest age groups (under 20) decreased in number, as did the group aged 40-49. The group aged over 100 years of age also decreased, but due to the small population size of this age group, the net decrease was only about 93 people. During this same time period, the age groups between 60 and 99 increased the most, in terms of percentage change. For example, the number of people in the 60-69 age group increased by 39 percent, or 70,772 people. The population aged 20-29 also increased by a large amount of 76,944 people, which is a 26 percent increase for this bracket. 2 California Department of Finance (DOF) — Total Estimated and Projected Population for California Counties: July 1, 2010, to July 1, 2060, data set. The estimates are based on births, deaths and net migration. 2,198,503 2,332,491 2,468,145 2,597,656 2,723,485 2,837,362 2,933,733 0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000 3,500,000 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040Population Calendar Year Population 34 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 12 From 2020 to 2030, the age group from 10-19 is projected to continue to decrease in size; however, the youngest group, those under 9 years of age, is expected to increase by 6 percent. The cohort aged 20-29, which increased significantly in size between 2010 and 2020, will age to the 30-39 year bracket between 2020 and 2030 and thus will present a similar increase. This is also true for the older adult age groups of 70-79 and 80-89, which will grow significantly by 38 percent and 55 percent between 2020 and 2030, respectively. Changes in the older adult population are discussed further in the section so named below. Table 1: Historic and Projected Population by Age Group — Countywide Age 2010 2020 2030 Change 2010-2020 % Change 2010-2020 Change 2020-2030 % Change 2020-2030 0-9 328,964 307,305 325,658 -21,659 -6.6% 18,353 6.0% 10-19 365,262 359,545 337,554 -5,717 -1.6% -21,991 -6.1% 20-29 300,346 377,290 371,012 76,944 25.6% -6,278 -1.7% 30-39 282,607 316,801 405,910 34,194 12.1% 89,109 28.1% 40-49 302,497 288,978 325,603 -13,519 -4.5% 36,625 12.7% 50-59 257,507 292,815 282,237 35,308 13.7% -10,578 -3.6% 60-69 179,471 250,243 286,511 70,772 39.4% 36,268 14.5% 70-79 111,870 169,130 233,147 57,260 51.2% 64,017 37.9% 80-89 59,894 80,502 124,933 20,608 34.4% 44,431 55.2% 90-99 9,849 25,393 29,081 15,544 157.8% 3,688 14.5% 100+ 236 143 1,839 -93 -39.4% 1,696 1186.0% Total Riverside County 2,198,503 2,468,145 2,723,485 269,642 12.3% 255,340 10.3% Total CA 37,367,579 39,055,383 40,129,160 2,761,581 7.4% 2,134,494 5.3% According to the ACS 1-Year Estimates, the total County population increased by 5.9 percent between 2014 and 2018. This is markedly higher than the statewide rate of 1.9 percent during the same time period. The ACS 1-Year Estimates will be used for the following five sections describing the target populations, as these have greatest accuracy about changes in given population characteristics. Older Adults In 2018, there were approximately 353,000 people over the age of 65 living in the County and they comprised 14.4 percent of the population (Table 2). Between 2014 and 2018, the number of older adults increased by 45,549, which is a 14.8 percent increase. This growth rate is much higher than the growth rate for Riverside County as a whole during this same time period, which was 5.9 percent. The growth rate among older adults for California as a whole was 13.6 percent, which is slightly lower than the County. 35 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 13 Among older adults, 69,939, or about 20 percent, are living in poverty. Between 2014 and 2018, this number increased by a slightly higher rate of 15.7 percent than the increase in the older adult population as a whole. A large proportion of older adults live with at least one disability (35.2 percent). The most commonly self-reported disability type is ambulatory difficulty (23.1 percent), followed by independent living difficulty (14.9 percent) and hearing difficulty (14.8 percent). Table 2: Older Adults — Demographics Older Adults Aged 65+ 2014 2018 Change 2014 to 2018 % Change 2014 to 2018 Count 307,476 353,025 45,549 14.8% % of Total County Population 13.2% 14.4% Living in Poverty 60,466 69,939 9,473 15.7% % Living in Poverty 19.7% 19.8% 0.1% Living with a Disability 107,924 124,265 16,341 15.1% % With a Disability 35.1% 35.2% Disability Type With a hearing difficulty 14.7% 14.8% 0.1% With a vision difficulty 7.0% 6.1% -0.9% With a cognitive difficulty 8.7% 8.7% 0.0% With an ambulatory difficulty 22.6% 23.1% 0.5% With a self-care difficulty 9.5% 9.0% -0.5% With an independent living difficulty 15.4% 14.9% -0.5% Figure 3 shows the historic and projected population by age, as a percentage of the total population, from the California Department of Finance. The overall trend from 2010 to 2040 is an increase in the proportion of the population that are over the age of 60. The most marked increases, in terms of proportion of the total population, are among those aged 70 and older, due to the aging of the Baby Boom generation. Combined, adults over the age of 70 are projected to increase from 11.1 percent of the population in 2020 to 14.3 percent in 2030 and then 17.1 percent in 2040. 36 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 14 Figure 3: Historic and Projected Population by Age Group as Percentage of the Total Population 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 80+3.2%3.7%4.3%4.9%5.7%6.7%7.9% 70-79 5.1%5.8%6.9%7.6%8.6%9.3%9.3% 60-69 8.2%9.2%10.1%10.8%10.5%9.9%9.6% 40-59 25.5%25.0%23.6%22.5%22.3%23.6%25.1% 20-39 26.5%26.9%28.1%28.6%28.5%27.0%25.2% 0-19 31.6%29.3%27.0%25.6%24.4%23.5%23.1% 0-19 20-39 40-59 60-69 70-79 80+ 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%Percent of PopulationCalendar Year 0-19 20-39 40-59 60-69 70-79 80+ 37 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 15 Figure 4 shows the commute mode for workers over the age of 60 versus workers under 60. Older adult workers are slightly less likely to drive alone to work, at 76.5 percent, than workers under 60, at 79.8 percent. Older adult workers are also less likely to carpool, at 8.4 percent, than workers under 60, at 12.0 percent. Both age groups ride public transportation at the low rate of 1.2 percent. Note that data are not available for workers who walk or work from home by age and so the totals in the chart do not add up to 100 percent. Figure 4: Commute Mode — Older Adults Note: Data for workers who walk or work from home are not available by age. 76.5% 8.4% 1.2% 79.8% 12.0% 1.2% 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% Drove alone - Car, truck, or van Carpooled - Car, truck, or van Public transportation Commute Mode Older Adult Workers (60+)Workers under 60 38 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 16 People with Disabilities Table 3 presents demographics for people with disabilities. There are 271,956 people who self- report as having at least one disability, which is approximately 11 percent of the total County population. This is slightly higher than the state average of 10.4 percent. Between 2014 and 2018, the population of people with disabilities grew by 15,248 people, or 5.9 percent, while the statewide population of people with disabilities grew by only 0.4 percent. Table 3 shows the percentage of the County population as a whole who report having the different types of disabilities. The most common disability is ambulatory difficulty (6.3 percent), followed by independent living difficulty (5.7 percent), and cognitive difficulty (4.4 percent). People with disabilities are more likely to be living in poverty than the County population over the age of 18 as a whole. The number of people with disabilities living in poverty decreased by -7.1 percent between 2014 and 2018. Table 3: People with Disabilities — Demographics People with Disabilities 2014 2018 Change 2014 to 2018 % Change 2014 to 2018 Count 256,708 271,956 15,248 5.9% % of Total County Population 11.1% 11.2% 0.1% Living in Poverty 80,267 74,561 -5,706 -7.1% % Living in Poverty 31.3% 27.4% -3.9% Disability Type With a hearing difficulty 3.0% 3.3% 0.3% With a vision difficulty 2.0% 2.1% 0.1% With a cognitive difficulty* 4.1% 4.4% 0.3% With an ambulatory difficulty* 5.6% 6.3% 0.7% With a self-care difficulty* 2.5% 2.8% 0.3% With an independent living difficulty** 4.1% 5.7% 1.6% * Does not include the population aged 5 and under. ** Does not include the population aged 17 and under. Low-Income Populations Table 4 shows the number of people and percent of the total population living at or below a set of poverty thresholds from less than 50 percent to 150 percent. In Riverside County, 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Thresholds is used to account for the higher cost of living in the County than the national average. These thresholds are defined by the U.S. Census by the number and age of people living in a household. For example, in 2018 at 150 percent of the poverty thresholds, an older adult living alone with an income of less than $18,064 would be considered to be living in 39 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 17 poverty and a household consisting of a single parent with two children would be considered to be living in poverty if their household income were less than $30,364.3 In 2018, about 21.9 percent of individuals lived in households with annual incomes below 150 percent of the poverty threshold, a significant drop from 27.8 percent in 2014, representing 109,677 Riverside residents no longer living in poverty. The unemployment rate decreased to 6.5 percent and the percentage of people with health insurance increased to 91.9 percent (Figure 5). Table 4: People Living in Poverty, Unemployment Rate and Health Coverage Poverty Threshold 2014 2014 % of Total Pop. 2018 2018 % of Total Pop. Change 2014-2018 % Change 2014-2018 Under 50% 159,065 6.9% 128,238 5.3% -30,827 -19.4% 50% - 74% 103,138 4.5% 70,055 2.9% -33,083 -32.1% 75% - 99% 130,378 5.7% 108,159 4.5% -22,219 -17.0% 100% - 124% 115,369 5.0% 116,684 4.8% 1,315 1.1% 125% - 150% 129,731 5.6% 104,868 4.3% -24,863 -19.2% Total Living in Poverty 637,681 27.8% 528,004 21.9% -109,677 -17.2% Unemployment rate 11.8% 6.5% -5.3% With health insurance coverage 84.6% 91.9% 7.3% Figure 5: People Living in Poverty at Various Poverty Thresholds, Between 2014 and 2018 3 U.S. Census Poverty Thresholds for all years can be found here: https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-thresholds.html. Note that these tables show household income poverty thresholds at 100 percent. The examples described for 150 percent of the poverty thresholds were calculated from these tables. Information about how the U.S. Census measures poverty can be found here: https://www.census.gov/topics/income-poverty/poverty/guidance/poverty-measures.html 40 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 18 Figure 6 shows the commute mode for workers living in poverty and those who are not. There is very little difference between the two groups, with workers living in poverty slightly less likely to drive alone and slightly more likely to take public transportation. Note that data are not available for workers who walk or work from home by poverty status and so the totals in the chart do not add up to 100 percent. Figure 6: Commute Mode — People Living in Poverty Note: Data for workers who walk or work from home are not available by poverty status. Veterans There are 113,660 veterans in the County, which is 6.2 percent of the total civilian population over the age of 18 (Table 5), according to the U.S. Census ACS. The number of veterans decreased by - 9 percent between 2014 and 2018, which directly mirrors the decrease at the state level. Veterans are not very likely to be living in poverty (7.2 percent) nor unemployed (4.6 percent). Nearly one- third of veterans live with a disability. It should be noted that the disability status used for the ACS is separate from the tiered system used to determine veterans’ benefits. Unsurprisingly, the proportion of Gulf War veterans increased, and the proportion of Korean War and World War II veterans decreased between 2014 and 2018. Vietnam-era veterans held the highest proportion at 32.4 percent and stayed roughly the same since 2014. Note that some veterans served in multiple periods of service, which is reflected in the percentages. 79.7% 11.6% 1.2% 80.2% 11.5% 1.0% 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% Drove alone - Car, truck, or van Carpooled - Car, truck, or van Public transportation Commute Mode Workers in poverty (150%)Workers not in poverty 41 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 19 Table 5: Veterans — Demographics Veterans 2014 2018 Change 2014 to 2018 % Change 2014 to 2018 Count 124,863 113,660 -11,203 -9.0% % of Total Civilian Population 18+ 7.3% 6.2% -1.1% Living in Poverty – 100%* 10,364 8,184 -2,180 -21.0% % Living in Poverty 8.3% 7.2% -1.1% Living with a Disability 37,958 33,643 -4,315 -11.4% % With a Disability 30.4% 29.6% -0.8% Unemployed 13,735 5,228 -8,507 -61.9% % Unemployed 11.0% 4.6% -6.4% Period of Service Gulf War (9/2001 or later) veterans 16.6% 24.6% 8.0% Gulf War (8/1990 to 8/2001) veterans 19.9% 20.9% 1.0% Vietnam-era veterans 33.7% 32.4% -1.3% Korean War veterans 11.4% 8.6% -2.8% World War II veterans 7.6% 4.0% -3.6% * This data is only available at 100% poverty threshold. Limited-English Proficiency There are 360,098 people in the County who speak English less than "very well," according to the U.S. Census ACS. This is the definition used to determine limited-English proficiency. As demonstrated in Table 6, people with limited-English proficiency represent 15.7 percent of the County population over the age of 5. This is slightly lower than the statewide average of 17.4 percent. Most of these persons are Spanish speakers and 13.2 percent of the County population over the age of 5 are Spanish speakers who have limited-English proficiency. The number of people with limited-English proficiency in the County increased by 48,285, or 15.5 percent, between 2014 and 2018, respectively, while the number decreased by -3.7 percent statewide. 42 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 20 Table 6: People with Limited-English Proficiency People with Limited-English Proficiency 2014 2018 Change 2014 to 2018 % Change 2014 to 2018 Count 311,813 360,098 48,285 15.5% % of population 5 and older 14.4% 15.7% 1.3% Language spoken at home: Spanish 12.0% 13.2% 1.2% Other Indo-European languages 0.7% 0.5% -0.2% Asian and Pacific Islander languages 1.5% 1.8% 0.3% Other languages 0.1% 0.2% 0.1% Commute Characteristics Workers are increasingly driving alone and their commutes are getting longer. Table 7 shows that the predominant mode for workers aged 16 and older to get to work is driving alone. The proportion of workers who drive alone increased from 76.8 percent in 2014 to 79.5 percent in 2018. Carpooling (11.6 percent), public transportation (1.2 percent), walking (1.2 percent) and working at home (4.7 percent) each decreased by small margins. Correspondingly, the proportion of households without at least one vehicle available decreased to 3.7 percent. The average travel time to work increased from 31.9 minutes in 2014 to 33.6 minutes in 2018. County residents are employed outside the County, about 300,000 residents are employed within the County and about 225,000 people are employed in Riverside County but live in a different county. Table 7: Commute Characteristics Commute Characteristics 2014 2018 Change 2014 to 2018 % Change 2014 to 2018 Commute mode: Car truck or van – drove alone 76.8% 79.5% 2.7% Car truck or van – carpooled 13.5% 11.6% -1.9% Public transportation (excluding taxi) 1.6% 1.2% -0.4% Walked 1.7% 1.2% -0.5% Other means 1.5% 1.8% 0.3% Worked at home 4.9% 4.7% -0.2% Mean travel time to work (minutes) 31.9 33.6 1.7 5.3% Zero-vehicle households 4.9% 3.7% -1.2% Universe is workers aged 16 and older 43 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 21 Figure 7: Inflow/Outflow of Commuters, 2017 Figure 7 provides a diagram representing the inflow and outflow of residents and workers in the County from the Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics (LEHD) Program.4 Nearly 400,000 Riverside County residents are employed outside of the county. A selection of statistics from the LEHD data set is presented in Table 8. In 2017, about one-third of residents have a commute that is less than 10 miles and 22 percent have a commute greater than 50 miles. The City of Riverside is the most common work destination of residents with 9.2 percent of workers. Temecula, Corona, Los Angeles and Moreno Valley are also in the top five work destinations. 4 U.S. Census Bureau. 2017. LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics (2002-2017). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Census Bureau, Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics Program, accessed on June 20, 2020 at https://onthemap.ces.census.gov. LODES 7.4 44 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 22 Table 8: Origin-Destination Commute Characteristics Commute Characteristics 2017 County Residents' Distance to Work: Less than 10 miles 32.1% 10 to 24 miles 25.3% 25 to 50 miles 20.6% Greater than 50 miles 22.0% Top 5 Cities Where County Residents are Employed: Riverside, CA 9.2% Temecula, CA 3.8% Corona, CA 3.8% Los Angeles, CA 3.8% Moreno Valley, CA 3.0% Region-Level Demographics Methodology Riverside County consists of three separate regions, including Western Riverside, Coachella Valley and Palo Verde Valley. These three regions are shown in Figure 8. The region boundaries are defined based on the Western Riverside and Coachella Valley Council of Governments’ jurisdictional boundaries. The actual eastern boundary of the Coachella Valley region runs along the mountain ridgeline directly east of the boundary shown on the map. The demographic data for each region and the region-level maps use U.S. Census block groups and tracts in order to show where populations are concentrated among the various communities. The block groups and tracts that make up the Palo Verde Valley region extend farther west than the eastern border of the Coachella Valley region. However, this does not affect the analysis since there are no populated areas in the overlapping areas. Therefore, the maps for the Coachella Valley and Palo Verde Valley regions show the boundaries based on the block groups and tracts. Demographic data for the target populations at the block group and tract level is only available from the ACS 5- year estimates and so the 2014-2018 dataset is used for this region-level analysis. 45 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 23 Figure 8: Map — Riverside County Regions Regions Overview Western Riverside The Western Riverside region is bounded by Orange County to the west and the Coachella Valley region to the east. Most of the Mt. San Jacinto State Park covers the eastern portion of the region. There are 49 Census-recognized communities in the region and the most populous among them include: § Riverside (323,935) § Moreno Valley (205,034) § Corona (165,355) § Temecula (112,230) § Murrieta (111,427) § Jurupa Valley (103,784) Coachella Valley The Coachella Valley region is bounded by the San Jacinto mountains to the west and the Little San Bernardino mountains and Joshua Tree State Park to the east. There are 22 Census- recognized communities in the region and the most populous among them include: § Indio (88,291) § Cathedral City (54,037) § Palm Desert (52,124) § Palm Springs (47,525) § Coachella (44,849) § La Quinta (40,704) 46 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 24 Palo Verde Valley The Palo Verde Valley region is the largest in terms of land mass and is bordered to the west by the Little San Bernardino Mountains and to the east by the border with Arizona. Much of the region is covered by the Joshua Tree State Park and the Sonoran Desert. The actual Palo Verde Valley is in the far eastern portion of the region and County. There are four communities in the region, all within the Palo Verde Valley: § Blythe (19,581) § Mesa Verde (584) § Ripley (408) § Desert Center (264) Regional Analysis of the Target Populations Figure 9 presents a Countywide map of the population that resides in Census-designated places (both incorporated and unincorporated communities). 47 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 25 Figure 9: Map — Countywide Population by Census-Designated Place and Regions 48 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 26 Table 9 shows demographic statistics for the three regions. Key findings regarding the distribution of the population and the target populations include the following. Western Riverside § The Western Riverside region has the highest population density with 81 percent of the resident population, but only 33 percent of the land mass. There are 797 people per square mile and 1.25 per acre. § Twelve percent (224,573) of the region’s population are older adults, 11 percent (210,423) are people with disabilities and 5 percent (98,279) are veterans. § Twenty-three percent (434,006) of the region’s residents are living in poverty and 13 percent (242,875) have limited-English proficiency. Coachella Valley § The Coachella Valley region is the second most populous with 18 percent of the Countywide population and 11 percent of the land mass. The population density is 554 people per square mile and 0.87 per acre. § Twenty-three percent (101,473) of the region’s population are older adults, which is much higher than the Countywide average of 14 percent. § Thirteen percent (56,853) are people with disabilities and 6 percent (24,652) are veterans. § Thirty-one percent (137,548) of the region’s residents are living in poverty and 20 percent (88,561) have limited-English proficiency, which are both significantly higher than the Countywide averages of 24 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Palo Verde Valley § The Palo Verde Valley region has the lowest population density with most of the region covered by uninhabited areas. The region accounts for 56 percent of the land mass but only 1 percent of the Countywide population. § Eleven percent (2,491) of the region’s population are older adults, 11 percent (2,521) are people with disabilities and 4 percent (977) are veterans. § Twenty-nine percent (6,513) of the region’s residents are living in poverty and 14 percent (3,138) have limited-English proficiency. 49 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 27 Table 9: Regional Statistics Region: Western Riverside Coachella Valley Palo Verde Valley Total Total Population 1,920,688 439,765 22,691 2,383,144 % of Total County 81% 18% 1% 100% Square Miles 2,409 793 3,996 7,199 % of Total County 33% 11% 56% 100% Population/ Sq. Mi. 797 554 6 331 Population/ Acre 1.25 0.87 0.01 0.78 Target Populations Older Adults 224,573 101,473 2,491 328,537 % of Region Population 12% 23% 11% 14% Disability 210,423 56,853 2,521 269,797 % of Region Population 11% 13% 11% 11% 150% Poverty Level 434,006 137,548 6,513 578,067 % of Region Population 23% 31% 29% 24% Veterans 98,279 24,652 977 123,908 % of Region Population 5% 6% 4% 5% Limited-English Proficiency 242,875 88,561 3,138 334,574 % of Region Population 13% 20% 14% 14% Source: American Community Survey 2014-2018 5-Year Estimates Regional Demographic Maps Appendix A contains maps for each of the three regions showing: § Base map with transit fixed-routes and urbanized areas § Total population § Older adults over the age of 65 § People with disabilities Equity-Focused Communities This Coordinated Plan benefits from consideration of the intersection of demographic characteristics in identifying communities or neighborhoods of significant mobility need. This section explores the characteristics of zero-vehicle households, of poverty and of minority communities that can reflect greater likelihood of barriers to mobility. The three maps on the following pages show areas within each region where there are high proportions of non-white residents and high proportions of households that are living in poverty, 50 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 28 overlaid with the fixed-route transit systems. The variable of zero-vehicle households was initially plotted but was dropped as no significant patterns emerged. Reflecting the two variables of non-white residents and household income, the pink areas show U.S. Census block groups where 40 percent of the residents are non-white (minority). The yellow areas show block groups where 40 percent of households are living in poverty at 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level thresholds. The green areas show block groups where both of the preceding factors are true. 51 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 29 Figure 10: Equity-Focused Communities in Western Riverside County 52 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 30 Figure 11: Equity-Focused Communities in Coachella Valley 53 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 31 Figure 12: Equity-Focused Communities in the Palo Verde Valley 54 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 32 Figure 13: Public Transit Network in Western Riverside Chapter 3. Assessment of Available Transportation Introduction This chapter provides an assessment of the available transportation services within Riverside County by mode of transportation. This inventory of services summarizes the County’s public, private and specialized transportation providers, and the services they provide. A further detailed matrix of services is presented in Appendix B. This assessment of services presents what is available as of November 2020. At the time of this writing, some previously existing services have been suspended due to diminished ridership or safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic and California’s mandated Stay-at-Home and social distancing orders. It is expected that many transportation providers will continue to make service adjustments in adapting to changes in travel demand. Public Transportation 55 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 33 Public transportation in Riverside County (Figure 13) includes a mix of fixed-route bus, ADA paratransit, senior and disabled dial-a-ride, and regional rail services. This mix of services are utilized to meet the mobility needs of Riverside County’s residents throughout the region, comprised of urban population centers, rural communities and long stretches of unpopulated regions. Public Fixed-Route Services Fixed-route transit is described as bus services that operates along a predetermined route with a fixed schedule of operating hours and time points for each stop. Fixed-route transit in Riverside County (Figure 13) is provided by six different operators in Western Riverside, Coachella Valley and the Palo Verde Valley. Riverside Transit Agency The Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) is the County’s largest transit provider and is the predominant fixed-route bus service in Western Riverside County. The RTA service area encompasses all of Western Riverside County, from the county lines in the west, north and south to the San Jacinto Mountains and the San Gorgonio Pass to the east. Local Fixed Route RTA’s local fixed-route service currently includes 33 routes that operate seven days per week, except a single route, the Jury Trolley, that provides services Monday through Thursday to the Riverside County Courthouse in Downtown Riverside. These local routes serve all major destinations in Western County, including all transit centers, Metrolink stations and major shopping malls. Connections also can be made with the smaller fixed-route providers in Banning, Beaumont and Corona, as well as Omnitrans in San Bernardino. The base fixed-route cash fare is $1.75 for the general public and $0.75 for seniors, persons with disabilities, Medicare cardholders and veterans. Unlimited rides can be made through a menu of passes that range from 1-day, 7- day and 30-day periods. Fare media also can be purchased through the Token Transit app, allowing passengers to pay their fare using their smartphone on the bus. CommuterLink Express RTA operates a premium express service with limited stops that travel longer distances, connecting riders with major employment hubs and transit centers throughout Western Riverside and in neighboring counties. Currently, four CommuterLink routes operate with a base cash fare of $3.50 for the general public and $2.75 discounted fare for seniors, persons with disabilities and veterans. Fare passes can be purchased in 1-day and 30-day options. SunLine Transit Agency SunLine Transit Agency is the regional public transit provider for the Coachella Valley region of Riverside County, operating the SunBus fixed-route service with 16 routes, providing local and tripper services, and a single commuter route that travels between the City of 56 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 34 Figure 14: Public Transit Network in Coachella Valley Palm Desert and the City of Riverside. In FY 19/20, SunBus delivered almost 3.4 million passenger trips. The one-way passenger fare for adults is $1.00 and $0.50 for seniors, persons with disabilities and Medicare cardholders. Youth between the ages of 5-17 ride for $0.85 and transfers between SunLine buses are $0.25. The CommuterLink fare is based on the number of zones traveled, either $3.00 to travel within one zone or $6.00 to travel between two zones. Zone 1 is between Riverside and Cabazon and Zone 2 is between Palm Desert and Thousand Palms. City of Banning, Banning Connect The City of Banning operates the Banning Connect local fixed-route service throughout the City of Banning, into Cabazon, the commercial areas of the Morongo Indian reservation and neighboring Beaumont. Some routes begin as early as 5:00 a.m. and run as late as 7:00 p.m. on weekdays with weekend service typically operating between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Passengers pay a general public fare of $1.15, youth fare of $0.65 and a senior and disabled fare of $0.65. Day passes for the general public are $3.00 or $1.80 for discounted populations. Monthly passes are $36.00, discounted to $21.50 for older adults and individuals with disabilities. 57 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 35 City of Beaumont, Beaumont Transit The City of Beaumont operates the Beaumont Transit fixed-route bus service throughout Beaumont and portions of Cherry Valley. Express bus service is provided between Beaumont, the Cabazon outlets, Morongo Casino, the San Bernardino County Transit Center, City of Redlands and the Loma Linda Veterans Administration Hospital. The local fixed-route base fare is $1.25 and $0.75 for seniors and persons with disabilities. Deviations within ¾ miles on Routes 3 and 4 are $0.50. Passes can be bought for a day, month or in increments of 10-ride books and punch cards. Local service begins at 6:30 a.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m. while commuter services start at 5:30 p.m. and end at 7:00 p.m. City of Corona The City of Corona operates the Corona Cruiser for scheduled service within the city and to connect to RTA regional bus routes or the North Main Metrolink Station. The Corona Cruiser consist of two routes: the Red Line that travels from the west to east sides of the city and then south to the shops at Dos Lagos; and the Blue Line that travels north and south to destinations, such as the Corona Library and Walmart on McKinley St. The general public cash fare is $1.50 while the discounted fare is $0.70. Day passes are available for $4.00 or half price at discount, while 15-Day passes are $17.50 for the general public and 31-day passes are $35.00. Both routes operate from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. No service is available on Sunday. Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency The Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency (PVVTA) (presented in Figure 15) is the sole public transit provider in the Palo Verde Valley, primarily in the City of Blythe near the border of California and Arizona. PVVTA operates six deviated fixed routes called the Desert Roadrunner that circulate the City of Blythe and connect to Ripley, Chuckawalla and Ironwood prisons, the City of Ehrenberg in Arizona and lifeline service into the Coachella Valley on the Blythe Wellness Express (BWE). Local routes 1,2, 4 and 5 require a cash fare of $1.75 for adults and $0.85 for seniors and persons with disabilities. Route deviations are $0.85 each way and the Express Route 3 fare is $3.50 for all riders. The BWE fare is $10.00 one way or $15.00 round trip for all passengers and must be prepaid in advance of the day of travel. PVVTA delivered a total of 35,553 one-way trips in FY 19/20. 58 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 36 Figure 15: Public Transit Network in Palo Verde Valley Senior and Disabled Public Demand Response To augment the public fixed-route transportation network, Riverside County’s public operators operate demand-responsive, origin-to-destination service for persons with disabilities and older adults. The ADA requires public transit agencies to provide complementary paratransit service to persons with verified disabilities within ¾ miles of their existing fixed bus routes within the same times and days of operation. The following providers have varying eligibility and fare requirements to access demand response service. Not included in this list is the Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency, which satisfies its ADA requirement through route deviations for point-to-point service to passengers with disabilities. Riverside Transit Agency RTA’s Dial-A-Ride service operates at times equivalent to the local fixed-route bus service and is available for persons with disabilities and seniors. Priority is given to riders that have been certified as ADA eligible and Dial-A-Ride Plus Lifeline service is available for passengers traveling up to two miles beyond the normal ¾-mile boundary, have no other means of transportation and need to access life-sustaining services. The base fare for Dial-A-Ride service is $3.50 per one-way 59 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 37 trip with a maximum fare of $10.50 depending on the number of zones traveled. ADA-certified passengers may be accompanied by a personal care attendant at no extra charge, and two eligible Dial-A-Ride customers traveling to the same destination can split the required fare for each zone traveled. SunLine Transit Agency SunLine Transit operates the SunDial paratransit service for ADA-eligible riders that are unable to ride the SunBus. Service is provided within ¾ mile of SunBus routes but excludes SunLine commuter routes. ADA eligibility is determined through an in-person assessment and temporary eligibility can be provided during the 21-day eligibility determination period. Trip reservations can be made seven days per week between 8:00 a.m. and 5 p.m. and the SunDial fare is $1.50 for travel within one city and $2.00 for travel across multiple cities. City of Riverside, Riverside Connect The City of Riverside’s Special Transportation is a paratransit bus service that provides curb-to- curb transportation to disabled residents and seniors over the age of 60 for rides to any location anywhere in the city between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on weekends. The base fare for general trips is $3.00 while trips for medical destinations is $2.00. City of Banning The City of Banning’s Dial-A-Ride program operates on weekdays between 6:00 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. and between 8:00 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on weekends to ADA-certified riders in the shadow of the city’s fixed-route bus. Weekend service requires that at least three ADA-certified persons must make the trip to initiate transport. Reservations must be made by at least the day prior to service but can be made up to 21 days in advance. The Dial-A-Ride fare is $2.00 per person or a 10-Ride pass can be purchased at a discounted price of $18.00 from the Dial-A-Ride driver or at the Pass Transit office. The price for an accompanying companion is $3.00. City of Beaumont The City of Beaumont provides door-to-door service for senior and ADA-certified disabled residents of Beaumont and Cherry Valley. ADA eligibility and certification facilitated by RTA, and passengers already certified to ride RTA’s Dial-A-ride program are already eligible for Beaumont Dial-A-Ride. The fare is $2.00 per trip or $3.00 per trip for a companion while a personal care attendant for a disabled rider travels free. Riders that are a no-show at the time of service delivery are still charged the $2.00 fare and 10-ride punch cards can be purchased for $18.00. City of Corona The Corona Dial-A-Ride is a curb-to-curb demand response paratransit service for Corona residents to travel within the city limits of Corona, satellite points in the City of Norco and to 60 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 38 pockets of neighboring unincorporated county areas. Eligible riders are persons with disabilities, ADA-certified persons and seniors over the age of 60 years old. The Corona Dial-A-Ride fare for all riders is $2.50 and reservations must be made between 1 to 14 days in advance of the trip. Regional and Intercity Rail and Bus Longer distanced travel needs are often met through travel on regional and intercity rail and bus services. Regional rail and bus generally operate between cities and towns with more frequent stops and shorter distances than intercity rail and bus that may stretch across multiple counties. In Riverside County, both regional and intercity rail service is provided by Metrolink while the public operators meet regional needs through express and commuter fixed-route bus service, and intercity bus is provided by services such as Greyhound, MegaBus, and Amtrak Thruway bus. Regional Rideshare and Vanpool Services The Commuter Assistance Program administered by RCTC assists workers in accessing employment through subsidy programs that support vanpool and rideshare activities. Vanpool and rideshare programs are an effective tool in reducing traffic congestion and vehicle emissions by decreasing the number of vehicles on the road. VanClub The VanClub program offers long-distance commuters up to $400 per month toward the cost of a vanpool lease in Western Riverside County. VanClub vehicles are leased through a contract with Enterprise to commute groups traveling more than 30 miles round-trip per day, at least 12 days or more in a calendar month, to work sites or post-secondary educational institutions. The pool of VanClub riders shares the cost of the lease, less the RCTC subsidy or any employer-related contributions. As of April 2020, the VanClub has 93 approved vanpools that provide more than 125,000 annual trips and travel more 1,000,000 miles per year. CalVans The California Vanpool Authority, known as CalVans, is a Joint Powers Authority made up of many California agencies primarily located in areas with a large number of agricultural workers and farms. CalVans began in the Central Valley to help create lower cost commute options for workers traveling long distances within and between large central valley counties. RCTC is a CalVans member and therefore vans that begin, end or travel through Riverside County are eligible to apply for a CalVans’ vanpool. Existing vanpools or those interested in creating a vanpool through CalVans may do so by visiting CalVans.org to begin the application process. SolVan SunLine has established a vanpool incentive program for residents in the Coachella Valley, called SolVan, which provides up to $400 per month for qualified vanpools or up to $500 per month if 61 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 39 leasing a qualified zero-emission vehicle. Vanpools can be established through lease agreements with either Enterprise or through CalVans to be eligible for the incentive. Vanpools must consist of between 5 to 15 commuters who begin or end their trip in Eastern Riverside County, travel at least 25 miles round-trip and maintain 70 percent or greater vehicle occupancy. Interested commuters in the Coachella valley can visit solvan.org to access the program application and resources to support their vanpools. IE Commuter The IE Commuter program is a joint effort between RCTC and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) to reduce traffic and improve air quality throughout the Inland Empire by supporting ridesharing and alternate modes of commuting than driving alone. RCTC works with more than 300 employers to provide assistance in implementing rideshare programs and providing incentives and rewards for participating commuters. Interested Western Riverside commuters may sign up for ridesharing through the IEcommuter.org or IE511.org websites to begin receiving up to $2.00 per day for up to three months if their employers participate in the IE Commuter program. Regional Rail Service Metrolink The Metrolink regional rail train service is operated by the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), the five-county Joint Powers Authority governed by the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), San Bernardino County transportation Authority (SBCTA), Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Commission (L.A. Metro), Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC). Metrolink trains travel along existing rail lines, sharing rights of way with Amtrak trains and freight trains throughout the five-county region and into North San Diego County in Oceanside. Many of the Metrolink boarding stations serve as multimodal transportation hubs, supporting connections between Metrolink, Amtrak and local and regional bus services for integrated mobility throughout the Southern California region. Metrolink service first began in 1992 with the Ventura, Antelope Valley and San Bernardino train lines. Currently, Metrolink operates seven train lines: § 91/Perris Valley Line that provides service to Riverside County between the City of Perris and Downtown Los Angeles; § Riverside Line between Downtown Riverside and Union Station along the State Route 60 freeway; § Inland Empire-Orange County Line traveling between Oceanside and Downtown San Bernardino; § Antelope Valley Line that originates in the City of Lancaster in Los Angeles County; 62 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 40 § Orange County Line beginning in Oceanside and traveling through Orange County in route to Los Angeles Union Station; § San Bernardino Line between Downtown San Bernardino and Los Angeles Union Station; § Ventura County Line between the City of Ventura through the San Fernando Valley and into Los Angeles Union Station. Riverside County residents can board Metrolink at stations on the 91/Perris Valley, Riverside and Inland Empire-Orange County lines. The fare for Metrolink trips are as single-day tickets for one- way travel, round-trip travel and $10.00 weekend day passes. Single-day and round-trip fares are calculated based on the length of travel between boarding and alighting locations. Metrolink has recently introduced the 5-Day Flex Pass to board Metrolink trains five times within a 30-day period. Passes can be purchased through the Metrolink Mobile App and at ticket machines located at all Metrolink train stations. Amtrak Amtrak is a national rail provider that connects America’s cities via 21,000 route miles across 46 states, Washington, D.C. and three Canadian provinces. Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day that travel at speeds up to 150 mph, covering more than 500 destinations. Amtrak also provides state-supported corridor services in 17 states and for four commuter rail agencies to provide service on 28 short-distanced routes. In FY 2019, Amtrak customers took 32.5 million trips, which is an average of almost 90,000 trips per day. Riverside County residents can board Amtrak trains in Downtown Riverside at the Metrolink Station on Vine Street and at the Palm Springs Amtrak Station at North Indian Canyon Drive and Palm Springs Station Road. Regional and Intercity Bus Amtrak Thruway Bus In an effort to extend Amtrak rail service to more than 400 communities not served directly by Amtrak trains, Amtrak offers approximately 150 Thruway bus routes that provide guaranteed connections to trains. Some Thruway buses are dedicated as train feeder service and only carry Amtrak train passengers while other Thruway buses are coordinated with other carriers to provide access to the Amtrak rail network. In FY 2019, Amtrak riders took approximately 1.5 million Thruway trips. Currently, Thruway bus service provides connections between the Downtown Riverside train station and the cities of Fullerton or Bakersfield. Amtrak has plans to open a new station in Indio for limited festival services in 2021. Greyhound Greyhound provides intercity bus service to more than 2,700 destinations on 123 routes across the country, operating more than 1,700 buses. Greyhound operates Express service for regularly scheduled trips between cities’ Connect service that links rural communities with the larger 63 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 41 Greyhound network. Greyhound has official bus stations in Banning and Blythe but also can be boarded at several stops designated for Greyhound services in Riverside County. MegaBus The MegaBus specializes in low-cost intercity bus service throughout North America. MegaBus coach style vehicles are wheelchair accessible and offer free Wi-Fi and AC power outlets at every seat. Fares can be as low as $1.00 depending on service demand for a particular trip and Riverside County residents can access the service at the Downtown Riverside Metrolink station. FlixBus FlixBus is an intercity bus service with a focus on technology to facilitate trip planning and fare purchase in throughout the United States. FlixBus works with regional bus companies to manage the day-to-day operations of buses and currently has stops at three Riverside County locations: § University of California Riverside Lot 30 East Bound Transit Stop; § Palm Springs SunLine Transit Stop #26 at North Indian Canyon Drive; and § City of Blythe on Solano Avenue behind the Denny’s and Chevron. The FlixBus provides Riverside County residents direct connections at stops in several neighboring county cities, such as Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ontario, Anaheim, Victorville, Barstow and San Diego. Flixbus also has a nationwide network for interstate travel across the country. Specialized Transportation Consolidated Transportation Services Agencies Consolidated Transportation Services Agencies (CTSAs) were developed and designated by California counties to better coordinate the many programs serving the transportation needs of seniors, people with disabilities and others. This requirement originated in Assembly Bill 120 (AB120), the California Social Services Transportation Improvement Act of 1979. CTSAs are designed to promote the consolidation of coordinated transportation services that either combine purchasing of equipment, train drivers, centralize dispatching, maintenance and administration, or to identify and consolidate existing sources of funding for social service transportation. A CTSA may also choose to provide transportation services to elderly individuals, individuals with disabilities, youth and individuals with low income. In Riverside County, two regional CTSAs have been designated: § Riverside Transit Agency (RTA), serving Western Riverside, was designated by RCTC; and § SunLine Transit Agency (SunLine), serving the Coachella Valley, was designated as a CTSA by Southern California Associated Governments (SCAG). 64 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 42 RTA’s CTSA Functions and Activities As a CTSA, RTA assists RCTC in coordinating public transit throughout RTA’s service area, supports driver training and technical workshops and assists with preparing grant applications. RTA also coordinates with other transit operators. Regional Coordination RTA coordinates regional services with the Corona Cruiser, Beaumont Transit and Banning Connect transit systems in the cities of Corona, Beaumont and Banning. In the City of Riverside, RTA coordinates with Riverside Connect, which provides complementary ADA-compliant service to RTA’s fixed routes. Training and Technical Assistance RTA staff periodically meets with social service providers, bus riders and other advocates through forums, such as RCTC’s Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council (CSTAC), RTA’s ADA meetings and Transportation NOW (T-NOW) chapters and surrounding regional transit operators. RTA shares knowledge and lessons learned with other agencies to help other providers in the region. RTA has provided administrative support to Beaumont Transit and Banning Connect in their drafting of a Title VI report and to SunLine in their development of a college pass program and employee recognition program. RTA also provides support with subrecipient monitoring, workers’ compensation management and contract management for the cities of Corona and Riverside, which provide direct service through subcontractors. Grants and Grants Assistance RTA also advises private and nonprofit agencies applying for Measure A funds, such as Michelle’s Place, Cancer Resource Center. RTA applies for federal funds, such as the FTA Section 5310 program, to fund its Travel Training program. Beaumont Transit started their own travel training program and RTA has assisted with training Beaumont Transit and Banning Connect passengers on how to travel throughout the region. Additionally, RTA partnered with the City of Riverside, County of Riverside and Wakeland, LLC on an Affordable Housing Sustainable Communities (AHSC) grant to fund an affordable housing development that includes transit passes and travel training for residents and a bus stop at the community. Interregional Coordination RTA also undertakes interregional coordination, including collaborating on stops and transfer points and developing transfer agreements with other transit providers. RTA has transfer agreements with Metrolink, Omnitrans, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Corona Cruiser, SunLine and Pass Transit. 65 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 43 Table 10 provides a summary of activities and improvements that RTA has accomplished in relation to the 2016-2020 Coordinated Plan Goals. Table 10: Overview of RTA Coordinated Plan-Related Improvements since 2016 Coordinated Plan Update 2016 Coordinated Plan Goals Transit Program Improvements Goal 1 – Grow Mobility Options - Expanded CommuterLink Express to speed inter-city trips. - Introduced GoPass/UPass and Youth free fares. - Improved frequencies on Routes 1, 16 and 19 to every 15 minutes or less during peak times, 7 days a week. - Partnered with City of Riverside on two successful AHSC applications that provide training and free passes to affordable housing residents and surrounding Eastside neighborhood, a DAC. Goal 2 – Connect and Coordinate Services - Coordinated Rt. 210/220 to merge with SunLine. - Restructured local routes to serve Perris Valley Metrolink line. - Adjust schedules with each service change to improve transfer and wait times with connecting agencies and between routes within RTA. - Assist municipal providers with Title VI and PTSAPs as required by FTA. - Worked with Omnitrans and OCTA on implementation of CommuterLink 200, which serves San Bernardino to Orange County, also worked to get Omnitrans access and transfers at Amazon Eastvale. Goal 3 – Promote Safety and Comfort - Completed bus stop improvements throughout service area, including civil work for ADA access. - Purchased new rolling stock to ensure vehicles were replaced when they reached their useful life. - Reacted quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic: o Requiring masks and reducing bus capacities to ensure social distancing and improve safety. o Implementing new cleaning and disinfecting standards for all RTA buses and facilities. - Installed driver barriers on all buses to limit exposure for coach operators and passengers. Goal 4 – Promote Health Access - Assisted Michelle’s Place Breast Cancer Resource Center with a Measure A grant to fund transportation to treatment for cancer patients. - Continued to run DAR Plus Lifeline Services. Goal 5 – Promote and Improve Communication - Introduced technology tools, such as the Interactive Ride Guide, Token Transit and Bus Watch app. - GTFS real-time technology was implemented on all vehicles. - Enrolled all college pass program participants in Token Transit so that their passes are now on their phones. 66 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 44 SunLine’s CTSA Functions and Activities As the CTSA for the Coachella Valley, SunLine coordinates public transportation services throughout its service area, collaborated with advisory groups and is involved in regional planning efforts. Additionally, SunLine coordinates with other transit operators. Collaboration with Advisory Groups SunLine staff participates in meetings with social and human service agencies, consumers and grassroots advocates through forums such as RCTC’s Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council (CSTAC), SunLine’s ACCESS Advisory Committee, San Gorgonio Pass Area – Transportation Now Coalition (T-NOW) and neighboring transit operators. SunLine facilitates the ACCESS Advisory Committee and applies input from the Committee to improve relationships with the community to address public transportation issues in the Valley. Regional Transportation Planning SunLine is actively involved in the regional transportation planning process through participation on RCTC and County committees, including RCTC’s Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council (CSTAC), the Technical Advisory Committee, Aging & Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) of Riverside Long Term Services and Supports Coalition, Desert Valley Builders Association and related Committees to enhance coordination efforts with SunLine. Coordination with Other Transit Operators SunLine offers transit connections to a number of adjacent transit operators. SunLine and RTA currently collaborate extensively. SunLine also hosts Morongo Basin Transit Authority (MBTA) Routes 12 and 15 through a cooperative service agreement at its stops in Downtown Palm Springs. SunLine is collaborating with Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency (PVVTA) on their Rides to Wellness demonstration project known as the Blythe Wellness Express service. SunLine also collaborates with Imperial Valley Transportation Commission (IVTC) in an effort to find a future connection with Imperial Valley Transit (IVT). Table 11 provides a summary of activities and improvements SunLine has accomplished in relation to the 2016-2020 Coordinated Plan Goals. 67 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 45 Table 11: Overview of SunLine Coordinated Plan-Related Improvements since 2016 Coordinated Plan Update 2016 Coordinated Plan Goals Transit Program Improvements Goal 1 – Grow Mobility Options - Used LCTOP grant funding to implement the Haul Pass program for local higher education institutions. The program has grown with assistance from participating schools, College of the Desert and CSUSB-Palm Desert Campus. - Implemented multiple service changes to the fixed-route system to provide increased frequency and a more effective schedule. - Partnered with the City of Palm Springs to operate the free BUZZ trolley service from January 2019 until March 2020 throughout Downtown Palm Springs, encouraging visitors and locals alike to utilize public transportation to travel. Goal 2 – Connect and Coordinate Services - Coordinated with RTA for SunLine operation of CommuterLink 210/220 [now discontinued]. - Coordinated with Palo Verde Valley Transit around the Blythe Wellness Express. - The Riverside County Veteran Transportation & Supports (VeTS) Program, which was established in 2019, developed an innovative regional transportation program that helped realize the vision of providing veterans rides to their medical appointments at no cost. The collaboration of SunLine Transit Agency, the Riverside County Office on Aging and the Riverside County Department of Veterans’ Services makes this effort possible. Goal 3 – Promote Safety and Comfort - Continue to promote safe driving distance around the bus with ad campaigns, such as “Be Aware.” - Installed Smart Drive on all paratransit vehicles to identify safety events and help the Training Department engage in one-on-one training. Installed in 2017 and by 2019 saw a 73 percent decrease in safety events. - Continue to promote safe use of the bike rack on the fixed-route network. 68 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 46 Table 11 Continued 2016 Coordinated Plan Goals Transit Program Improvements Goal 4 – Promote Health Access - Assisted Michelle’s Place Breast Cancer Resource Center with a Measure A grant to fund transportation to treatment for cancer patients. - Continued administration of taxi voucher program, which over the span of the last three years, has provided a collective number of 33,981 rides. - Focused efforts on the paratransit eligibility process to update and improve access to those who truly need the service. - Continued efforts of travel training program, including new partnerships with organizations, such as Guide Dogs of the Desert. - Implemented Ride with Confidence Campaign: o There are six components to the agency’s continued efforts, including (1) the installation of hand sanitizing stations on each bus, (2) rigorous enhanced daily disinfecting procedures for all buses, (3) mandatory face covering requirements for all passengers and bus operators, (4) complimentary face coverings for passengers who have indicated a need, (5) the myStop® Mobile app that shows the number of riders on any given bus in real time, and (6) rides provided on cutting-edge alternative fuel technology buses. Goal 5 – Promote and Improve Communication - Introduced technology tools, such as the Interactive Ride Guide, Token Transit and Bus Watch app. - Introducing technology tools, including SunBus Tracker (a mobile app that allows riders to track their bus, be informed of rider alerts and set reminders for bus arrival times) and Token Transit (providing payment options for the bus fare on a smartphone device). - Implemented free Wi-Fi on all fixed-route buses - All bus schedules, pamphlets and website material are available in Spanish and English: o Many of our community stakeholders who are most dependent on public transportation for essential daily living are monolingual Spanish speakers. SunLine has started working toward making meetings Spanish-centric focused for our eastern Coachella Valley residents, wherein English materials and translation are offered as an alternative, not as the primary. 69 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 47 Measure A Specialized Transportation Riverside County Measure A half-cent retail sales tax was first approved by the voters in 1988 to support transportation services across the County. A portion of the tax generated in Western Riverside County supports specialized transportation services provided by agencies that serve seniors, persons with disabilities and/or individuals who are truly needy. This discretionary specialized transportation funding is available only in Western Riverside County, while Measure A funding for the Coachella and Palo Verde valleys are distributed directly to the public transit operators in those regions. To award and allocate Measure A Funding, RCTC invites proposals for project funding every three years. Eligible applicants include local government authorities, human and social services agencies, Tribal governments, private nonprofit organizations and public transportation operators. Measure A funds may be used for operating or capital purposes related to the provision of specialized transportation services. The Measure A program requires that all projects selected for funding address the mobility needs and potential strategies identified in Riverside County’s Coordinated Plan. The Measure A call-for-projects conducted in January 2018 awarded 18 projects, totaling $8.2 million in funding. Each Measure A program is unique in the type of service it provides, the areas and clients in which it serves, and the days and hours of operation. Some programs are designed to meet the needs of a specific client group or those enrolled in the agency’s core programs while others offer service to a wider range of potential community members. A list of current Measure A providers and their service characteristics is presented in Table 12. 70 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 48 Table 12: Current Measure A Funded Programs, Fiscal Years 2019-2021 Agency Project Service Description Operating Type Blindness Support Services Travel Training Program Travel training for persons with disabilities Travel Training Boys & Girls Club of Menifee Valley Before and After School Transportation Operating transit for youth participants Demand Response Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County Before and After School Transportation Operating transit for youth participants Demand Response Care A Van Transit, Inc. Care A Van Transit Operating transit for persons with disabilities, seniors, veterans and persons of low income Demand Response Care Connexxus Specialized Paratransit Services Operating transit for frail elderly and persons with disabilities Demand Response City of Norco Senior Shuttle Service Operating transit for city residents over the age of 50 Demand Response Community Connect One-Call One-Click Vetlink Information Program Transit information and referral Mobility Management Community Connect TAP (Transportation Access Program) Public transit bus pass distribution Bus Passes/Vouchers Exceed Hemet Transportation Operating transit for clients with developmental disabilities Demand Response Forest Folk Idyllwild Shuttle Operating transit Demand Response Friends of Moreno Valley Senior Center MoVan Dial-a-Ride Operating transit for senior center participants and persons with disabilities Demand Response Independent Living Partnership TRIP (Travel Reimbursement and Information Program) Mileage reimbursement for older adults and persons with disabilities Mileage Reimbursement Michelle's Place Treatment Travel Assistance Program TNC (Lyft) trip voucher for cancer-related trips Bus Passes/Vouchers Operation Safehouse Main Street Transitional Living and Permanent Supportive Housing Transportation Program Operating transit for transitional youth participants Demand Response Riverside University Health Medical Center (RUHS-MC) Medical Center Transportation Operating transit for truly needy clients for medical appointments Demand Response Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health Transportation Change Operating transit for clients for therapy, medical appointments and specialists Demand Response U.S. Vets U.S. Vets Initiative Transportation-Riverside Operating transit for homeless veterans Demand Response Voices for Children Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Mileage reimbursement for CASAs of youth in foster care Mileage Reimbursement 71 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 49 FTA Section 5310 — Enhanced Mobility for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provides resources to improve the mobility of seniors and persons with disabilities through the Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and People with Disabilities Program. Funding allocations are separated between large urbanized areas (LUZAs), small urbanized areas (SUZAs) and rural areas based on population. In Riverside County, funding for the large urbanized areas is distributed to program grantees by the direct recipients of federal funds, RTA in Western Riverside for the Riverside-San Bernardino and Murrieta- Temecula-Menifee UZAs and SunLine in the Coachella Valley for the Indio-Cathedral City UZA. Caltrans is the designated recipient of Section 5310 funds for the single small urban area, Hemet UZA and rural areas of Riverside County. The priority for Section 5310 is directed toward capital investments in vehicles and vehicle-related equipment where 55 percent of all projects must be allocated to this purpose. Projects seeking operating assistance are capped at 45 percent of the funding pot for each large urbanized area and Caltrans administered small urbanized areas and rural areas combined. The Section 5310 program guidelines require that all projects must be in the Coordinated Plan of the county where service is provided. A Section 5310 call-for-projects was conducted during the summer of 2019, through coordination between Caltrans as the administrator of 5310 funds and RCTC as the RTPA for the County of Riverside. A total of 11 agencies were awarded 5310 funding for both capital and operating projects. A list of these awards and project types is presented in Table 13. Projects approved in the Riverside-San Bernardino Large UZA may provide service anywhere within the Riverside County portion of the UZA, encompassing the northern urbanized areas of Western Riverside County. Projects funded in the Indio-Cathedral UZA may provide service across the urbanized areas of the Coachella Valley. 72 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 50 Table 13: 2019 Section 5310 Awarded Projects Agency Geography Project Type Project Description Independent Living Partnership Riverside-San Bernardino LUZA Operating Assistance Mileage Reimbursement Mountain Shadows Support Group Riverside-San Bernardino LUZA Capital Assistance (6) Mini Vans Peppermint Ridge Riverside-San Bernardino LUZA Capital Assistance (3) Small Buses Peppermint Ridge Riverside-San Bernardino LUZA Operating Assistance Demand Response Transportation Riverside Transit Agency Riverside-San Bernardino LUZA Capital – Mobility Management Travel Training Valley Resource Center (Exceed) Riverside-San Bernardino LUZA Capital Assistance (2) Medium Buses, (1) Mini Van Valley Resource Center (Exceed) Riverside-San Bernardino LUZA Operating Assistance Demand Response Transportation Independent Living Partnership Murrieta-Temecula-Menifee LUZA Operating Assistance Mileage Reimbursement Riverside Transit Agency Murrieta-Temecula-Menifee LUZA Capital – Mobility Management Travel Training Angel View, Inc. Indio-Cathedral LUZA Capital Assistance (1) Large Bus Angel View, Inc. Indio-Cathedral LUZA Operating Assistance Demand response Transportation Desert ARC Indio-Cathedral LUZA Capital Assistance (7) Large Buses, (2) Small Buses Desert Access & Mobility Indio-Cathedral LUZA Operating Assistance Demand Response Transportation Independent Living Partnership Indio-Cathedral LUZA Operating Assistance Mileage Reimbursement SunLine Transit Agency Indio-Cathedral LUZA Capital Assistance (1) Large Bus, (4) Mini Vans, Computer Hardware and Software SunLine Transit Agency Indio-Cathedral LUZA Operating Assistance Taxi Voucher Program Care-A-Van Small Urban (Hemet SUZA) Capital Assistance (2) Mini Vans Valley Resource Center (Exceed) Small Urban (Hemet SUZA) Capital Assistance (1) Large Bus, (1) Small Bus, (1) Mini Van Palo Verde Valley Transit Authority Rural Capital Assistance (1) Mini Van 73 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 51 Specialized Transportation Funding Specialized transportation funding in Riverside County is presented in Table 14 for both the Measure A and Section 5310 funded programs. The Measure A program awards cover a three- year cycle, beginning July 1, 2018, and commencing June 30, 2021. Section 5310 funds were awarded on a two-year cycle with anticipated start dates in October 2020. In total, specialized transportation projects were awarded $11.6 million between the Measure A and Section 5310 funding programs. Measure A projects were awarded a total of $8.2 million in the most recent cycle with almost 70 percent of program funds allocated to direct vehicle operations. Section 5310 projects account for $3.4 million in funding with 64 percent of awards allocated to capital projects, either for vehicle purchases or mobility management. Table 14: Specialized Transportation Funding Awards Measure A 2018 Call-for-Projects (3-Year Cycle) Award Amount Measure A – Operating $5,708,069 Measure A – Mileage Reimbursement $1,648,805 Measure A – Bus Passes/Vouchers $390,000 Measure A – Travel Training $220,000 Measure A – Mobility Management $193,133 Measure A – Capital (Vehicles) $40,000 Measure A – Total $8,200,007 Section 5310 2019 Call-for-Projects (2-Year Cycle) Award Amount Section 5310 Capital – Vehicles and Equipment $1,608,150 Section 5310 Capital – Mobility Management $575,000 Section 5310 Operating Assistance $1,217,857 Section 5310 Total $3,401,007 Total Specialized Transportation Funding $11,601,014 Assessment of Service Levels The utilization of public transit and human services transportation presented in this chapter is shown in Table 15, showing the volume of annual passenger trips and available vehicles by mode of transportation. Almost 14 million trips were provided between the documented fixed-route, demand response, regional rail and specialized transportation providers. Public fixed-route transit accounts for 75 percent of all documented trips with regional rail representing almost 18 percent of trips provided. To assess the capacity of transportation providers, the number of available vehicles in maximum service is also presented by mode of transportation. Vehicle size and seating 74 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 52 capacity vary across the modes of transportation where larger fixed-route vehicles carry more passengers than smaller demand response vehicles. This can be seen in the volume of trips provided on fixed-route buses at 75 percent of all trips provided on only 51 percent of all vehicles. In total, Riverside County’s transportation providers are utilizing 667 vehicles. Table 15: 2021 Coordinated Plan One-Way Trips and Available Vehicles Mode of Transportation 2021 Coordinated Plan Annual Trips FY 19/20 % of Total Trips Vehicles in Max Service % of Total Vehicles Public Fixed-Route [1] 10,418,477 75% 337 48.6% Regional (RTA/SunLine) 10,073,283 301 Local (Banning/Beaumont/Corona/PVVTA) 345,194 36 Public Demand Response [2] 550,043 4% 194 28.0% Regional (RTA/SunLine) 405,475 147 Local (Banning/Beaumont/Corona/RivConnect) 144,568 47 Regional Rail [3] 2,453,576 17.7% Excluded n/a Metrolink (91-PVL/IEOC/Riverside) 2,453,576 Specialized Transportation [4] 465,086 3.3% 162 23.4% Western Riverside Measure A Providers 234,494 73 5310 Providers 230,592 89 Totals 13,887,182 100% 693 100% [1] As reported by the public transit operators through the TransTrack Data Management System [2] As reported by the public transit operators through the TransTrack Data Management System [3] Metrolink reported boardings on all train lines that service Riverside County. Trips for FY 19/20 are based on ticket sales, not boarding counts. [4] Specialized transportation trips for FY 19/20 include Measure A & Section 5310 funded projects. Trips-per-capita as a performance measurement reflects transit utilization and presents demand in relation to a given population. As the population grows, the demand for public transit and the service levels needed to meet that demand is expected to increase. Monitoring annual trips-per- capita rates as transit demand and populations increase will allow RCTC the ability to determine if the level of available transit service is adequate and keeping pace with the County’s growing population. It is also a tool that can be used to compare the County’s volume of services to other, comparably sized areas and regions. A comparison of trip production across the various modes of transportation at each Coordinated Plan period is presented in Table 16. Current ridership for all modes of transportation are reported at lower levels than in previous years as all modes of transportation were impacted by the COVID-19 Stay-at-Home and social distancing mandates implemented in March 2020 and 75 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 53 continued throughout the remainder of FY 19/20. Public demand response and specialized transportation programs report the greatest decrease in trips provided, where less trip-making activities would be expected during the period related to COVID-19 out of safety concerns for a client base largely of older adults and persons with disabilities that may have higher rates of preexisting health conditions. Many of the specialized transportation programs ceased carrying passengers during this period to protect the health of their clients. Table 16: Trips per Capita by Coordinated Planning Periods Mode of Transportation 2007 Coordinated Plan FY 05/06 2012 Coordinated Plan FY 11/12 2016 Coordinated Plan FY 14/15 2021 Coordinated Plan FY 19/20 % Change from 2016 to 2021 Public Fixed-Route [1] 10,575,445 13,274,550 14,342,911 10,418,477 -27.4% Public Demand Response [2] 548,845 767,683 840,811 550,043 -34.6% Regional Rail [3] 2,700,117 3,023,071 3,101,151 2,453,576 -20.9% Specialized Transportation [4] 61,859 335,012 388,222 462,636 19.2% Total One-Way Trips 13,886,266 17,400,316 18,673,095 13,884,732 -25.6% Riverside County Population [5] 2,005,477 2,217,778 2,279,967 2,468,145 8.3% Trips per Capita 6.9 7.8 8.2 5.6 -31.3% [1] As reported by the public transit operators through the TransTrack Data Management System [2] As reported by the public transit operators through the TransTrack Data Management System [3] Metrolink reported boardings on all train lines that service Riverside County. Trips for FY 19/20 are based on ticket sales, not boarding counts. [4] Specialized Transportation trips for FY 11/12 and FY 14/15 include specialized transportation projects funded by Section 5316 and 5317 but exclude fixed-route trips also funded by these programs. Specialized transportation trips for FY 19/20 include Measure A and Section 5310 funded projects only. [5] As reported by the California Department of Finance for January 1 in the fiscal year shown. Despite the impacts of COVID-19, the County’s transportation providers still delivered almost 13.9 million rides across all modes of transportation. The County’s total population has continued to increase, growing by 8.3 percent between 2015 and 2020. The increase in population combined with reduced ridership results in a trips-per-capita indicator of 5.6, down 31.3 percent from the 8.2 trips per capita reported in the 2016 Coordinated Plan. 76 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 54 Chapter 4. Assessment of Mobility Needs and Gaps Phased Outreach Approach A three-phased outreach effort was designed to ensure that a breadth of voices contributed to the development of this Coordinated Plan 2021 Update, in line with the regulatory direction that the Plan be “locally developed” (Federal Transit Administration Circular 9070.1G). The three phases entailed: § Phase I Agency Interviews – identifying needs, primarily during April and May 2020. § Phase II Countywide E-survey – identifying needs during July 2020. § Phase III Virtual Workshop and Open House – inviting comments upon and assistance in prioritizing strategies responsive to needs in October 2020. These comments will be discussed in Chapter 6. During the first two phases, almost 900 individuals participated, either as agency representatives via the interviews, focus groups or presentation or through the e-survey process. Results of those contacts are reported in this chapter. Phase III outreach responses from the October Virtual Workshop are reported in Chapter 6. Additionally, findings from the Measure A providers’ site visits conducted in 2019/2020 also informed this chapter. These providers are identified in Chapter 3. Phase I – Agency Interview Findings Phase 1 of the Coordinated Plan’s outreach process commenced in April 2020 with human service agency interviews. Its intent was to develop a picture of mobility needs and gaps of target group members that informs both the overall study and the Phase II countywide e-survey. Target groups include: § persons with disabilities § persons of low income § older adults § military veterans § Tribal members § persons of limited-English proficiency Phase 1 involved contacts with organizations within Riverside County with ties to these communities of interest. In identifying representative contacts, attention was paid to spread across the geographic regions of Riverside County, as well as a mix of public and nonprofit organizations. 77 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 55 Interviews focused on largely prepandemic mobility experiences of agencies’ clientele, anticipating that eventually their consumers would return to those trip patterns. Most agencies reported highly limited trip-making at the time of the interviews, during the early weeks of California’s Stay-at-Home order. Twenty interviews, two focus group discussions and one presentation comprised the Agency contacts during this Phase I outreach, with the involved organizations presented in Table 17. Table 17: Agencies Participating in Phase I Interviews Agency Area of County Served Target Market(s) Angel View Coachella Valley Persons with disabilities Angel View East Coachella Valley (ECV) Coachella Valley Persons with disabilities, persons of low-income College of the Desert Coachella Valley Students/ students with disabilities Community Connect 211 Countywide All Riverside County residents Boys & Girls Club Southwestern Riverside Youth, low-income households Care-A-Van Southwestern Riverside Older adults, persons with disabilities Desert Arc Coachella Valley Persons with disabilities Desert Access & Mobility (formerly Desert Blind & Handicapped) Coachella Valley Persons with disabilities EXCEED Western Riverside Persons with disabilities Independent Living Partnership (ILP) TRIP (Transportation Reimbursement and Information Program) Countywide Older adults Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP)/ Inland Empire Disabilities Collaborative (IEDC) Two-County Region Persons with disabilities Inland Regional Center (IRC) Countywide Persons with disabilities The Leadership Council for Justice and Accountability Coachella Valley Persons of low-income, limited English proficient households Michelle’s Place Southwestern Riverside Cancer patients, medical fragile adults Operation Safehouse Western Riverside/ Coachella Valley Youth of low-income, transitional youth Riverside City College (RCC) Disability Resource Center (DRC) Western Riverside/ Countywide Students/students with disabilities RCC DRC Specialists and Counselors Western Riverside/ Countywide Students with disabilities Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS), In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Countywide Older adults, persons with disabilities, medically fragile adults Riverside County Office on Aging Countywide Older adults, persons with disabilities Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians leadership San Jacinto Area Tribal members US Vets Western Riverside Homeless veterans Voices for Children/CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Western Riverside Youth of low-income, under court supervision 78 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 56 Findings in Two Frames of Reference Agency interview findings are presented in terms of: 1) consumer-oriented and focused directly on the individual rider or consumer groups, and 2) agency and organizationally oriented, focused on institutional topics raised. Table 18 provides an overview of findings from the agency interviews. These topics are detailed in the following sections. Table 18: Summary of Interview Findings Topical Areas Consumer-Oriented Trip Needs and New Opportunities Exist Agencies interviewed serve a range of consumer groups, including persons with developmental disabilities, older adults and frail older adults, persons undergoing cancer treatments, youth in Consumer-Oriented Topics 1. For long-distance trips across county sub-regions and into neighboring counties, more options are needed. 2. Fixed-route and rail provide critical links for some human service agency consumers and others. 3. Some unique trip needs are difficult to meet on existing public transit. 4. Specialized transportation is needed to meet individualized trip needs of older adults, of medically compromised persons, persons with disabilities and children who confront difficulties using public transit. 5. Information about public transit is uneven for consumer agency personnel who express uncertainty about how to access updated, current transit information or advise in trip-planning. 6. Electronic communications with consumers have expanded during the pandemic, but traditional methods remain important, too. 7. Pedestrians, cyclists and transit users express safety concerns regarding infrastructure. Organizational Topics 1. Specialized transport meets some needs that public transport cannot meet. 2. Service expansion, technology needs and other changes impact human service transportation. 3. Vehicles are needed to expand capacity and replace aging equipment. 4. New transportation can address specialized needs not effectively met by mass transit and requires experimentation and testing. 5. Coordination among transit services and other human services programs happens informally and at modest levels. 6. Sustainable operating funding for specialized transport is a continuing concern. 7. Improved outreach to vulnerable and underserved persons/communities is needed, and traditional communications methods remain important. 79 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 57 transitional housing from foster care, students enrolled in community college and more. Agency- identified needs are detailed in seven areas. 1. For long, direct trips across county subregions and into neighboring counties more options are needed. Many regional rail and bus connections for long-distance trip-making exist in Riverside County. These include Metrolink trains from the region’s three commuter rail stations, SunLine’s Commuter Link route from Coachella Valley to Western Riverside and San Bernardino, RTA connections in Banning/Beaumont to Riverside, Omnitrans connections at the Riverside Metrolink Station into San Bernardino County and intercity services of Greyhound, MegaBus and Bolt buses. § Crossing jurisdictional boundaries or travel into other cities for multiple trip purposes can be complicated. Agency interviews report need for more direct regional trip-making choices, including: o To tertiary hospitals in Loma Linda, the Veterans Administration and Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital from the Coachella Valley; from March Air Force Base-Veterans Village; from the Coachella Valley and from Blythe; o To four Riverside Community College (RCC) campuses — Norco, Moreno Valley, Riverside — from Perris and Hemet; o To Western Coachella Valley from Eastern Coachella Valley, particularly to service industry employment and destinations; o In from Blythe to the Coachella Valley and on into Riverside, particularly to access health care among other trip needs; o To Morongo Basin from Coachella Valley; o To San Diego health care specialists from Southwestern Riverside County; o To Imperial County communities from Eastern Coachella Valley; o To Downtown Riverside from Coachella Valley; o From San Bernardino and San Bernardino mountain communities, traveling to RCC in Riverside. 2. The fixed-route and rail network is a critical link — that must be sustained — for some trip types and Coordinated Plan target groups and individuals. Chapter 3 Inventory describes the existing public transportation network of services of Riverside County including bus, vanpool and rail lines, serving varying trip and target group needs. § Transitional-aged youth, moving from foster homes to independent living, do not own cars and use public transport to connect with employment and education. § For community college students, in the Coachella Valley and in Western Riverside, fixed- route transit is very important. § Bus stop information at campus stops and transfer locations is important for travelers and may not always be current, according to community college staff. 80 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 58 § Transit shelters, particularly to protect from the sun, are important at and on the community college campuses. § Coachella Valley agencies spoke to the need for SunLine service improvements of more frequency and fewer stops, to improve speed of travel. § From East Coachella Valley, agencies called for attention to public transit schedules and trip lengths that may draw additional riders as timing and travel times do not work for many who need earlier or later trips or more direct routing. § Operation Safehouse reports that some youth in transitional housing have graveyard shift warehouse jobs getting off at 4 a.m.; transportation is difficult or impossible for these youth with no cars; Moreno Valley is a common location. § Menifee Boys & Girls Club took youth on the Metrolink’s Temecula to the beach, which was a highly successful outing and exposed youth to rail services. § Late buses or late Dial-a-Ride vehicles make it difficult for students and for employees trying to be on-time: o RCC reports morning Dial-a-Ride trips are often late. o There are concerns about late SunDial trips. § Evening classes are difficult for community college students who need transit: o RCC evening classes end at 9:50 p.m. o Students of Palo Verde Community College in Blythe can get to the campus on PVVTA, but, as the last bus leaves the campus at 4 p.m., they can’t ride PVVTA to get home from evening classes ending at 7:50, 8:10 or 8:50 p.m. § Transit service to communities on the outskirts, as in the Blythe area, has become more important as the desert temperatures have risen; walks of five miles and more are difficult and hazardous. 3. Some unique trip needs are difficult to meet on existing public transportation. Human service agencies and public organizations, including schools, serve clientele that often present unique travel requirements. Such individuals include: § Transitional youth, in out-of-home placements, are getting to jobs at warehouses at odd times and are not well-served by existing transit. § Persons working evening hour shifts or on weekends are sometimes left without a transit option, either in both directions or one-way. § Persons experiencing homelessness who are attempting to get to transitional housing cannot readily take public transit. § Youth getting to and from school where school buses are not provided, such as in Southwestern Riverside County. § Persons in wheelchairs who live on dirt roads or who have difficulty self-propelling their chairs have particular needs. 81 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 59 § Persons requiring oversized wheelchairs, larger than 30-in. wide and 48-in. long, cannot be served on public complementary paratransit and require additional options to meet their trip needs. § Places where people live — for example, on dirt roads or within complexes or residences where public buses cannot travel — limit their ability to take public transportation as the vehicle cannot get to them and they are unable to walk to where buses may regularly travel. § Residents of a mobile home park on the eastern side of Blythe are outside of the PVVTA service area; students cannot get into town and used to ride their bikes but now it is too hot. § Earlier grocery shopping trips, Care-A-Van reports as early as 5:45 a.m., have been requested by older adults to take advantage of Seniors-Only shopping hours during the pandemic; passengers desire direct curb-to-curb trips home to aid in carrying groceries. § Youth in transitional living, who are aging out of foster care, are all transit dependent; discounted — or free — bus passes have been helpful. § RCC is seeing an increase in students who are blind or have visual impairments; using fixed-route transit is a special challenge for this group but is important. 4. Specialized transportation is needed to meet individualized needs of some medically compromised persons, of older adults, of persons with disabilities or children as they confront difficulties using public transit. Specialized transportation programs are supported by Measure A in Western Riverside and across the County by FTA Section 5310 funding or other human service funding. Transportation services of these programs are generally client-specific and geographically limited. § The Riverside County Office on Aging develops Area Plans that have found transportation and housing consistently among the top five needs of older adults for more than five years. § Public transportation ADA-complementary paratransit providers, including City of Riverside and other municipal senior and disabled transportation programs, remain important specialized transportation services for those who cannot use fixed route: o Students with disabilities attending community college classes (pre-COVID-19) are regular users of these public transit programs; o Parents whose children are severely disabled are greatly aided by lift-equipped, demand response programs, as reported by agency program staff; o For persons unable to wait or wait alone for buses and/or travel alone; o For persons unable to wait in sun; o For persons unable to wait for long periods due to medical condition or due to nature of medical treatments; o For persons requiring door-through-door escorts or accompaniment on the trip; and 82 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 60 o Mental health fragility makes it difficult for some to use public transit. § Persons with medical treatments recurring over weeks and months: o Can exhaust family support systems in meeting these continuing trip needs for medical appointments; o Have trip needs beyond getting to treatment but often cannot drive themselves. § SunDial riders with disabilities are reported as disadvantaged by SunLine’s free fare program for community college students; the $25 fee for fixed-route does not cover SunDial as its riders would have to pay the enrollment fee but be unable to use fixed- route; Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) was working with SunLine and their foundation to find a solution, but then COVID-19 happened. § Some consumers use public transit ADA-complementary paratransit (RTA Dial-A-Ride and SunDial) and also use specialized transport for some trips (Care-A-Van, Desert Access & Mobility), depending upon trip purpose, timing, consumer health status and other factors. § Some persons have shuttles available through health plans, but they are not always available at the right time or there are too many stops for medically frail persons. § Innovations in treating cancer mean that many live longer, but these “metastatic patients” live with cancer; Michelle’s Place reports some can have years’ long need for recurring medical treatments with parallel transportation concerns. 5. Information about public transit is uneven for consumer agency personnel who express uncertainty about how to access updated, current information and how to advise consumers on trip-planning. Some agency personnel make it a priority to be well-versed in public transit information tools, such as the Riverside Community College (RCC) Disability Resource Center (DRC) specialists and counselors and selected Inland Regional Center (IRC) case managers. In other human service organizations, it is common for agency staff to be unaware of transit information resources. § Electronic fare payment capabilities, their availability and use are not well understood by many agency personnel; there was little awareness of RTA’s fare payment app Token Transit evidenced by agency personnel. § Trip-planning tools of Google Transit and the Transit app are not well known to interviewed agency personnel, with some exceptions: o RCC DRC specialists and counselors regularly use Google Transit to assist their students. o IRC transportation coordinators regularly use Google Transit. § Real-time bus information is not well recognized as available by human service agency personnel: SunTracker for SunLine and RTA’s BusWatch. § RTA’s travel training program was well known and disappointment expressed that its long- standing, formalized program had been terminated. One-on-one training needs to continue. 83 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 61 § For persons with developmental disabilities, including graduating high school students: o Boys & Girls Clubs would like to see Transit 101 and instruction for youth; this is limited by the less available, limited transit services in Southwestern Riverside County. o Staff report travel training needs for transitional-aged youth coming from foster care.. § Some agency personnel desire an internal transit agency contact: o For problem-solving around complaints or late trips o For navigating ADA certification processes § Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers, supervised by CASA caseworkers, work with transitional-aged youth aged 18 to 21 years; volunteers are mostly unaware of transit information tools, Google Transit app and the Transit app. Staff anticipate that introducing them to these could improve information-sharing with their youth and transition-aged consumers. § Gatekeepers and case managers need recurring Transit 101 information, particularly agencies with large public reach, such as the DPSS. § Increased use of real-time transit information is desirable; College of the Desert staff reported that they would like to see its adoption within the SunLine system. 6. Electronic communications with consumers have expanded during the pandemic, but traditional methods remain important, too. A range of communications methods and tools are important to connecting with Coordinated Plan target groups about transportation. § Email addresses are now in place for families of school-aged children in all school districts; however, availability of reliable Internet access is still uneven. § Zoom communications, so long as they include a telephone-only call-in capability, have become increasingly important to outreach. § Use of Facebook pages to communicate agency information has greatly increased. § Care-A-Van riders, largely older adults, reportedly prefer telephone-based communications with limited success by the agency in using Facebook. § Community college students and other youth are far less likely to use Facebook for information; they are more likely to use Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok. § Newsletters, even those sent electronically, are still an important communication tool. 84 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 62 7. Pedestrians, cyclists and transit users expressed safety concerns regarding infrastructure. Alternatives to transit, including walking and biking, are important to many in the Coordinated Plan target groups. § Bus stop improvements, including the ever-important shelter from the sun, is valued by riders with long waits between buses and to more frail or vulnerable riders. § Removal or relocation of bus stops can negatively impact some (e.g., the removal of the bus stop that was located in front of the Desert Arc facility). The removal of this stop now requires adults with disabilities using transit to walk a block crossing a six-lane street in the summer when the temperatures were well above 105 °F. § Unpaved roads and no sidewalks in rural areas like Menifee and Hemet make the first mile/last mile difficult for pedestrians and cyclists. § Limited sidewalks in many areas of the County impact safety and the perception of safety by those who might consider a short walk to a bus stop. § Bicycles are stolen frequently and easily, and make it complicated for bicycle commuters, specifically to community college campuses. Agency and Organization Concerns and Opportunities Seven institutionally related topics follow, summarizing issues raised by agency personnel interviewed. 1. Specialized transport meets some needs that public transport cannot meet. There are the types of mobility needs that specialized transportation can more readily, and often more cost-effectively, meet than public transit. § Specialized transport programs can travel on dirt roads, delivering consumers to addresses that RTA and SunLine cannot serve; Care-A-Van and Desert Blind report this. § Public transit largely cannot access gated communities and some retirement communities. § Mileage reimbursement to the CASA volunteers has been vital: o It has enabled some volunteers to provide home-to-court transport to the children and youth in their care; and o It is seen as a vital element of the CASA program that is not otherwise funded, helping CASA to recruit volunteers. § Menifee Boys & Girls Club anticipates larger numbers of low-income youth and a need to transport more kids to and from its Menifee and Hemet sites; the organization may be opening a childcare site with attendant transportation needs. § Mileage reimbursement to In-Home Support Services (IHHS) staff — supporting 38,000 Riverside County residents who do not have a caretaker — can aid these workers who do 85 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 63 not otherwise qualify for mileage reimbursement but are often asked to transport their clients. § Riverside County Office on Aging notes that small agencies which provide transportation are difficult to find; they have moved Older Adult funding for transportation into the TRIP mileage reimbursement program and into bus passes, particularly in the Coachella Valley. § There is an importance of lift-equipped specialized transport: o For 5 percent of U.S. Vets clientele in wheelchairs; and o Ambulation difficulties of elderly persons who may board on lifts. § Long-distance trips, particularly for medical services, are important; Michelle’s Place trips are often to UCLA and La Jolla specialty medical services. § Door-to-door and even escorted door-through-door assistance is provided by specialized transportation drivers, including Care-A-Van, Care Connexxus and U.S. Vets, to help carry groceries or assist medically or otherwise compromised passengers. 2. Service expansion, technology needs and other changes are impacting human service transportation. Pressure to increase operating funding awards can be anticipated. § In pre-COVID-19 operations, human service agency transport vehicles were often full, and new, expanding program needs exist. § Most human service providers’ dispatchers do not maintain trip waiting lists but do turn down trip requests — Care-A-Van turns down 40 to 45 trips per week. § Desert Access & Mobility is exploring potential to expand its operations — geographically and in terms of the number of drivers and vehicles; now in dialogue about potential assistance from SunLine. § Same-day trip needs and requests appear to be growing. Care-A-Van leaves room open in its daily trip manifest to meet some same-day trip requests: from Hemet-area hospital, clinic and doctors’ offices. § Serving long-distance trip requests, notably to Loma Linda VA and Loma Linda Medical Center, is difficult as it can take a vehicle out of service for most of the day. Multiple agency providers report that they have to turn down these requests: Care-A-Van, Desert Access & Mobility and Desert ARC. § Technology has a limited footprint in human services transportation, but software scheduling needs and opportunities exist: o Almost no human service programs are using electronic software to book and schedule trips; small system software exists but has not been introduced among Riverside County Measure A operators. o Several human service transport programs travel to Loma Linda medical facilities and could benefit from coordinated trip scheduling. 86 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 64 o Desert Access & Mobility is exploring small system trip scheduling software to increase efficiencies. § Computer-assisted trip scheduling can improve operations efficiency and cost effectiveness: o Larger human services programs, specifically Riverside University Medical Center, could achieve greater trip efficiency and cost-effectiveness by introducing trip- scheduling software. o Smaller programs, including Operations Safehouse, Care Connexxus, U.S. Vets, Care-A-Van, Desert Access & Mobility and Desert ARC, could increase capacity with computer-assisted trip scheduling. 3. Vehicle needs exist to grow capacity and to replace aging vehicles. Changing fleet needs (some reductions) were reported to judiciously grow fleet size of some programs and to replace older and aging vehicles. § Some fleet size reductions were reported: o For Angel View and Care-A-Van, this has been necessary to better match revenue and expenses. o Some areas, such as Hemet, are evidencing declining trips needs, impacting fleet- size requirements (pre-COVID-19). o Care-A-Van reports that the Lake Elsinore area generates fewer trip requests than previously, so it locates just a single vehicle there now, down from two to three vehicles. § Human service agencies often operate vehicles well beyond their useful life, due to difficulties in funding replacement: o U.S. Vets needs to replace two aging vehicles with major maintenance costs. § Some expansion for additional accessible vehicles is needed: o U.S. Vets needs a larger accessible vehicle, given expansion of their residential program. o Desert ARC requested two small buses from FTA Section 5310 to launch a new Integrated Community-Based employment program on behalf of its consumers; these vehicles were not funded. § Security investment — for fencing and secure property — has been important to several agencies whose vehicles have been vandalized, including Exceed and U.S. Vets. New security funding support to safely garage vehicles is needed. § The FTA Section 5310 program is a key resource, although it cannot meet all needs. § High maintenance costs underscore the importance of regular vehicle replacement opportunities, as reported by Exceed but the wait for approved, new 5310 vehicles is years’ long. 87 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 65 § Desert ARC recently requested seven replacement buses to replace an aging fleet but was only granted two vehicles. 4. New transportation concepts, and support to existing programs, will address specialized needs not effectively served by mass transit; new programs require experimentation and testing. Opportunity for testing new modes or exploring service models not widely in place in Riverside County holds promise for addressing some trip needs. § Eastern Coachella Valley’s Angel View mileage-reimbursement program, administered by Independent Living Partnership’s (ILP) TRIP (Transportation Reimbursement and Information Program), has helped meet some need, largely for long trips to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital. § Western Riverside — Transit does not work to get to warehouse areas or large campuses, especially due to odd shift hours, including late at night and very early morning hours, and other service models are needed. § Mileage reimbursement assistance can aid consumers living on dirt roads or who have mobility devices that they cannot themselves roll to the curb or to a bus stop. § Carshare programs: o for some long-distance trip-making or even short shopping trips made by small groups, may have value; and o for persons without drivers’ licenses or undocumented residents, they are unlikely to use these programs. § High user costs of Uber/Lyft transportation solutions are not sustainable for regular employment trips or by lower-income travelers and, unless subsidized, are not seen as viable trip options for recurring or long trips; experimentation for shorter, local trips may hold some promise for grocery shopping and other local trip purposes. § Expanded agricultural commute services, CalVans and SolVans, potentially with SunLine as a partner, should be explored; goals of less restrictions and affordability are important. § There is interest in the model of Van y Vienen, a Dial-A-Ride program operated by community residents in the Central Valley. A developing partnership between residents, the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, Green Commuter and the 11th Hour Project holds promise. The driver is an employee and the cars are rented out on weekends. The program recently added two electric vehicles. § Microtransit or flex routes are of interest to human services advocates, given their potential for reaching beyond existing transit routes; affordability of services remains a priority for low-income and for many limited-English proficient households. § Gas vouchers may be a solution for some, for example, for consumers with extended, recurring medical therapies to provide some limited support the family member who is driving. 88 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 66 § Special-purpose shuttles, for example, the PVVTA shuttle to Palo Verde College, about three years ago, was reportedly successful but funding ran out. § More and continued attention to safe pedestrian and bicycle travel is important, particularly in outlying rural areas and those not served by public transit; bicycle improvements particularly help to extend trips that can be partially taken on transit. Safe walking and biking is of particular importance: o In Eastern Coachella Valley; and o In southwestern Riverside County’s communities of Hemet and Menifee with very limited sidewalks. 5. Coordination among transit services and other human service programs happens informally and at modest levels. Continued and renewed attention to coordination of transportation may enable stretching of scarce resources. § Some consumers use RTA Dial-A-Ride to travel in one direction and have called Care-A- Van if the return trip home is too late; reportedly only a few consumers are using both services. § Care-A-Van has provided trips at the request of RTA Dial-A-Ride when service is delayed or vehicles are overbooked. § IRC refers some consumers — for some trips — to Care-A-Van. § Care-A-Van has referred some clients on to Adult Protective Services if they become too isolated and are in need of intervention. § Desert Access & Mobility has been in dialogue with SunLine regarding expanding its program to meet additional trip needs, including acting as a broker for some trip types. § Desert Access & Mobility coordinates with the Morongo Basin Health Care District, a 5310 provider in San Bernardino County, regarding one-way transport between the Coachella Valley and the Morongo Basin. § Pre-COVID-19, Riverside County DPSS provided TRIP mileage-reimbursement information during in-person orientation for caretakers. They have not yet added it to online orientation. § Transit agencies are participating in some human service agency advisory groups, SunLine and RTA — their presence is appreciated by human services personnel (Desert ARC and Desert Access & Mobility). Human service agencies would like more coordination with transit agencies, as indicated by personnel of IRC and Office of Aging staff. § Public agency call centers that provide information and referral services, including the Department of Aging and the DPSS, which handles 45,000 consumer calls per month, may offer an opportunity to support consumers by directing them to transit resources, such as Google Transit and the Transit app. 89 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 67 § An emerging coordination role for 211 exists, as it combines with San Bernardino County 211, now as a coordinated two-county 211Connect resource, to coordinate and communicate with larger numbers of human service agencies. 6. Sustainable operating funding for specialized transport is a continuing concern. Agencies in Western Riverside County expressed concern about the continuation availability of Measure A Specialized Transportation funding while Coachella Valley agencies conveyed a desire for a comparable program in that region. § Measure A Specialized Transportation Program is a reimbursement-based program and operates only in Western Riverside County. For stand-alone programs (e.g., Care-A-Van, ILP TRIP, etc.), this can be very difficult to accommodate as they have little reserve against which to fund current program expenses until these can be reimbursed. § Operations funding for long trips is needed with some indication that specialized transportation trips are getting longer, e.g., traveling farther to get to specialty medical appointments (Michelle’s Place, Care-a-Van, U.S. Vets). § For the CASA program, it serves across the County, and 15 percent to 20 percent of its trips for which reimbursement is requested are in the Coachella Valley and cannot be funded by the Measure A Western Riverside Program; the CASA program struggles to secure donations to meet these reimbursement requests. § Multiple agencies expressed concern as to how the pandemic will impact agency fund raising (e.g., increasing demand for limited Community Development Block Grant [CDBG] funds). § Increased expenses due to managing specialized transport during the pandemic are significant and may continue to be so: o Increased vehicle cleaning; o Personal protection equipment for drivers and passengers, including masks and built-in equipment, such as screens within vehicles; and o Potentially, the need for additional, smaller vehicles may become more appropriate with continuing social distancing requirements. 7. Improved outreach to vulnerable and underserved persons/communities is needed, but traditional communication methods remain important. Ongoing attention to creative messaging methods and strategies to communicate transportation information is always important, but particularly so for underserved communities. § The Leadership Council for Justice and Accountability reports that outreach to limited- English proficient communities should be aggressive, that follow up is important and that people want to know the outcome after they have given feedback. § Agencies, particularly in the Eastern Coachella Valley, identified the role and importance of trusted messengers, building a bank of “bridge communicators.” § Communication with limited-English proficient populations uses multiple strategies: 90 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 68 o is aided by these “bridge communicators” and pre-COVID-19, person-to-person contacts; o is better received when it happens in advance of decision-making; and o is better received when it provides feedback on outcomes from past planning processes. § Bidirectional communication with public transit providers is desired by some agencies. o Navigating ADA application/certification can be difficult — there is an uncertainty as to whom to contact. § Increased use of social media by human service agencies includes: o IHSS is using a text service called One Call Now. This service is successfully sending text messages to almost 20,000 cell numbers and can tailor messages in English and Spanish; the agency carefully selects what information is sent through text. o Significant increased use is reported by many human service agencies on Facebook throughout the pandemic to communicate with clients. § Agencies are using traditional direct mail and telephone for those consumers who do not have email or computer access. o DPSS reports that about 5 percent of its 48,000 caseload does not have Internet access. o IRC largely is using telephone or person-to-person as its consumers have limited to no email access. § Spanish language is predominant among non-English speaking households, but in the Eastern Coachella Valley, a large community there speaks Purépacha, a Mexican indigenous language. Phase II — Countywide E-Survey Findings Phase II outreach established more quantitative input via an online survey, which was developed to quantify selected issues raised in stakeholder interviews. The survey was designed to invite responses from agency staff and from members of the public. For agency staff, the survey asked about transit-related services provided, areas of the County served and clients’ mobility needs. Through “branching” based on respondents’ answers, the survey explored the public’s use of transit services and concerns, and mobility needs and challenges. The e-survey link was widely promoted through RCTC’s website and social media, stakeholder agencies, including those interviewed and RCTC’s network of stakeholders, and Riverside County transit operators. The survey was open July 20 to August 7, 2020. E-survey findings are reported in this section and summary data reports are provided in Appendix D. 91 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 69 Survey findings are presented here in terms of: 1) Agency responses focused on agency perspectives of clients’ needs and challenges; and 2) General public responses of their transportation and experiences, needs and challenges. Agency Responses Table 19: Agencies Responding to the E-Survey on Mobility Needs About the Agency Respondents Responses were received from 55 agency staff members. Of these respondents, 34 (67 percent) were in a managerial position and 17 (33 percent) were a case manager or service provider. These respondents represented the 22 agencies detailed in Table 19. These agencies serve a wide breadth of the County, with all subareas represented by respondents, as demonstrated in Figure 16. Countywide E-Survey Agency Respondents Angel View County of Riverside Michelle's Place Cancer Resource Center Boys & Girls Club of Menifee Valley Desert Access & Mobility, Inc. (Formerly Desert Blind & Handicapped) Neuro Vitality Center California Family Life Center EXCEED Palo Verde Valley Transit Authority (PVVTA) Care-A-Van Transit Faith in Action Riverside County Department of Public Social Services City of Banning Forest Folk, Inc. Riverside County Office on Aging, ADRC City of Corona GRID Alternatives U.S. Vets, Inland Empire City of Norco Independent Living Partnership/TRIP Community Access Center Jewish Family Service of the Desert 92 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 70 Figure 16: Areas of Riverside County Served by Agency Respondents Agency respondents serve the target markets and others, with 88 percent of respondents serving persons with disabilities and 79 percent serving older adults and persons with low incomes. Veterans are served by 58 percent of respondents. A majority of agency respondents (53 percent) directly provide transportation, while 32 percent contract for transportation and 15 percent do not provide transportation. When asked what kind of transportation assistance they provide for clients, a majority (56 percent) reported that they assist with transit information, referrals and trip planning. The next most common area of assistance was reimbursing clients for mileage driven (31 percent), followed by providing transit passes or tickets (21 percent), as demonstrated in Figure 17. 44% 46% 52% 54% 56% 63% 67% 67% 73% 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80% Idyllwild Blythe area Temecula, Murrieta area Western Coachella Valley San Gorgonio Pass area Eastern Coachella Valley Perris, Menifee, Lake Elsinore area Hemet, San Jacinto area Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley area Areas of County Your Agency Serves N=48 2% 2% 4% 6% 15% 21% 31% 56% 0%10%20%30%40%50%60% Taxi vouchers Fund travel training Subsidize travel aide Gas cards None of the above Transit passes Reimburse mileage Provide info/referrals How Do You Assist Clients with Transportation? N= 48 Figure 17: Agency-Provided Transportation Assistance 93 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 71 About Mobility Barriers and Gaps Agency respondents were asked to rate what proportion of their clients face specific transportation challenges (reports on these responses). The top three challenges for agencies where more than six-in-10 consumers struggle included: § local routine trips for appointments/grocery store purposes; § lack of resources to pay for transportation; and § long-distance medical trips. Figure 18 demonstrates agency reports on the proportion of their consumers who confront specific challenges represented with the blue bars. The darkest blue is ALL clients, teal is 75 percent of clients and turquoise is 50 percent of clients. When asked an open-ended question about other transportation challenges that their clients experience, 20 agency respondents provided comments. Responses that were not relevant are not included in the following counts. The top comments related to specialized transportation and accessibility, public transit coverage and other public transit concerns. Detailed comments are provided in Appendix E. § Specialized transportation and accessibility — 7 comments § Public transit coverage — 5 comments 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100% On-demand reservations due to lack of address Getting to job/shift on public transit Don't know how to ride transit Lack of safe sidewalks or bike paths/lanes Transit trips take longer than ability to travel Making on-demand reservations Need travel aide/escort Long-distance medical trips Lack of resources to pay for transportation Local routine trips for appts/grocery store What Proportion of Clients Face the Following Transportation Challenges? N=46 All Clients 75% Clients 50% Clients 25% Clients No Clients Figure 18: Clients' Transportation Challenges 94 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 72 § Other public transit concerns — 5 comments § Bus stop amenities — 2 comments § Other — 1 comment About Mobility Improvements Finally, respondents were asked what mobility improvements would be most helpful to their clients (Figure 19). Respondents reported that a mileage reimbursement program would be most helpful with 87 percent of agency respondents reporting it would be very helpful to their client base. This was followed by trip planning information to discover the best transit option, reported as helpful by 91 percent of respondents or would be the most helpful improvements from their client base. While a carshare program was rated as the least helpful, 52 percent of respondents think it would be helpful to their clients. When asked an open-ended question about other improvements that would help their clients, 13 agency respondents provided comments related to specialized transportation and alternative programs improvements and public transit improvements. Detailed comments are provided in Appendix E. Public Responses About Public Respondents Responses were received from 748 members of the general public. Of those, 33 were completed in Spanish. These respondents primarily live in Western and Southwestern areas of Riverside County, as demonstrated in Figure 20. 41% 9% 4% 32% 43% 9% 27% 48% 87% 0%20%40%60%80%100% Carshare program with affordable rental Trip planning information for best transit option Mileage reimbursement for friends or caregivers How Helpful Would This Transportation Service Improvement Be to Your Clients? N= 45 Very Helpful Somewhat Helpful Not Helpful Figure 19: Mobility Improvements Helpful to Clients 95 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 73 Figure 20: Where Respondents Live in Riverside County Respondents were primarily adults between 35 and 54 years old (33 percent) and 18 and 34 (32 percent) years old (Figure 21). Another third of respondents were older adults, with 18 percent of responses coming from 55 to 64 year olds, 13 percent coming from 65 to 74 year olds and 5 percent from individuals 75 years and older. About half of respondents (57 percent) reported that they do not have a disability that impacted their mobility, while about two-fifths (43 percent) reported that they do have a disability that impacts their mobility (Figure 21). Most respondents (85 percent) reported that they have always or usually have transportation available, while 15 percent reported they do not have transportation available to them (Figure 22). 0% 0% 1% 1% 2% 4% 8% 18% 65% 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70% Idyllwild Blythe, nearby areas San Gorgonio Pass area Eastern Coachella Valley Western Coachella Valley Hemet, San Jacinto, nearby area Temecula, Murrieta, nearby area Perris, Menifee, Lake Elsinore area Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley area Where in Riverside County Do You Live? N= 736 Figure 21: Respondents' Demographic Characteristics 96 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 74 When asked how they most often travel for local trips, nearly half of respondents (46 percent) reported that they drive themselves. One-third (31 percent) reported that they use public transportation and 17 percent get a ride from a friend or family member (Figure 23). The individuals that ride public transit were asked several questions about what services they use and what improvements would help them. These responses are available in Appendix D. 56% 29% 15% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% I always have transportation I usually have transportation I often don't have transportation Which Best Describes You? N= 728 2%2%2% 17% 31% 46% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% Human service transit Uber, Lyft or taxi Ride a bike or walk Ride with friend/family Public transportation Drive myself How Do You Travel For Local Trips? N= 723 Figure 23: How Respondents Regularly Travel Figure 22: Transportation Availability 97 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 75 About Mobility Barriers and Gaps General public respondents were asked about the transportation-related problems they experienced in the past year (Figure 24). The most common problems were lack of safe sidewalks and bike paths/lanes and transit trips take longer than ability to travel (49 percent and 48 percent, respectively) and local routine trips for appointments or groceries, reported by 45 percent of respondents. For older adults, those 65 years and older, this list changes slightly, with the top reported problem reported as don’t know how to ride transit (15 percent). The next most common problem for this group was long-distance trips for medical care (14 percent) and difficulty with reservations for demand response services (14 percent). Figure 24: Transportation Challenges Transit riders reported local routine trips for appointments or groceries (30 percent) as the most common transportation problem they faced this past year. This was followed closely by getting to jobs or shift on public transit (28 percent). The next top reported problems were lack of safe sidewalks and bike paths/lanes (19 percent) and transit trips take longer than my capacity to travel (19 percent). Full responses broken down by age group and transit ridership are available in Appendix E. Spanish-speaking respondents reported that their top challenges were transit trips take longer than individual’s ability to travel (77 percent) and local routine trips for appointments or 15% 23% 25% 27% 30% 35% 39% 45% 48% 49% 82% 74% 71% 68% 65% 64% 56% 55% 51% 45% 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100% On-demand reservations due to lack of address Need travel aide/escort Making on-demand reservations Unable to pay for transportation Getting to job/shift on public transit Long-distance medical trips Don't know how to ride transit Local routine trips for appts/grocery Transit trips longer than ability to travel Lack of safe sidewalks or bike paths/lanes Have You Experienced These Problems in the Last Year? N= 623 Yes No 98 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 76 2 3 6 6 7 8 9 9 9 11 12 16 18 19 31 31 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Other Transit information Connectivity, transfers Bike riding concerns Dial-A-Ride issues Fares and affordability Occasional transit need Bus stop amenities, issues Rail issues Public transit safety Pedestrian issues Transit accessibility COVID-related Streets and traffic Frequency, schedules, etc. Transit coverage Other Transportation-Related Problems (Open-Ended Question) N=166 groceries (58 percent). Mid-range challenges were long-distance trips for medical care and unable to pay for transportation, both reported as a challenge by 39 percent of Spanish- speaking respondents. When asked an open-ended question about other transportation-related problems they’ve experienced in the past year, 166 respondents commented (Figure 25). Responses that were not relevant or unintelligible were not included in the following counts. The highest number of comments related to public transit frequencies, scheduling, trip length and on-time arrival and issues of transit coverage. Detailed comments are provided in Appendix E. About Mobility Improvements Respondents were asked about a limited number of mobility improvements that could be helpful to them (Figure 26). Members of the general public were reported that the most helpful service improvement would be more or enhanced mileage reimbursement programs, with over half (57 percent) rating this as very helpful. A carshare program with an affordable rental rate followed closely with (56 percent) rating this as very helpful. Trip planning information was rated as helpful by more than one-third (34 percent) of respondents. Figure 25: Other Transportation-Related Challenges 99 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 77 3 5 5 6 6 6 9 12 12 37 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Safety improvements Transit information Rail improvements COVID-related Carshare program Bike improvements Pedestrian improvements Affordability Alt + specialized transit Transit improvements Other Improvements that Will Be Helpful to You (Open-Ended Question) N= 110 Figure 26: Transportation-Related Improvements More than 100 respondents addressed an open-ended question about other improvements that would help them. Comments most frequently cited were: § public transportation improvements; § availability of alternative and specialized transit programs and rideshare programs; and § affordability, bus passes, vouchers and other fare assistance. Comments that were not relevant or unintelligible were not included in Figure 27 counts. Detailed comments are provided in Appendix E. 66% 25% 21% 24% 19% 22% 10% 56% 57% 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70% Trip planning information for best transit option Carshare program with affordable rental More/enhanced mileage reimbursement programs How Helpful Would This Transportation Service Improvement Be for You? N= 575 Very Helpful Somewhat Helpful Not Helpful Figure 27: Other Transportation-Related Improvements 100 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 78 Overview of E-Survey Findings Most agency respondents address their clients’ mobility challenges through an array of programs. These range from providing information and referrals about transportation services, reimbursing clients for mileage driven and administering their own transportation programs. Agency respondents report that significant proportions of their clients face difficulties getting to local routine trips for appointments/grocery store, lack resources to pay for transportation and long-distance medical trips. Nearly half of general public respondents reported challenges due to the lack of safe sidewalks and bike paths/lanes, transit trips taking longer than their ability to travel and traveling for local routine trips for appointments or groceries. Another top concern for transit riders included getting to jobs or shifts on public transit, while older adults were concerned about not knowing how to ride transit, traveling for long-distance trips for medical care and difficulty with reservations for demand response services. Agency and general public respondents were most interested in mileage reimbursement programs as a transportation service improvement. Summary of Mobility Needs, Gaps and Opportunities Outreach Phases I and II provided a wealth of detail, returned from qualitative and quantitative data gathering. This concluding section identifies the areas that Coordinated Plan strategies should address, to build upon the existing public transportation network, and to improve and expand mobility choices for the Plan’s target groups of older adults, persons with disabilities and persons of low income. These groups also include military veterans, persons who are medically compromised, persons experiencing homelessness, youth attending college and children. Mobility Need Themes 1. Public transit provides vital links to the Coordinated Plan’s target groups and continuing investment in this network Countywide is of benefit. § Riverside County’s public transportation network meets many existing travel needs. Among the e-survey public transit respondents, 31 percent are public transit users. § Improvements to public transit, in terms of coverage and frequency, were the top two- ranked transportation comments made by e-survey respondents. § Improvements called out for current transit services in Riverside County include: o Improvement of service frequency and speed of travel on transit is important. o Expansion and maintenance of bus stops, including updated schedule information, is important to transit users needing shelter from sun, a seat or current information. 101 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 79 o Continued attention to transit affordability with low-cost, discounted fares and fare subsidy for vulnerable groups is valued. o Continued need for earliest morning and later evening service was expressed on behalf of warehouse shift workers and community college students. o Affordability of public transit remains a critical issue for certain groups, including lowest income travelers and youth. o Special purpose shuttles, such as Palo Verde Valley’s Community College Shuttle, can address some trip needs outside the core operating hours or even basic service area. 2. Unique travel challenges exist for consumers that are not readily addressed by public transit while specialized transportation meets some mobility needs that public transit cannot. § The Office on Aging’s Countywide Area Plans have recorded transportation as among the top-five ranked needs, for over five years. § More than six in 10 consumers face problems around 1) local, routine trips to the grocery store, 2) making long-distance medical trips, and 3) lack of resources to pay for transportation. § Where people live, some at distances from the public transportation network or on dirt roads, impacts their ability to use the existing transit network. § Specialty needs exist among many vulnerable individuals that negatively impact their abilities to use public transport, placing continued importance on ADA-complementary paratransit and upon specialized transportation programs. § Agency e-survey respondents report that significant proportions of their clients face difficulties making local routine trips, including to the grocery store for 30 percent of e- survey respondents. § “Trip-chaining” is difficult on public transit where multiple trips are associated with a single outing, such as medical appointments and then pharmacy stops. § Almost nine in 10 (87 percent) of e-survey consumer respondents saw value in mileage reimbursement of trips for persons who cannot drive themselves, need an escort for door- through-door assistance or who have other mobility challenges. 3. Long-distance trips are difficult to make on public transit; some specialized transportation programs can assist. § E-survey agency respondents identified long-distance medical trips as a recurring challenge — to varying degrees — for more than 90 percent of their consumers and 35 percent of consumers indicated they had had transport difficulties with this trip during the past year. 102 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 80 § Large tertiary hospitals in the region draw trips, and patients, from across Riverside County — University Medical Center and in Loma Linda, the Veterans Administration Hospital and the University of Loma Linda Medical Center. § Specialty medical facilities, including in San Diego and Los Angeles counties, draw patients from throughout Riverside County. § Community college students often travel considerable distances to secure classes needed for their degrees. § There are some predictable travel corridors to these regional destinations, but riders’ schedules and patient appointments make efficient, cost-effective transportation difficult. § Multiple specialized transportation programs are providing these long-distance trips and it is a high priority of the TRIP mileage reimbursement program. 4. Sustaining and expanding specialized transportation will help to meet particular trip needs, for existing and anticipated mobility requirements. § Several Measure A specialized transportation providers report multiple “turned-down” trips weekly although waiting lists and the like are not generally maintained. § Operating and capital funding support is needed by human service agencies that frequently do not have transportation support from their primary fund sources. § Human service agencies commonly operate aging vehicles, well beyond their useful life, as they have been unable to afford replacing them. Accessible vehicles are needed. § Supporting human service agency vehicle fleets increasingly requires attention to garaging and security expense. § New mobility concepts — and continued support to existing services — could involve: o meeting earliest morning and late-night shift changes; o continued mileage reimbursement for long-distance medical trips; o targeted testing of car share programs; o expanded agricultural commute services, strengthening partnership with CalVans and SolVans and exploring new partnerships with Van y Vienen; o gas vouchers may offer be a solution for some situations; and o microtransit applications, including user-side subsidy discounts on Uber and Lyft, may have some application for Coordinated Plan target groups, but affordability and accessibility concerns exist. 5. Effective information strategies to Coordinated Plan populations will involve combinations of human service agency personnel, technology and traditional communication methods. § Among human services agencies and educational institutions, staff may connect their consumers with available transportation. 103 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 81 § More than half (54 percent) of e-survey agency respondents assist riders with trip planning and more to connect with public transit. § Staff of interviewed agencies report some — but limited — use of technology in getting transportation information to consumers; staff are reporting being uncertain about how to get current information and not being familiar with technology tools of Google Transit and the Transit app. § Ongoing creative messaging strategies to communicate transportation are particularly important to underserved and non-English speaking communities. § Information and referral programs are in place in multiple human service systems maintaining some transportation information; however, there are few mechanisms to ensure that its accuracy or that consumers are directed to technology assists, such as Google Transit and the Transit app. § The new two-county 211 collaboration between Community Connect and 211 San Bernardino holds promise as another source for integrated transit information for human service agency clientele. § Some large human services systems, notably Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, has the TRIP program on its website and understands it to be a critical resource for its In-home Supportive Employment aides who assist medically fragile, isolated persons with disabilities or very old residents of Riverside County. § Agency staff report heavily expanded use of social media, in response to the pandemic, with use of Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (and other social media) varying by age group and population. § Traditional printed materials and emailed newsletters, among other long-standing tools, remain important to convey transit information. 6. Infrastructure needs impact the safe travel of transit users, pedestrians and bicyclists. § Nearly half of e-survey general public respondents reported challenges due to the lack of safe sidewalks and bike paths, among other travel difficulties. § Poor and nonexistent sidewalks exist in many areas of the County and require attention. § Two in 10 e-survey respondents identified the lack of safe sidewalks and bike paths/bike lanes as important improvements to support safety and increase mobility. § Bus shelter improvements for benches, shelter and lighting bring safety and assurance to vulnerable transit users. § Bicycles are in use by students and low-income workers to extend bus trips and to provide important mobility; however, high summer temperatures place limits on bicycle travel and underscore the importance of an expansive bus network. 104 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 82 7. Coordination among transit services and other human service programs happens at modest levels; there is interest and opportunity for expanded relationships. § Aggressive outreach that is coordinated with community-based organizations is important, using “trusted messengers” or bridge communicators to identify needs, to build responsive services and to grow transit use. § Informal coordination between public transit and human service agencies does happen but could be strengthened, in a focus to rebuild transit ridership. § Coordination among human service agency transportation providers is also informal, and provider agencies indicate they could benefit and learn from one another through increased dialogue. § Larger systems, such as the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, used to provide TRIP mileage reimbursement program information to caretakers and sees value in incorporating that again; the Office on Aging regularly communicates about the TRIP program to its consumers. § There is an emerging coordination role for 211, as Riverside and San Bernardino information Call Centers merge. 105 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 83 Table 20: Coordinated Plan Goals and Strategies Chapter 5. Goals and Strategies Introduction This chapter presents four goals, 20 supporting strategies and dozens of potential projects responsive to these Coordinated Plan 2021 Update findings for improving mobility of target group members (Table 20). Multiple audiences will help to realize these initiatives, including public transit operators, vanpool and rideshare programs, specialized transportation providers, human service organizations and public agencies. 106 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 84 Goal 1: Build a More Responsive, Sustainable Public Transit Network Public transit that is responsive to older adults, persons with disabilities and persons of low income — that is reliable and well-funded — will ensure a network that supports travel within and between communities in this large County. This goal also recognizes public transportation’s role in supporting the environment as the industry works toward zero-emissions fuel status. Goal 1’s six strategies here seek to: § Build a more responsive network. § Ensure it has sufficient funding to grow with this County, which anticipates 10 percent more population, to 2.7 million, by 2030. The primary audiences of Goal 1 strategies are public transit operators, administrators and policy makers. There are roles and potential activities for other partners. Riverside County’s public transportation network includes the bus and paratransit operators, Metrolink rail services and RCTC’s Commuter Assistance vanpool and rideshare programs. Strategies 1.1 Address essential worker trip needs. Context This strategy is an outgrowth of patterns of travel and trip needs of essential workers that have become clearer as a result of the pandemic. While transit ridership fell off, dropping to 60 percent and more of its former levels, not all persons stopped riding. People who needed to get to work — at hospitals, grocery stores, distribution centers and more — have continued to travel and continued to use public transit. We heard — and saw in the demographic analyses — that riders and potential riders often live at considerable distances from their jobs. Target group members are traveling from where affordable housing is available to where the jobs are and often these are at a distance. That trips on transit took too long was the response by 48 percent of general public e-survey respondents. Making local trips was identified as a challenge by 45 percent of e-survey respondents and a majority of agency personnel, suggesting a range of concerns regarding transit service availability, as well as uneven knowledge of existing services. Vanpool and rideshare are important alternatives where a transit solution is not viable, although COVID-19 impacts upon commuting are still to be understood. 107 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 85 Potential Projects Routes serving densities of Coordinated Plan target group riders will benefit by: § Providing more direct routes to speed transit trips. § Establishing limited stop routes that provide faster transit trips over distance. § Increasing frequencies on existing lines, as funding allows. § Ensuring reliable connections between routes (connecting routes to other bus systems) between mode (bus and rail). § Expanding vanpool and rideshare options, through a Countywide Transportation Demand Management program that provides some time-limited cash incentives to new vanpool riders. 1.2 Grow ridership. Context We need to rebuild public transportation ridership. Trips have fallen for all of Riverside County’s public transportation services — bus, rail, vanpool and rideshare — but we anticipate rebounding use during COVID-19 recovery time periods. Among e-survey respondents who had used transit, 72 percent said they would definitely return to transit, 20 percent said they will return but may wait awhile and only 1 percent said they will not use rail again. Rebuilding public transportation ridership includes a clear focus on Coordinated Plan target populations, particularly low-income essential workers. Equally important is preparing for continuing population growth that will include more older Riverside County residents. § One in five (21.9 percent) County residents live in poverty, according to most recent ACS information (2018 1-Year Estimates), likely increasing in the wake of the pandemic’s economic impacts. § The County’s population overall is expected to grow by 10.3 percent over the coming decade to 2030, adding 255,000 persons to total more than 2.7 million residents. § Older adults over the age of 70 are projected to increase from 11.1 percent of the population in 2020 to 14.3 percent in 2030, and then 17.1 percent in 2040. Older adults ages 60-69 are projected to increase to 36,268 in 2030, an increase of 14.5 percent. § An expansive transportation network exists in Riverside County, but during outreach, stakeholders reported uneven awareness of where services are or how to access these. Growing ridership requires an informed ridership and informed human service agency personnel and other gatekeepers. 108 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 86 Potential Projects As resources allow, projects can support: § Increasing frequencies of bus service where there are densities of riders, to carry more passenger trips. § On the heaviest routes, securing larger buses, including articulated buses, to increase capacity served. § Continuing to integrate passenger promotion and communications regarding service changes and modifications, using the widest range of communication channels to connect with Coordinated Plan target populations. § Continuing to add Saturday, weekend services and later night or earlier morning services will support workers traveling to warehouse and second-/third-shift jobs. § Continuing to promote IE511.org rideshare incentives and subsidies to Coordinated Plan populations can improve mobility of the lowest income workers with common corridors of travel. 1.3 Promote mobility innovations and use of technology, seeking funding to support these. Context Majorities of riders and potential riders reported in the e-survey that they are using technology to find their way to public transit, through websites and smartphone apps. However, uneven awareness of transit exists across the board. Four in 10 e-survey respondents (39 percent) do not know how to use transit in their area and multiple agency personnel interviewed are unaware of Google Transit’s trip planner, nor how to advise students or clients on how to use available transit. Promotion of the expanded Regional Rideshare System through IE511.org will expand the number of matches for carpools and vanpools available to long-distance commuters. Potential Projects Customer-facing technologies to promote include: § Fare payment, such as Token Transit and the Transit app, along with trip planning information of the Transit app and Google Transit. § Real-time bus and Metrolink Train Tracker information that improves the rider experience. § Accessible Transit app features that provide Spanish-language information or auditory messages for the visually impaired. Other potential project areas include: § Exploring other technology-based innovations, including use of on-demand microtransit with its trip-ordering apps for settings where this service mode can be successful. 109 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 87 § Expanding rideshare opportunities by continuing to develop — and then promote — the Regional Rideshare System stretching across four counties of Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange and Los Angeles. Grant funding and discretionary funding opportunities should be sought at every opportunity to promote customer-facing technology that connects riders with available transportation services. 1.4 Promote alternative fuel innovations, while seeking new funding. Context As we seek to address climate change and the impacts of deleterious greenhouse gases on the environment, California is leading the way. And specifically, public transportation providers are leading through the Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) regulation promulgated by the California Air Resources Board. This requirement of 100 percent zero emission vehicles by 2040 is not inexpensive but will help to bring along other industries and other areas. SunLine Transit Agency has long provided leadership in this area, over decades, with its development and use of hydrogen fuel cells and electric fuel prototypes as alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuels. Potential Projects Transit operators and other public agencies will be pursuing alternative fuel innovations as they work to comply with the rules of the ICT. These include efforts supported by a range of fund sources, some known and others still to be developed. Actions include: § Developing ICT zero emission implementation plans by time frames that are consistent with ICT rules and agency size. § Continuing to monitor zero emission vehicle (ZEV) developments in this fast-changing environment. § Exchanging information with other operators within the County about the operational experiences of implementing ZEV. § Communicating steadily with the public, including Coordinated Plan target groups, about alternative fuel implementation and its implications for the rider. § Pursuing grant funding and discretionary funding opportunities at every opportunity to secure, implement and then promote zero emission fuel technology. § Monitoring ICT rule development, by RCTC, to identify implications for specialized transportation providers and to provide information and technical assistance to them, as appropriate. 1.5 Promote multimodal connections. Context Stakeholder interviews communicated the importance of effective bus-to-bus and bus-to-rail connections for the rider. This means that these connections are well-timed, making it easy for the rider to travel distances. Outreach findings included many references to long-distance travel 110 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 88 needs that necessitated connections, usually for medical trip purposes and certainly to the large regional hospitals. Connections to other services, on either end of the trip, must work well to support long-distance travel. Good connectivity between modes remains important, as with the new feeder service into the Perris Valley Metrolink line, where some riders use Metrolink services to travel distances between home and work. Planning for future Coachella Rail services must continue to consider effective connections to bus transit. Potential Projects § Ensuring that transfer analyses and connectivity topics are addressed in Short Range Transit Plan processes and in the development of longer-term Comprehensive Operational Analyses. § Ensuring the integrity of connections when interim changes are made to bus schedules and that good bus-to-rail connections are protected. § Coordinating among Riverside County transit operators or out-of-county operators where lines terminate at key destinations and riders’ trips are likely to continue. § Protecting bike-to-bus connections by ensuring sufficient, well-maintained bike racks on buses that enable and support first-mile/last-mile bike trips. 1.6 Ensure safety and security. Context During Coordinated Plan stakeholder interviews conducted in the late spring of 2020, still early in the COVID-19 pandemic, there was much discussion of ensuring safety of both riders and drivers related to cleaning surfaces, necessary PPE and masks. As understanding of the novel coronavirus developed, safety practices expanded to focus on air flow, air filters and other strategies in a continuing COVID-19 environment. At this time of writing, safety and security now encompasses riders’ perception and understanding of “clean,” of developing knowledge about what keeps us safe and of transportation providers’ responses to that evolving understanding. Potential Projects The APTA Health and Safety Seal of Commitment assures common, high-level cleaning standards adaptable to transit agencies of various sizes. Agencies continue to grapple with social distancing and other policies, to determine what to do and how to communicate agency decisions. RTA and SunLine have adopted this Seal and current policy sends out additional buses when vehicle loads get too high, to support social distancing, among other actions. Safety and security also means: § Ensuring and expanding lighting at bus stops. § Supporting safety on-board buses, with practices that range from effective cleaning and face coverings to on-board cameras and more. 111 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 89 § Installing Metrolink train enhancements related to air flow on-board train cars. § Communicating effectively about cleaning, safety and related practices to riders, stakeholders and gatekeepers and to the general public, using all available communications tools and media to assure riders of safe and secure public transport trips. Goal 2: Strengthen Specialized Transportation Options Unique travel challenges exist for some consumers that are not necessarily addressed by public transit, bus and rail services. Consumer groups experiencing challenges range from community college students, youth with disabilities to transitional-aged youth moving out of foster care. They include persons grappling with homelessness, including adults with behavioral health difficulties, those with chronic or acute illnesses, which may require specialty treatments, frail elderly persons or those who speak English with difficulty. They may be elder Tribal residents, traveling largely about the reservation or to off-reservation medical facilities. Such groups and the trip needs they present can require alternative transportation modes, with services that recognize individuals’ unique requirements. These four strategies are directed largely to human service transportation providers. Multiple specialized transportation programs exist in Riverside County, including 22 in Western Riverside’s Measure A program and a half-dozen FTA 5310 supported programs operating elsewhere in the County. Community-based organizations and some public agencies report that these and other programs are planning for growth, expanded facilities and anticipating more trip needs. Some were already engaged in serving new trip types, in responding to food insecurities on behalf of Riverside County residents and addressing early indicators of increased homelessness all related to the pandemic and its fallout. Strategies 2.1 Promote operations and capital support for specialized transportation. Context Specialty transportation needs among many vulnerable riders range widely and are detailed in Chapter 4. Such needs relate to distances of trips, the times of travel, the need for escort or assistance at the destination and more. Many are being addressed by the County’s specialized transportation providers and programs. But these programs do not have defined, predictable funding sources in the manner of public transportation providers’ funding base. Funding support for specialized transportation programs remains critical as most have very limited alternative funding. 112 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 90 Potential Projects This strategy encompasses: § Supporting funding for nonprofit and public agency specialized transportation programs: for operations, for replacement of aging vehicles, for adding new, accessible vehicles and for ensuring program safety and facility security. § Continuing RCTC administration of the Western Riverside Measure A Specialized Transportation Program at the best possible funding levels to fund responsive, cost- effective and quality programs. § Actively promoting the availability of the FTA 5310 Elderly and Persons with Disabilities Transportation Program to encourage additional 5310 grant applications, with RCTC attention to a quality assurance role to help build strong, competitive applications competing in this state-wide funding pot. § Encouraging application to any new specialized transportation fund sources — as with the Palo Verde Valley’s successful experience with the Blythe Wellness Express, an FTA Rides- to-Wellness funded program. § Encouraging Measure A and 5310 Program grantees to participate in RCTC’s Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council, open to the general public, to remain informed about developing RCTC policy and funding opportunities of relevance to these programs. 2.2 Grow capacity on specialized transport programs using technology and other tools, anticipating continued population growth. Context Riverside County’s population will grow 10 percent by 2030. Older adult populations are increasing Countywide, particularly those older than age 70. These elders, growing low-income and homeless populations, along with persons with disabilities, will have some specialized mobility requirements. Finding funding and determining ways in which to grow capacity of existing services becomes ever-more critical. This will include embracing technology and other tools that can grow the productive use of existing specialized transportation services. Potential Projects This strategy supports increasing the number of trips provided via: § Using technology to increase efficiency, including dynamic scheduling of advance reservation trips to improve productivity. § Exploring coordination to provide more trips to more people. § Expanding vehicle fleets; look at the number and type of vehicles in use. § Increasing the number of drivers. 113 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 91 2.3 Address long-distance trip needs. Context Difficulty making long-distance trips was a frequently cited need by about half of e-survey consumer respondents and most of the interviewed or surveyed stakeholder agencies. Long trips include those to large, regional medical care services in various areas of Riverside County and crossing county lines to Loma Linda University Children’s’ Hospital and the Loma Linda Veterans Administration in neighboring San Bernardino County and to other specialized medical services in San Diego County and Los Angeles County. This strategy encourages emphasis on serving long-distance trips that cannot be met on existing services by developing applications for FTA 5310 funding, applications to the Western Riverside Measure A Call for Projects and other specialized transportation fund sources, as these develop. It also encourages actively promoting information about existing public transit that travels to locations such as the Loma Linda hospitals, served by SunLine’s CommuterLink 10 from the Coachella Valley and RTA’s Route 14 from the Downtown Riverside Transit Center. Potential Projects This strategy supports increasing the number of long-distance trips provided via: § Providing priority attention in specialized transportation funding to projects that support long-distance trips. § Encouraging a breadth of project types to address long-distance trips, including information projects about existing regional public transit routes, mileage reimbursement for escort-based trip-making and demand response or other specialized transportation services that can provide individualized or small group long-distance trips. § Aggressively promoting multiple fund sources to support long-distance trips, e.g., Western Riverside Measure A, FTA Section 5310 and other discretionary fund sources. § Providing technical assistance support, within available resources, to ensure the competitiveness of grant applications from Riverside County in state and federal offerings. § Ensuring that rideshare information for carpool, vanpool and CalVans is available to Coordinated Plan target groups who are commuting distances to jobs. 2.4 Promote mobility innovations to address unique travel needs, including first- mile/last-mile solutions. Context There was interest among community-based agency stakeholders and some e-survey respondents in expanding the type of specialized transportation services available, to embrace innovations in service mode or technology enhancements. 114 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 92 Potential Projects This strategy envisions mobility innovations that can include but are not at all limited to: § Continuing mileage reimbursement with volunteer escort drivers. § Providing user-side subsidy services to provide on-demand taxis or Uber and Lyft trips. § Developing carshare programs and pilot programs in select areas. § Expanding ridesharing projects, such as Van y Vienen electric vehicle ridesharing. § Expanding commuter options for low-income workers, such as CalVans and SolVans. § Developing, expanding and promoting bike share and active transportation projects. Goal 3: Equitably Distribute Transportation Resources A recognition of public transit’s importance in the lives of persons of color and persons of low income has been revealed by the pandemic. And national events in 2020 related to racial justice have surfaced questions and dialogue about the allocation of transportation resources. Equitably distributing transportation services among unserved and underserved persons is ever-more important as we recognize the outsized role that public transit plays in the lives of essential workers and those with essential trips and no other means of transport. Public transit — in recent decades — has instead placed an emphasis on commuter trips and on “choice” riders, sometimes at the expense of service to populations with the greatest need and fewest choices. Some rebalancing of transit is called for, across the industry. Rebalancing transit resources requires actively identifying communities of color, of lowest income and of limited-English proficiency to secure input from them and with them to determine how best to address unmet or undermet mobility needs. This is about aggressively identifying densities of riders with the greatest mobility need and developing meaningful responses. Goal 3 and its five strategies focus on mobility decision-making: to consider impacts and to distribute resources with attention to the requirements of vulnerable communities and riders within our region. This goal is directed to a breadth of audiences: transit operators, human service systems, agency spokespersons, community-based trusted messengers and RCTC. Selected topics are within the purview of municipalities, including public works departments, and private- sector contractors and builders. Strategies 3.1 Ensure proactive outreach to vulnerable populations. Context Meaningful engagement with Coordinated Plan target groups, including underserved and under- represented communities, requires active approaches. Simply calling public hearings at times convenient to administrators is now recognized as inadequate, incomplete outreach. Beyond outreach, actual engagement requires thoughtful, multifaceted opportunities for communication 115 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 93 and exchange. Where this is locally initiated or led, it is more likely to be meaningful engagement, as Safe Routes to Schools efforts through school districts and local schools has demonstrated. Direct communication with target communities and in continuing ways is most likely to lead to successful projects. Audiences include RCTC and the public transit operators. They also include the larger human service agencies and organizations that interact with their consumers around transportation. Potential Projects This strategy’s activities embrace well-rounded outreach and public engagement, by: § Working through trusted messengers. § Communicating prior to decision-making. § Encouraging participation by community members in outreach, including providing monetary incentives, where possible, to recognize participation in focus groups or other input opportunities. § Encouraging locally led coalitions that are issue-focused or geographically based. § Providing for continuing dialogue with these communities and further input opportunities. § Reporting on outcomes as a result of what is heard. § Ensuring language access and inclusivity, communicating in the native languages of vulnerable communities and neighborhoods. § Ensuring input through multiple strategies that include meeting and survey input and non- traditional methods, such as paying participants for focus group participation. § Continuing to build RCTC contact lists and stakeholder databases that are inclusive of representatives of unserved and underserved populations within Riverside County. 3.2 Identify pandemic transit use patterns to understand new or more clearly revealed trip needs. Context Transit ridership during the pandemic revealed communities and individuals with the greatest need for public transportation. An examination of origins, destinations and the travel characteristics during this period can help to focus resources and resource allocation in ways that will enhance racial and social equity. Potential Projects Experiences of pandemic ridership on public transportation — including bus, rail and vanpool — should be documented and memorialized to help inform future decision-making. This includes detailing essential worker trip patterns and corridors, the times of travel made or requested by these workers, and the existing or new destinations to which they traveled. 116 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 94 3.3 Establish social and racial equity frameworks for transportation planning and resource allocation. Context Even within public transit, which has a focus on persons who are transportation disadvantaged, there can be disparity in the allocation of resources supporting the longer-distance commuter over the short-trip, local traveler. The pandemic has revealed that to those often on the lowest income ladders, essential workers and others, transit is of critical importance. Potential Projects This strategy proposes development of formal policy — an equity framework — against which to assess policy and operations decisions. Public transit operators and human service programs can develop policy and practices consistent with a social and racial equity framework appropriate to their service delivery system. Examples include: § For Los Angeles Metro’s Equity Platform,5 the agency developed a Metro Rapid Equity Assessment Tool.6 This five-question tool seeks to identify the impacts — positive or negative — of any proposed policy or action on vulnerable communities, including older adults, persons with disabilities, persons of color or low-income residents. The Platform and the Equity Assessment Tool formalize a review of decisions and their impacts, in advance of making these decisions. § The Greenlining Institute has developed a framework that includes community needs assessment, mobility equity analyses and community decision-making.7 It recognizes broader impact arenas, including the environment and can scale to smaller environments or larger regions. § Seattle area’s King County Metro has created its Mobility Framework to guide policy and practice, as it envisions transit-supporting livable communities, a thriving economy and a sustainable environment.8 Its multifaceted framework recognizes that social and racial injustices exist within public transportation resource allocation and service planning and seeks to address these. RCTC, with its public transit operators, is encouraged to develop a formal racial and equity framework, to guide transit decision-making. 5 Los Angeles Metro Board Report describing its Equity Platform – https://boardagendas.metro.net/board-report/2017-0912/ 6 Los Angeles Metro Rapid Equity Assessment Tool as described by the Recovery Task Force — http://media.metro.net/2020/Recovery-Task-Force-Powerpoint.pdf 7 Mobility Equity Framework: How to Make Transportation Work for People. Creager, H.; Espino, J; Sanchez, A. Greenlining Institute. March 2018. 8 King County Metro Mobility Framework — https://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/about/planning/mobility-framework.aspx 117 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 95 3.4 Expand affordability strategies to improve mobility. Context We heard from stakeholder interviews and from consumers themselves that the price of a bus fare is sometimes difficult — for youth and students, including transitional youth coming out of foster placement, for those coming out of homelessness and for workers in single-car households and more. Early indications of the negative economic impacts of the pandemic suggest that fare affordability challenges will only continue. Potential Projects Strategies recognizing fare difficulties of riders and potential riders have been in place for some time in Riverside County and will continue to include: § RTA’s $0.25 fare and then free fares to college students, as part of their Student Pass Program, has been a successful, highly appreciated program, funded through the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP). § SunLine developed a free Student Pass Program, also LCTOP funded, in collaboration with the College of the Desert. § Western Riverside County’s TAP program, a Measure A program administered by 211 Riverside Connect, has been important to the distribution of free fares to targeted riders. § Other transit-related projects can include fares discounts, fare capping and free bus ticket distribution, as resources allow. § Gasoline cards have addressed affordability challenges in areas where there is neither a transit solution nor the likelihood of one developing. Issues of eligibility and trip purpose would need to be addressed, as well as the scale and sustainability of any proposed program. 3.5 Target for enhancement and expansion of those bus stops, shelters, stations and transfer locations that will improve accessibility for Coordinated Plan target populations. Context For Coordinated Plan target populations — older adults, persons with disabilities, persons of low income, other vulnerable groups — a bus bench, good lighting and protection from sun and wind are very important in our County’s desert communities and neighborhoods. Physical accessibility, including for persons in wheelchairs or using mobility devices, ensuring good, clear “paths of access” to bus stops and within and near transit centers remains important. Potential Projects This strategy promotes targeting for enhancement of transit amenities that are within or adjacent to vulnerable communities, such as seniors’ residential neighborhoods, or at locations that 118 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 96 otherwise serve these riders. Enhancements to the built-environment to promote access, safety and comfort will include: § Placing new or additional benches. § Adding bus stop shelters to provide protection from the sun. § Establishing lighting. § Ensuring continued physical accessibility for those using mobility devices to all stops and stations, including attention to “paths of access.” § Continuing to enhance Metrolink stations with additional sun and wind protection. Goal 4: Grow Public Transportation Awareness to Rebuild Ridership Rebuilding public transit ridership and growing awareness of public and specialized transportation services requires an active information network. This network necessitates the participation of many partners, particularly as the region, communities and households seek to recover from COVID-19 pandemic impacts. Goal 4 and its five strategies are directed to the breadth of audiences critical to promoting first awareness and then use of public transportation, including specialized transportation. These audiences include: § Transit provider call takers and dispatch, drivers and marketing personnel. § Human services personnel, case managers, social workers, education specialists and community-based organization gatekeepers. § Municipalities’ community services personnel. Strategies 4.1 Expand use of information technology, with an emphasis on customer-facing tools. Context Awareness of transit services was uneven, at best, in interviews with key Riverside County stakeholders, as has been previously discussed. Addressing this becomes a low-cost, low- hanging fruit activity, as it builds upon the considerable efforts already in place among transit providers within Riverside County. Each of the public transit operators provides the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data to Google to enable its trip planner functions. Other technologies now include Token Transit for payment, through the Transit app, along with other apps to display real-time bus arrival and are now widespread across Riverside County. 119 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 97 However, more directed attention will ensure that information is spread more widely into education and human services environments and, through them, into the hands and smartphones of riders and potential riders. Potential Projects This strategy encourages such activities as: § Maintaining up-to-date GTFS, GTFS-Realtime and GTFS-Flex to facilitate accurate transit information that is available to riders and potential riders through Google Transit and other standardized Trip Planning apps. § Using and promoting touchless fare payment (e.g., Token Transit, Transit app) and real- time bus arrival information apps to enhance the traveler experience. § Promoting demand response scheduling software that includes customer-facing “Where’sMyRide” type apps and notifications. § Transit agencies providing website “badges” to human services organizations and Tribal representatives to directly link transit websites and up-to-date transit information. § Human service and education organizations promoting transit prominently on their websites, through web badges and links, to encourage and support their clientele with current transit information. § RCTC maintaining a technology focus in its own communications about public transit by promoting implemented technologies via its Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council (CSTAC) and in its public information messaging. 4.2 Promote “teaching” use of transit information technology. Context For first-time transit users, for riders who have ceased riding during the pandemic and for frail elderly or others with compromised health conditions, using public transit is daunting. Similarly, the increased focus on technology is difficult for some members of the Coordinated Plan’s target groups. Eighty percent of e-survey human service agency respondents expressed some level of concern about lack of understanding of transit services while 89 percent indicated that more trip planning information would be helpful. An active, integrated information network will benefit from teaching and instruction roles in various settings. Potential Projects Projects can include: § Educating human services personnel working with Coordinated Plan populations in the use of Google Transit and other transit apps and tools will help connect potential riders with transportation, potentially: 120 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 98 o Transit staff meeting once or annually with larger and mid-sized human services managers/ case workers to ensure that they have the knowledge needed to assist their clients with trip planning. § Considering new, technology-focused Transit Ambassadors, building upon the purple- shirted Metrolink personnel who met riders at Metrolink stations to help guide them through the fare payment machine and train schedules, potentially: o Technology Transit Ambassadors could participate, in a post-COVID-19 world, in fairs, outreach events and broader community meetings to promote transit and information technology access to public transit. § Continuing to use technology tools to communicate with Coordinated Plan target groups who may themselves continue some level of technology-based communication, even beyond COVID-19 recovery, for example, both transit agencies and RCTC planning periodic participation in the monthly, currently virtual, meetings of the Inland Empire Disabilities Collaborative. 4.3 Ensure communication with vulnerable populations embraces the broadest array of methods. Context We learned that during the pandemic many additional members of our communities became technology literate, initiating or increasing their use of technology to gain necessary information. But not all persons are technology-connected, due to advanced age, limited access to the Internet or the inability to purchase and pay for smartphone technology. Traditional information tools remain important. Potential Projects While the pandemic brought more households and individuals into technological communications, traditional printed transit schedules, call centers and newsletter communiques remain important. Projects will include, but should not be limited to: § Ensuring that printed transit schedules remain available and are kept current, reflecting transit service and policy changes, and ensure the continued distribution of these. § Informing about transit services at bus stops, bus shelters, train stations with posted schedules and posted times, as well as real-time information displays, as resources allow. § Providing to larger and mid-sized human services organizations, including Tribal organizations, regular public transit press releases or information releases about changes in fares and changes in service configuration or policies so that they can convey this to their clientele. Organizational partners can help communicate these changes in newsletters, at their own information and referral call centers and internal agency communiques. 121 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 99 4.4 Promote leadership and information exchange around transportation by RCTC and others. Context This goal and its strategies recognize that information exchange is the low-hanging fruit of regrowing public transportation ridership and attracting new, potential riders to help address their mobility needs. Some leadership around this will help to ensure effective information exchanges, ever-more important during this period of a changing transportation services landscape. Potential Projects This strategy proposes: § Promoting formal and informal coordination dialogue, through the CSTAC or as convened by RCTC to include: 1) public transit planning and operations organizations, 2) large public human service agencies (such as Office on Aging and Inland Regional Center and Department of Public Social Services) and 3) specialized transportation providers, including Measure A Specialized Transportation Program grantees. § Convening annual transportation summits directed to a range of audiences but seeking to expand awareness of transportation services and resources, geared to riders but also (or separately) geared to specialized transportation providers for organizational capacity- building purposes. The summits could entail: o Educating all participants about existing transportation resources — programs, services and technology tools. o Highlighting planned changes to the transportation network. o Encouraging participants to take an active role in promoting available transportation by providing them with information tools, for social media, website use and more. o Providing a forum for participants to provide feedback on the transportation network and voice the needs of their constituents. o Discussing grant cycles and opportunities, including forthcoming requests for letters of support. § Encouraging agency participation in statewide training opportunities through the Rural Technical Assistance Program (RTAP), CalACT, CTAA and others, making dues and membership expenses a legitimate line item for Measure A grant application budgets. § Expanding existing transit planning and decision-making committees to reflect Coordinated Plan target group members and to provide training to new participants to increase their effectiveness in these conversations. § Maintaining a database, probably held at RCTC, of key stakeholder organizations that touch the Coordinated Plan populations and of specific personnel within those organizations with an interest in and concern for mobility topics. 122 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 100 4.5 Develop regional transit information tools to facilitate long, cross-jurisdictional trips, particularly to medical facilities. Context A frequent and persistent need was heard from consumers and agency representatives alike for long-distance trips to regional, tertiary-care medical facilities. Services do exist to a number of these locations, including RTA and SunLine routes and the Blythe Wellness Express, among others, as well as the Independent Living Programs’ (ILP) mileage reimbursement program. Riders and agency personnel may be unaware of these. Directed information tools are indicated. Potential Projects Potential projects include: § Developing destination-specific information tools, as a printed guide and/or website page, to provide information about transportation services that allow target populations to travel between Riverside County’s far-flung communities and key regional medical facilities. § Including all transportation services, both public and specialized, along with information about how these services connect to serve trips throughout the County or beyond. 123 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 101 Chapter 6. Implementation Approach to Coordinated Plan Direction This concluding chapter presents an approach to addressing the mobility gaps identified on behalf of the multiple target groups of this Coordinated Plan 2021 Update. With the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing uncertainties surrounding recovery, changes in priority and in sequencing of activities are likely. The interest, willingness and ability of lead and supporting partners will also likely shift as the region moves through the immediate future, into the period of recovery and beyond. Developing Strategy Priorities A Countywide Open House RCTC hosted a Virtual Open House in October 2020 to share with participants the outreach findings and to present the direction suggested by these to improve mobility for target group persons. Posted on the Coordinated Plan website (www.RCTC.org/TransitWorkshop) were both English- and Spanish-language products from Phase 1 and Phase 2 outreach efforts. These were available prior to the October workshop. On October 27, 2020, RCTC and the consultant team hosted a Transportation Strategies workshop, a live Zoom presentation and discussion. The presentation included the key findings and the proposed strategies of response. Translated live into Spanish, there was some discussion with participants and further input offered. Comments addressed bus stop safety and amenities, and the critical need for transportation resources in Blythe. Some modification to the strategy language was developed based on this input. Detailed comments are provided in Appendix F. A recording of the live, bilingual workshop was posted on the project website. E-Survey Ranking of Strategies During the week of this Open House, visitors to the website could rank the 20 presented strategies. The results of this ranking process, coupled with input from RCTC on project feasibility and responsible parties, are presented in Table 21. Several open-ended comments were received expressing support for increased transit services, support for the TRIP Program and suggestions 124 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 102 for Strategies 1.1 and 1.2, 1.5 and strategies under Goal 2. These comments are available in Appendix F. Some modification of strategy language was made based on this input. Interested, Willing and Able Partners Given the breadth of project responses identified, and in light of the uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 recovery, it becomes critical to continue to identify partners and resources to move this Coordinated Plan, 2021 Update forward. Specifically, the priorities presented here must be championed by “interested, willing and able” parties throughout Riverside County, with leadership by the RCTC. Stakeholders who are “interested” in addressing the transportation concerns of their clientele, of a given constituency or of the general public can be considered key partners. A number of these agency representatives were identified through this Coordinated Plan process and include many interviewed during Phase I outreach. Stakeholders “willing” to move this Plan forward are those with sufficient organizational authority or where their organization mission overlaps with the direction of this Plan. And there are “able” stakeholders where they have the organizational capability and resources, or the resources can be newly identified, to move projects from concept through to implementation. Building such capacity and partnerships must be ongoing. It will require leadership and RCTC, as the oversight countywide agency, has initial leadership roles around this. But other entities also will be required to realize this Plan’s vision of expanded mobility. These entities range from public transit agencies, to human service agencies, to educational institutions, to municipalities and to sovereign Tribes. Many of these strategies will require securing additional funding, but not all. Together, through interested, willing and able partners, these projects will improve the mobility of consumers, students and Riverside County residents generally. Funding Coordinated Plan Strategies Various fund sources are available, or potentially available, to support these strategies, including: § Coordinated Plan funding sources specifically called out: The two primary fund sources for this Plan are federal FTA Section 5310 program and the local Western Riverside County Measure A Specialized Transportation Program. These programs both look to the Coordinated Plan for documentation of project need and for identification of responsive strategies in order to determine project eligibility. § Formula grants to the public transportation providers: Funding allocated by population, through the FTA, including Sections 5307, 5311 and 5339, may be used to support some Coordinated Plan projects where these align with agency spending plans, as well as California Transportation Development Act and State Transit assistance funding from collected retail sales taxes. 125 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 103 § Human services targeted fund sources: This Plan can support grant applications to municipalities for Community Development Block Grants, or Area Board on Aging for Older Americans Act funding, among others. § Federal discretionary transportation fund sources: This may include application to the FTA Section 5312 Public Transportation Innovation Program, as was successfully secured in a past cycle via the FTA’s Rides to Wellness program for the Blythe Wellness Express, the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility Initiatives (CCAM), and for small grants through the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center. § California discretionary transportation fund sources: This Plan can also support public transit applications for fund sources that are competitive through California Senate Bill 1; Low Carbon Transportation Operations Program or the Active Transportation Program (LCTOP); or for California Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Program (CMAQ) funding, among others. The creativity of agencies in seeking funds, as well as communication among key stakeholders about the potential availability of new funds, will be critical to funding strategies. It should be noted, however, that some strategies do not necessarily require substantial or any funding. For example, many Goal 4 information strategies rely upon information coordination and exchange, not necessarily funding, to be realized. Similarly, Goal 3’s equity strategies rely upon staff work and perhaps some reorientation of existing efforts to address equity concerns. Table 21 presents these and other factors in relation to each of this Coordinated Plan 2021’s four goals and 20 strategies. 126 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 104 Table 21: Coordinated Plan Strategies’ Prioritization and Implementation Matrix Goal Strategies Responsible Party, Lead Responsible Party, Support Priority Rating Goal 1: Build a More Responsive, Sustainable Public Transit Network 1.1 Address essential worker trip needs. Public transit operators RCTC High 1.2 Grow ridership. Public transit operators RCTC High 1.3 Promote mobility innovations and use of technology, seeking funding to support these. Public transit operators RCTC Moderate 1.4 Promote alternative fuel innovations, while seeking new funding. Public transit operators RCTC, other public agencies High 1.5 Promote multimodal connections. Public transit operators RCTC, other regional operators High 1.6 Ensure safety and security. Public transit operators RCTC, municipalities Moderate Goal 2: Strengthen Specialized Transportation Options 2.1 Promote operations and capital support for specialized transportation. RCTC with human service providers Moderate 2.2 Grow capacity on specialized transport programs, using technology and other tools to address continued population growth. RCTC with human service providers Public transit operators High 2.3 Address long-distance trips needs. Human service providers Public transit operators High 2.4 Promote mobility innovations to address unique travel needs, including first-mile/last-mile solutions. Human service providers Public transit operators Moderate 127 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 105 Table 21 Continued Goal Strategies Responsible Party, Lead Responsible Party, Support Priority Rating Goal 3: Equitably Distribute Transportation Resources 3.1 Ensure proactive outreach to vulnerable populations. RCTC and public transit providers High 3.2 Identify pandemic transit use patterns to understand new or more clearly revealed trip needs. Public transit providers Human service agencies High 3.3 Establish social and racial equity frameworks for transportation planning and resource allocation. All parties High 3.4 Expand affordability strategies. Public transit providers Human service agencies High 3.5 Target expansion and enhancement of bus stops, shelters, stations and transfer locations to improve accessibility for target populations. Public transit providers Municipalities Moderate Goal 4: Grow Public Transportation Awareness to Rebuild Ridership 4.1 Expand use of information technology, with emphasis on customer-facing tools. Public transit providers Human service agencies High 4.2 Promote “teaching” use of transit information technology. Public transit providers with human service agencies High 4.3 Ensure communication with vulnerable populations embraces the broadest array of methods. Public transit providers with human service agencies High 4.4 Promote leadership and information exchange around transportation by RCTC and others. RCTC Public transit providers High 128 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 PAGE 106 Appendices Appendix A: Regional Demographic Maps Appendix B: Inventory Matrix Appendix C: Historical Passenger Trips by Provider Appendix D: Countywide E-Survey Summary Reports Appendix E: Countywide E-Survey Open-Ended Responses Appendix F: Strategy Prioritization Public Input and Rankings 129 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 Appendix A: Regional Demographic Maps Table of Contents Figure 1, Map - Large Urbanized Areas - Western Riverside Region ............................................................................. 1 Figure 2, Map - Population - Western Riverside Region ................................................................................................ 2 Figure 3, Map - Older Adults - Western Riverside Region ............................................................................................. 3 Figure 4, Map - People with Disabilities - Western Riverside Region ............................................................................ 4 Figure 5, Map - Poverty - Western Riverside Region ..................................................................................................... 5 Figure 6, Map - Large Urbanized Areas - Coachella Valley Region ................................................................................ 6 Figure 7, Map - Population - Coachella Valley Region ................................................................................................... 7 Figure 8, Map - Older Adults - Coachella Valley Region ................................................................................................ 8 Figure 9, Map - People with Disabilities - Coachella Valley Region ............................................................................... 9 Figure 10, Map - Poverty - Coachella Valley Region .................................................................................................... 10 Figure 11, Map - Base Map - Palo Verde Valley Region ............................................................................................... 11 Figure 12, Map - Population - Palo Verde Valley Region ............................................................................................. 12 Figure 13, Map - Older Adults - Palo Verde Valley Region .......................................................................................... 13 Figure 14, Map - People with Disabilities - Palo Verde Valley Region ......................................................................... 14 Figure 15, Map - Poverty - Palo Verde Valley Region .................................................................................................. 15 130 74 60 7991371 15 215 Idyllwild-Pine Cove Mountain Center Lakeland Village Temescal Valley Home Gardens Meadowbrook Lake Riverside Moreno Valley Lake Mathews Warm Springs Jurupa Valley Cherry Valley French Valley Lake Elsinore Canyon Lake Mead Valley Green Acres Good Hope East Hemet San Jacinto Winchester March ARB Woodcrest Highgrove Homeland Valle Vista Beaumont Romoland Wildomar Lakeview Temecula Riverside El Cerrito Aguanga Calimesa Cabazon Murrieta Coronita Eastvale Banning Menifee Corona Hemet Hemet Nuevo Norco Perris Anza Idyllwild-Pine Cove Mountain Center Lakeland Village Temescal Valley Home Gardens Meadowbrook Lake Riverside Moreno Valley Lake Mathews Warm Springs Jurupa Valley Cherry Valley French Valley Lake Elsinore Canyon Lake Mead Valley Green Acres Good Hope East Hemet San Jacinto Winchester March ARB Woodcrest Highgrove Homeland Valle Vista Beaumont Romoland Wildomar Lakeview Temecula Riverside El Cerrito Aguanga Calimesa Cabazon Murrieta Coronita Eastvale Banning Menifee Corona Hemet Hemet Nuevo Norco Perris Anza WESTERN RIVERSIDE Murrieta-Temecula-Menifee Riverside-San Bernardino Hemet Large Urbanized Areas Major Roads Lakes Banning Connect/Beaumont Transit Corona Cruiser Riverside Transit Agency Sunline Transit Metrolink Redlands Passenger Rail Riverside County - Western Riverside RegionLarge Urbanized Areas Showing Public Fixed-Route Transit Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. A-10 5 10 mi 131 74 60 7991371 15 215 Idyllwild-Pine Cove Mountain Center Lakeland Village Temescal Valley Home Gardens Meadowbrook Lake Riverside Moreno Valley Lake Mathews Warm Springs Jurupa Valley Cherry Valley French Valley Lake Elsinore Canyon Lake Mead Valley Green Acres Good Hope East Hemet San Jacinto Winchester March ARB Woodcrest Highgrove Homeland Valle Vista Beaumont Romoland Wildomar Lakeview Temecula Riverside El Cerrito Aguanga Calimesa Cabazon Murrieta Coronita Eastvale Banning Menifee Corona Hemet Hemet Nuevo Norco Perris Anza Idyllwild-Pine Cove Mountain Center Lakeland Village Temescal Valley Home Gardens Meadowbrook Lake Riverside Moreno Valley Lake Mathews Warm Springs Jurupa Valley Cherry Valley French Valley Lake Elsinore Canyon Lake Mead Valley Green Acres Good Hope East Hemet San Jacinto Winchester March ARB Woodcrest Highgrove Homeland Valle Vista Beaumont Romoland Wildomar Lakeview Temecula Riverside El Cerrito Aguanga Calimesa Cabazon Murrieta Coronita Eastvale Banning Menifee Corona Hemet Hemet Nuevo Norco Perris Anza WESTERN RIVERSIDE Major Roads Corona Cruiser Riverside Transit Agency Sunline Transit Metrolink Redlands Passenger Rail Banning Connect/Beaumont TransitTotal Population 0 - 1,764 1,764 - 3,528 3,528 - 5,292 5,292 - 7,057 7,057 - 8,821 8,821 - 10,585 10,585 - 12,349 Riverside County - Western Riverside RegionTotal Population By Census Block Group Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. A-20 5 10 mi 132 74 60 7991371 15 215 Idyllwild-Pine Cove Mountain Center Lakeland Village Temescal Valley Home Gardens Meadowbrook Lake Riverside Moreno Valley Lake Mathews Warm Springs Jurupa Valley Cherry Valley French Valley Lake Elsinore Canyon Lake Mead Valley Green Acres Good Hope East Hemet San Jacinto Winchester March ARB Woodcrest Highgrove Homeland Valle Vista Beaumont Romoland Wildomar Lakeview Temecula Riverside El Cerrito Aguanga Calimesa Cabazon Murrieta Coronita Eastvale Banning Menifee Corona Hemet Hemet Nuevo Norco Perris Anza Idyllwild-Pine Cove Mountain Center Lakeland Village Temescal Valley Home Gardens Meadowbrook Lake Riverside Moreno Valley Lake Mathews Warm Springs Jurupa Valley Cherry Valley French Valley Lake Elsinore Canyon Lake Mead Valley Green Acres Good Hope East Hemet San Jacinto Winchester March ARB Woodcrest Highgrove Homeland Valle Vista Beaumont Romoland Wildomar Lakeview Temecula Riverside El Cerrito Aguanga Calimesa Cabazon Murrieta Coronita Eastvale Banning Menifee Corona Hemet Hemet Nuevo Norco Perris Anza WESTERN RIVERSIDE Major Roads Corona Cruiser Riverside Transit Agency Sunline Transit Metrolink Redlands Passenger Rail Banning Connect/Beaumont TransitOlder Adults 0 - 101 101 - 152 152 - 209 209 - 278 278 - 374 374 - 533 533 - 3,387 Riverside County - Western Riverside RegionOlder Adults Aged 65 and older by Census Block Group Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. A-30 5 10 mi 133 74 60 7991371 15 215 Idyllwild-Pine Cove Mountain Center Lakeland Village Temescal Valley Home Gardens Meadowbrook Lake Riverside Moreno Valley Lake Mathews Warm Springs Jurupa Valley Cherry Valley French Valley Lake Elsinore Canyon Lake Mead Valley Green Acres Good Hope East Hemet San Jacinto Winchester March ARB Woodcrest Highgrove Homeland Valle Vista Beaumont Romoland Wildomar Lakeview Temecula Riverside El Cerrito Aguanga Calimesa Cabazon Murrieta Coronita Eastvale Banning Menifee Corona Hemet Hemet Nuevo Norco Perris Anza Idyllwild-Pine Cove Mountain Center Lakeland Village Temescal Valley Home Gardens Meadowbrook Lake Riverside Moreno Valley Lake Mathews Warm Springs Jurupa Valley Cherry Valley French Valley Lake Elsinore Canyon Lake Mead Valley Green Acres Good Hope East Hemet San Jacinto Winchester March ARB Woodcrest Highgrove Homeland Valle Vista Beaumont Romoland Wildomar Lakeview Temecula Riverside El Cerrito Aguanga Calimesa Cabazon Murrieta Coronita Eastvale Banning Menifee Corona Hemet Hemet Nuevo Norco Perris Anza WESTERN RIVERSIDE Major Roads Corona Cruiser Riverside Transit Agency Sunline Transit Metrolink Redlands Passenger Rail Banning Connect/Beaumont TransitPeople w/ Disabilities 0 - 311 311 - 402 402 - 501 501 - 591 591 - 713 713 - 881 881 - 2,013 Riverside County - Western Riverside RegionPeople with Disabilities by Census Tract Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. A-40 5 10 mi 134 74 60 7991371 15 215 Idyllwild-Pine Cove Mountain Center Lakeland Village Temescal Valley Home Gardens Meadowbrook Lake Riverside Moreno Valley Lake Mathews Warm Springs Jurupa Valley Cherry Valley French Valley Lake Elsinore Canyon Lake Mead Valley Green Acres Good Hope East Hemet San Jacinto Winchester March ARB Woodcrest Highgrove Homeland Valle Vista Beaumont Romoland Wildomar Lakeview Temecula Riverside El Cerrito Aguanga Calimesa Cabazon Murrieta Coronita Eastvale Banning Menifee Corona Hemet Hemet Nuevo Norco Perris Anza Idyllwild-Pine Cove Mountain Center Lakeland Village Temescal Valley Home Gardens Meadowbrook Lake Riverside Moreno Valley Lake Mathews Warm Springs Jurupa Valley Cherry Valley French Valley Lake Elsinore Canyon Lake Mead Valley Green Acres Good Hope East Hemet San Jacinto Winchester March ARB Woodcrest Highgrove Homeland Valle Vista Beaumont Romoland Wildomar Lakeview Temecula Riverside El Cerrito Aguanga Calimesa Cabazon Murrieta Coronita Eastvale Banning Menifee Corona Hemet Hemet Nuevo Norco Perris Anza WESTERN RIVERSIDE Major Roads Corona Cruiser Riverside Transit Agency Sunline Transit Metrolink Redlands Passenger Rail Banning Connect/Beaumont TransitIndividuals in Poverty 0 - 136 136 - 251 251 - 368 368 - 520 520 - 697 697 - 1,020 1,020 - 5,124 Riverside County - Western Riverside RegionPeople Living in Poverty By Census Block Group Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 A-50 5 10 mi Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Poverty status is defined as living at or below 150% of Federal Poverty Thresholds. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. 135 74 271 62 111 74 24 3 10 10 Desert Hot Springs Vista Santa Rosa Thousand Palms Bermuda DunesRancho Mirage Cathedral City Palm Springs Desert Palms Desert Edge Indian Wells North Shore Palm Desert Sky Valley Indio Hills Coachella Coachella La Quinta Thermal Garnet Mecca Oasis Indio Desert Hot Springs Vista Santa Rosa Thousand Palms Bermuda DunesRancho Mirage Cathedral City Palm Springs Desert Palms Desert Edge Indian Wells North Shore Palm Desert Sky Valley Indio Hills Coachella Coachella La Quinta Thermal Garnet Mecca Oasis Indio Whitewater COACHELLA VALLEY Indio-Cathedral City To San Bernardino Transit Center¡ Major Roads Lakes Banning Connect/Beaumont Transit Sunline Transit Large Urbanized Areas Riverside County - Coachella Valley RegionLarge Urbanized Areas Showing Public Fixed-Route Transit Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. A-60510 mi 136 74 271 62 111 74 24 3 10 10 Desert Hot Springs Vista Santa Rosa Thousand Palms Bermuda DunesRancho Mirage Cathedral City Palm Springs Desert Palms Desert Edge Indian Wells North Shore Palm Desert Sky Valley Indio Hills Coachella Coachella La Quinta Thermal Garnet Mecca Oasis Indio Desert Hot Springs Vista Santa Rosa Thousand Palms Bermuda DunesRancho Mirage Cathedral City Palm Springs Desert Palms Desert Edge Indian Wells North Shore Palm Desert Sky Valley Indio Hills Coachella Coachella La Quinta Thermal Garnet Mecca Oasis Indio Whitewater COACHELLA VALLEY To San Bernardino Transit Center¡ Major Roads Sunline Transit Banning Connect/Beaumont Transit Total Population 0 - 1,764 1,764 - 3,528 3,528 - 5,292 5,292 - 7,057 7,057 - 8,821 8,821 - 10,585 10,585 - 12,349 Riverside County - Coachella Valley RegionTotal Population By Census Block Group Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. A-70510 mi 137 74 271 62 111 74 24 3 10 10 Desert Hot Springs Vista Santa Rosa Thousand Palms Bermuda DunesRancho Mirage Cathedral City Palm Springs Desert Palms Desert Edge Indian Wells North Shore Palm Desert Sky Valley Indio Hills Coachella Coachella La Quinta Thermal Garnet Mecca Oasis Indio Desert Hot Springs Vista Santa Rosa Thousand Palms Bermuda DunesRancho Mirage Cathedral City Palm Springs Desert Palms Desert Edge Indian Wells North Shore Palm Desert Sky Valley Indio Hills Coachella Coachella La Quinta Thermal Garnet Mecca Oasis Indio Whitewater COACHELLA VALLEY To San Bernardino Transit Center¡ Major Roads Sunline Transit Banning Connect/Beaumont Transit Older Adults 0 - 101 101 - 152 152 - 209 209 - 278 278 - 374 374 - 533 533 - 3,387 Riverside County - Coachella Valley RegionOlder Adults Aged 65 and older by Census Block Group Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. A-80510 mi 138 74 271 62 111 74 24 3 10 10 Desert Hot Springs Vista Santa Rosa Thousand Palms Bermuda DunesRancho Mirage Cathedral City Palm Springs Desert Palms Desert Edge Indian Wells North Shore Palm Desert Sky Valley Indio Hills Coachella Coachella La Quinta Thermal Garnet Mecca Oasis Indio Desert Hot Springs Vista Santa Rosa Thousand Palms Bermuda DunesRancho Mirage Cathedral City Palm Springs Desert Palms Desert Edge Indian Wells North Shore Palm Desert Sky Valley Indio Hills Coachella Coachella La Quinta Thermal Garnet Mecca Oasis Indio Whitewater COACHELLA VALLEY To San Bernardino Transit Center¡ Major Roads Sunline Transit Banning Connect/Beaumont Transit People w/ Disabilities 0 - 311 311 - 402 402 - 501 501 - 591 591 - 713 713 - 881 881 - 2,013 Riverside County - Coachella Valley RegionPeople with Disabilities by Census Tract Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. A-90510 mi 139 74 271 62 111 74 24 3 10 10 Desert Hot Springs Vista Santa Rosa Thousand Palms Bermuda DunesRancho Mirage Cathedral City Palm Springs Desert Palms Desert Edge Indian Wells North Shore Palm Desert Sky Valley Indio Hills Coachella Coachella La Quinta Thermal Garnet Mecca Oasis Indio Desert Hot Springs Vista Santa Rosa Thousand Palms Bermuda DunesRancho Mirage Cathedral City Palm Springs Desert Palms Desert Edge Indian Wells North Shore Palm Desert Sky Valley Indio Hills Coachella Coachella La Quinta Thermal Garnet Mecca Oasis Indio Whitewater COACHELLA VALLEY To San Bernardino Transit Center¡ Major Roads Sunline Transit Banning Connect/Beaumont Transit Individuals in Poverty 0 - 136 136 - 251 251 - 368 368 - 520 520 - 697 697 - 1,020 1,020 - 5,124 Riverside County - Coachella Valley RegionPeople Living in Poverty By Census Block Group Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 A-100510 mi Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Poverty status is defined as living at or below 150% of Federal Poverty Thresholds. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. 140 17711 1 95 10 10 ARIZONAARIZONADesert Center Mesa Verde Blythe Ironwood State Prison Ripley Desert Center Mesa Verde Blythe Ironwood State Prison Ripley PALO VERDE VALLEY Mesa Verde Blythe Ripley 95 10 Major Roads Lakes Palo Verde TransitRiverside County - Palo Verde Valley RegionBase Map Showing Public Fixed-Route Transit Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. A-110 5 10 mi 0 1 2 mi 141 17711 1 95 10 10 ARIZONAARIZONADesert Center Mesa Verde Blythe Ironwood State Prison Ripley Desert Center Mesa Verde Blythe Ironwood State Prison Ripley PALO VERDE VALLEY Mesa Verde Blythe Ripley 95 10 Major Roads Palo Verde TransitTotal Population 0 - 1,764 1,764 - 3,528 3,528 - 5,292 5,292 - 7,057 7,057 - 8,821 8,821 - 10,585 10,585 - 12,349 Riverside County - Palo Verde Valley RegionTotal Population By Census Block Group Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. A-120 5 10 mi 0 1 2 mi 142 17711 1 95 10 10 ARIZONAARIZONADesert Center Mesa Verde Blythe Ironwood State Prison Ripley Desert Center Mesa Verde Blythe Ironwood State Prison Ripley PALO VERDE VALLEY Mesa Verde Blythe Ripley 95 10 Major Roads Palo Verde TransitOlder Adults 0 - 101 101 - 152 152 - 209 209 - 278 278 - 374 374 - 533 533 - 3,387 Riverside County - Palo Verde Valley RegionOlder Adults Aged 65 and older by Census Block Group Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. A-130 5 10 mi 0 1 2 mi 143 17711 1 95 10 10 ARIZONAARIZONADesert Center Mesa Verde Blythe Ironwood State Prison Ripley Desert Center Mesa Verde Blythe Ironwood State Prison Ripley PALO VERDE VALLEY Mesa Verde Blythe Ripley 95 10 Major Roads Palo Verde TransitPeople w/ Disabilities 0 - 311 311 - 402 402 - 501 501 - 591 591 - 713 713 - 881 881 - 2,013 Riverside County - Palo Verde Valley RegionPeople with Disabilities by Census Tract Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. A-140 5 10 mi 0 1 2 mi 144 17711 1 95 10 10 ARIZONAARIZONADesert Center Mesa Verde Blythe Ironwood State Prison Ripley Desert Center Mesa Verde Blythe Ironwood State Prison Ripley PALO VERDE VALLEY Mesa Verde Blythe Ripley 95 10 Major Roads Palo Verde TransitIndividuals in Poverty 0 - 136 136 - 251 251 - 368 368 - 520 520 - 697 697 - 1,020 1,020 - 5,124 Riverside County - Palo Verde Valley RegionPeople Living in Poverty By Census Block Group Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 A-150 5 10 mi 0 1 2 mi Data Sources - Transit routes:respective transit agencies. Geographic boundaries: TIGER/Lline Shapefiles 2018. Demographic: American Community Survey 2018 5-Year Estimates. Note:Census Designated Place labels are approximate. Poverty status is defined as living at or below 150% of Federal Poverty Thresholds. Map created by Ronny Kraft Consulting. 145 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 B-1 Appendix B: Inventory Matrix Public Fixed-Route ADA Certified Seniors Persons with Disabilities Low-Income General Public Banning Connect Public Transit City of Banning ü ü ü ü ü General Public Fixed-Route Beaumont Transit Public Transit City of Beaumont ü ü ü ü ü General Public Fixed-Route Corona Cruiser Public Transit City of Corona ü ü ü ü ü General Public Fixed-Route Riverside Transit Agency (RTA)Public Transit Westerm Riverside County ü ü ü ü ü General Public Fixed-Route Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency Public Transit Blythe ü ü ü ü ü General Public Fixed-Route Sunline Transit Agency - SunBus Public Transit Coachella Valley ü ü ü ü ü General Public Fixed-Route Agency Type Service Area Service Type WESTERN RIVERSIDE EASTERN RIVERSIDE Eligible Riders 146 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 B-2 Public Paratransit ADA Certified Seniors Persons with Disabilities Low-Income General Public Banning Dial-A-Ride Public Transit City of Banning ü ü ü ADA & Senior Paratransit Beaumont Dial-A-Ride Public Transit City of Beaumont ü ü ü ADA & Senior Paratransit Corona Dial-A-Ride Public Transit City of Corona ü ü ü ADA & Senior Paratransit Riverside Connect Public Transit City of Riverside ü ü ü ADA & Senior Paratransit RTA Dial-A-Ride Public Transit Within 1.5 miles of RTA routes ü ü ü ADA & Senior Paratransit RTA Dial-A-Ride Plus Public Transit Within 3/4 miles of RTA routes ü ü ü ADA & Senior Paratransit Sunline Transit Agency - SunDial Public Transit Coachella Valley and North Shore ü ü ADA paratransit Sunline Transit Agency - Taxi Voucher Public Transit Coachella Valley and North Shore ü ü ü ADA & Senior Paratransit EASTERN RIVERSIDE Agency Type Service Area Service Type WESTERN RIVERSIDE Eligible Riders 147 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 B-3 Specialized Transportation ADA Certified Seniors Persons with Disabilities Low-Income Youth General Public Other Blindness Support Services Travel Training Program Travel Training ü ü Measure A Boys & Girls Club of Menifee Valley Before and After School Transportation Demand Response ü ü Measure A Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County Before and After School Transportation Demand Response ü ü Measure A Care A Van Transit Inc Care A Van Transit Demand Response ü ü ü Measure A Care Connexxus Specialized Paratransit Services Demand Response ü ü Measure A City of Norco Senior Shuttle Service Demand Response ü ü ü Measure A Community Connect One-Call One-Click Vetlink Information Program Mobility Management ü ü ü ü ü ü Measure A Community Connect TAP (Transportation Access Program) Bus Passes/Vouchers ü ü ü ü ü Measure A Exceed Hemet Transportation Demand Response ü ü Measure A Section 5310 Forest Folk Idyllwild Shuttle Demand Response ü ü ü ü ü ü Measure A Friends of Moreno Valley Senior Center Mo Van Dial-a-Ride Demand Response ü ü ü Measure A Independent Living Partnership TRIP (Travel Reimbursement and Information Program) Mileage Reimbursement ü ü ü Measure A Section 5310 Michelle's Place Treatment Travel Assistance Program Bus Passes/Vouchers Cancer Patients Measure A Mountain Shadows Youth Residential care Transportation Demand Response ü ü ü Section 5310 WESTERN RIVERSIDE Project Eligible Riders Agency Service Type Funding Source 148 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 B-4 Specialized Transportation Continued ADA Certified Seniors Persons with Disabilities Low-Income Youth General Public Other Operation Safehouse Transitional Living and Permanent Supportive Housing Transportation Demand Response ü Measure A Peppermint Ridge Residential Care Transportation ü ü Section 5310 Riverside University Health Medical Center (RUHS-MC) Medical Center Transportation Demand Response ü ü Measure A Riverside University Health System - Behavioral Health Transportation Change Demand Response ü ü Measure A U.S. Vets US Vets Initiative Transportation- Riverside Demand Response Veterans Measure A Voices for Children Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Mileage Reimbursement ü Measure A EASTERN RIVERSIDE Agency Project Service Type Eligible Riders Funding Source 149 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 B-5 Specialized Transportation Continued Vanpool ADA Certified Seniors Persons with Disabilities Low-Income Youth General Public Other Angel View Escorted Door- Through-Door Transportation Demand Response ü ü Section 5310 Desert ARC Day Center Transportation Demand Response ü ü Section 5310 Desert Blind & Handicapped Escorted Door- Through-Door Transportation Demand Response ü ü Section 5310 Independent Living Partnership TRIP (Travel Reimbursement and Information Program) Mileage Reimbursement ü ü ü Section 5310 Funding Source EASTERN RIVERSIDE Agency Project Service Type Eligible Riders ADA Certified Seniors Persons with Disabilities Low-Income General Public CalVans Commuter Vanpool Western Riverside ü ü ü ü ü IE Commuter Ridesharing Inland Empire ü ü ü ü ü RCTC Van Club Commuter Vanpool Western Riverside ü ü ü ü ü Solvan Commuter Vanpool Coachella Valley ü ü ü ü ü EASTERN RIVERSIDE Eligible Riders Agency Type Service Area WESTERN RIVERSIDE 150 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 B-6 Regional Rail & Intercity Bus ADA Certified Seniors Persons with Disabilities Low-Income General Public Amtrak Intercity Rail North America ü ü ü ü ü Metrolink Regional Rail Southern California ü ü ü ü ü Amtrak Thruway Bus Intercity Rail Feeder Bus North America ü ü ü ü ü Greyhound Intercity Bus North America ü ü ü ü ü MegaBus Intercity Bus North America ü ü ü ü ü FlixBus Intercity Bus North America ü ü ü ü ü Countywide Rail Regional and Intercity Bus Agency Type Service Area Eligible Riders 151 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 C-1 Appendix C: Historical Passenger Trips by Provider Public Transportation Trips Provided Service by Mode [1]Trips %of Total Trips Trips % of Total Trips # of Vehicle s in Active Trips % of Total Trips # of Vehicle s in Active Trips % of Total Trips/ % Change Rail [2]2,700,117 19%3,023,071 17%3,101,151 17%2,453,576 18% RCTC Commuter Rail - Riverside 1,101,646 1,317,946 1,209,238 737,218 163% RCTC Commuter Rail - Inland Empire Orange County 1,066,541 1,079,323 1,211,168 1,015,807 RCTC Commuter Rail - 91/PVL 531,930 625,802 680,745 700,551 Public Bus, Fixed Route [3] 10,575,445 76%13,115,046 75%306 14,159,311 76%337 10,418,477 76% RTA FR 5,718,234 6,555,135 124 7,203,364 224 5,506,023 -18% SunLine FR 3,474,361 4,436,917 71 4,645,097 77 3,379,520 RTA Contract FR 916,366 1,635,377 79 1,753,518 1,187,740 Banning FR 183,265 127,499 5 135,244 6 106,908 Corona FR 146,983 153,783 6 168,303 7 100,186 Beaumont FR 89,962 164,390 13 204,112 15 102,547 Palo Verde Valley FR 46,274 41,945 8 49,673 7 35,158 Palo Verde Valley BWE 1 395 Public Demand Response 548,845 4%767,883 4%188 840,811 5%194 550,043 4% RTA DAR 199,322 372,322 98 406,000 110 275,078 -42% RTA Van Club Riverside Special Transportation Services DAR 145,223 174,058 36 175,276 27 92,707 SunLine DAR 83,956 124,720 33 153,183 37 122,126 SunLine Vanpool Corona DAR 58,892 61,285 12 66,015 12 39,989 Beaumont DAR 28,656 18,786 3 18,640 3 5,820 RTA Taxi 18,536 7,648 -11,963 -8,271 Banning DAR 9,463 9,064 6 9,734 5 6,052 FY 19/20 2021 Coordinated Plan2007 Coordinated Plan 2012 Coordinated Plan 2016 Coordinated Plan FY 05/06 FY 11/12 FY 14/15 Notes: [1] Public transit operator ridership data extracted from RCTC's TransTrack database [2] Metrolink reported boardings on all train lines that service Riverside County. Trips for FY 19/20 are based on ticket sales, not boarding counts [3] Public bus, fixed route trips for RTA and SunLine do not include Specialized Transportation funded fixed route trips [4] Specialized Transportation trips for FY 11/12 & FY 14/15 include specialized transportation projects funded Section 5316 & 5317 but exclude fixed- route trips also funded by these programs. Specialized transportation trips for FY 19/20 include Measure A & Section 5310 funded projects only [5] through [9] As reported by the California department of Finance for January 1st in the fiscal year shown 152 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 C-2 Appendix C Continued Public Transportation Trips Provided FY 19/20 2021 Coordinated Plan2007 Coordinated Plan 2012 Coordinated Plan 2016 Coordinated Plan FY 05/06 FY 11/12 FY 14/15 Specialized Transportation/ Universal Call Program [4]61,859 0.4%494,516 3%50 543,296 3%73 364,958 3% Fixed Route: -100% RTA Extended Services -101,038 50,851 -0 RTA Commuter Link -58,466 73,635 -0 SunLine Extended Services --0 SunLine Commuter Link 220 --13,952 -0 SunLine Line 95 North Shore --15,605 -0 Paratransit/ Community Shuttle Services: Boys & Girls Club of Menifee 6 34,683 Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County -57,044 14 38,767 10 8,506 Care-A-Van/ HOPE Bus 9,295 20,115 13 22,394 11 16,036 Care Connexxus 13,755 15,829 5 17,296 9 9,510 City of Norco - Senior Shuttle 2,606 1,130 1 2,189 2 1,109 CVAG Roy's Desert Resource Center -38,945 2 17,288 - Forest Folk, Inc.4,842 0 -0 3 3,213 Friends of Moreno Valley Senior Center Inc., MoVan 4,842 5,364 1 4,574 1 4,954 Inland AIDS Project 1,974 2,377 1,723 - Operation Safehouse -524 1 765 1 433 Riverside University Health System RUHS (Riverside -10,071 10 7,640 10 5,279 County of Riverside Department of Behavioral Health --2 4,005 United States Veterans Initiative --3 2,333 5 1,452 Valley Resource Center/Exceed 13 21,287 Wildomar Senior Community -440 --- Mileage Reimbursement (one-way trips supported): Crt. App'td Spec. Advocates-CASA/Voice for Children -9,380 -n/a Voices for Children -0 -182 7,628TRIP - Partnership to Preserve Independent Living (West County, Measure A portion)24,393 82,383 89,828 n/a 99,885 TRIP - Partnership to Preserve Independent Living (East County)-19,779 n/a 34,049 Bus Passes/Taxi Vouchers/ Vanpool Trips:Desert Samaritans - Taxi trips -Community Connect/ TAP Bus Pass Trips -65,263 71,230 n/a 14,024 Michelle's Place n/a 251 RCTC Commuter benefits/ Coachella Van Pool Trips -19,037 -n/a RTA - Travel Training 5,026 81,031 n/a 98,654 RTA - Dial A Ride Plus 0 n/a SunLine Taxi Voucher Program -2,084 12,416 n/a Mobility Management and Travel Training Projects: Care Connexxus - Driver Sensitivity Training -n/a n/a n/a Community Connect/ 211 -n/a n/a n/a Blindness Support - Travel Training -n/a n/a n/a RTA Travel Training -n/a n/a n/a ALL TRIPS: Including Rail, Public Transit, Measure A JARC and New Freedom 13,886,266 100%17,400,516 100%544 18,644,569 100%604 13,787,054 100% -8% TOTAL POPULATION 2,005,477 2,217,778 2,279,967 2,468,145 Trips per Capita for 2006 Total Population[5]6.9 Trips per Capita for 2012 Total Population [7]7.8 Trips per Capita for 2015 Total Population [8]8.2 Trips per Capita for 2019 Total Population [9]5.6 Notes: [1] Public transit operator ridership data extracted from RCTC's TransTrack database [2] Metrolink reported boardings on all train lines that service Riverside County. Trips for FY 19/20 are based on ticket sales, not boarding counts [3] Public bus, fixed route trips for RTA and SunLine do not include Specialized Transportation funded fixed route trips [4] Specialized Transportation trips for FY 11/12 & FY 14/15 include specialized transportation projects funded Section 5316 & 5317 but exclude fixed- route trips also funded by these programs. Specialized transportation trips for FY 19/20 include Measure A & Section 5310 funded projects only [5] through [9] As reported by the California department of Finance for January 1st in the fiscal year shown 153 D-1 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 Appendix D: Countywide E-Survey Summary Reports Table of Contents Agency Responses ....................................................................................................................................... 2 General Public Responses...........................................................................................................................5 General Public Responses Organized by Public or Human Service Transportation use.....................8 General Public Responses Organized by Age of Respondent.............................................................11 General Public Spanish-Language Responses.......................................................................................14 General Public Spanish-Language Responses Organized by Age...................................................... 15 154 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-2 Agency Responses – 51 Surveys Page 1 155 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-3 Agency Responses – 51 Surveys Page 2 156 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-4 Agency Responses – 51 Surveys Page 3 157 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-5 General Public Responses – 748 Surveys Page 1 158 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-6 General Public Responses – 748 Surveys Page 2 159 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-7 General Public Responses – 748 Surveys Page 3 160 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-8 General Public Responses Organized by Public or Human Service Transportation use – 723 Surveys Page 1 161 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-9 General Public Responses Organized by Public or Human Service Transportation use – 723 Surveys Page 2 162 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-10 General Public Responses Organized by Public or Human Service Transportation use – 723 Surveys Page 3 163 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-11 General Public Responses Organized by Age of Respondent – 648 Surveys Page 1 164 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-12 General Public Responses Organized by Age of Respondent – 648 Surveys Page 2 165 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-13 General Public Responses Organized by Age of Respondent – 648 Surveys Page 3 166 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-14 General Public Spanish-Language Responses – 33 Surveys Page 1 167 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-15 General Public Spanish-Language Responses – 33 Surveys Page 2 168 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-16 General Public Spanish-Language Responses – 33 Surveys Page 3 169 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-17 General Public Spanish-Language Responses Organized by Age – 30 Surveys Page 1 170 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-18 General Public Spanish-Language Responses Organized by Age – 30 Surveys Page 2 171 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 D-19 General Public Spanish-Language Responses Organized by Age – 30 Surveys Page 3 172 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 E-1 Appendix E: Countywide E-Survey Open-Ended Responses Agency Open-Ended Responses Question: Are there other transportation challenges that your clients experience? (Please explain) When asked an open ended question about other transportation challenges their clients experience, 20 agency respondents provided comments. Responses that weren’t relevant are not included in the following counts. Specialized transportation and accessibility– 7 comments §Need services with wheelchair and scooter access. §Need door-to-door services. §Many individuals require assistance getting onto vehicles. §Some face occasional transportation needs when they aren’t feeling well or don’t have access to a vehicle. §Challenges traveling with small children on public transportation. Public Transit Coverage – 5 comments §Far distance to walk to bus stops, particularly in Desert Hot Springs. §Transit needs to be available more places, especially in senior complexes and mobile homes. Other public transit concerns – 5 comments §Need increased frequency. §Trips lengths can be too long. §Safe, reliable transportation is needed. §Need improved information about transit and options is needed. §Bag policies can present a barrier. Bus stop amenities – 2 comments §Need shelter and benches at bus stops. Other – 1 comment §Need to focus on alternative solutions, not just public transit. 173 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 E-2 Question: Are there other improvements that would be helpful to your clients. (Please explain) When asked an open ended question about other improvements that would help their clients, 13 agency respondents provided comments. Specialized transportation and alternative programs improvements – 10 comments § Accessible vehicles, including assisting agencies procure accessible vehicles. § Subsidized rideshare programs. § Additional funding for specialized transportation operations. § Expand TRIP parameters to allow family members to provide transportation. § Corporate sponsorships to pay fares. Public transit improvements – 5 comments § Daily off-hill transportation from Idyllwild. § More accessibility to bus stops. § Dial-A-Ride application process is challenging for applicants. § Shorter routes and increased frequency. § More reliable pick up times on SunBus. General Public Open-Ended Responses Question: Have you experienced other transportation-related problems? (Please explain) 166 respondents provided a comment to an open ended question about their transportation-related problems. Comments that were not relevant or unintelligible were not included in the following counts. Public Transit Frequencies, Scheduling, Trip length and On-Time Arrival – 31 comments § Need more express buses. § Trip lengths are too long, particularly when crossing counties. § Reports of missing Metrolink and other connections when buses run late. § Requests for increased frequency on RTA Route 12; Route 1; Route 22; and Route 200. § Need increased frequency in Corona. § Need increased evening service hours. § Need increased frequency on RTA routes in Perris, Moreno Valley, Riverside, Menifee, and Murrieta areas. § VVTA routes need increased frequencies. § Concerns about transit running late and being unreliable. 174 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 E-3 Public Transit Coverage – 31 comments § No transit coverage in many parts of the county, including parts of Corona; Hemet and San Jacinto areas; the Farm community off Bundy Canyon Road; Murrieta; Wildomar; Perris and Menifee areas. § Report of long walks or difficulty getting to bus stops. § Fairway Canyon is only served when school is in session and there are no connections to Metrolink. § Need more service to Mount San Jacinto College. § Need transit service to LAX. § Need more bus stops in areas along Route 74. Commuter, Streets and Roads, Traffic – 19 comments § Need for increased parking, especially for persons with disabilities. § Need increased lanes to reduce congestion, including carpool lanes, especially on Hwy 91 and I- 15. § Concerns about car and gas affordability. § Potholes in neighborhoods. § Need more Park N Rides. COVID-related transit changes and concerns – 18 comments § Due to social distancing, buses reach capacity quickly. Several report buses passing them and delays in getting to work and grocery stores. § Reduction in service hours due to COVID is affecting commutes. Several report challenges in getting to work and making connections. § Fear about riding the bus. § Sunday schedules are not enough service. Transit accessibility – 16 comments § Need for transit information and signage for persons with vision impairments. § Reports of being left to wait and stranded when a bus is too full. § Need for sidewalks that are accessible for persons in wheelchairs. § Need for assistance or additional assistance from drivers for persons with disabilities and seniors. § Some report difficulty getting to bus stops because of their disability. § Difficulty boarding and disembarking from bus because of how driver pulls up to the curb. § Concerns about drivers not offering assistance to seniors, people with disabilities and people with children. Public Transit Safety – 11 comments § Reports of not feeling safe on buses due to COVID. § Drivers not stopping when requested or not allowing riders on bus without explanation. § Concerns about personal safety on buses and at stops due to other individuals. 175 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 E-4 § Fear about riding the bus alone. Pedestrian issues, Complete Streets, Walkability – 12 comments § Interest in complete streets to improve safety for pedestrian and children. § Need for wayfinding signage. § Lack of signage in many parts of the County, including Murrieta - Los Alamos area. § Need for safety improvements at high-traffic intersections. § Sidewalks in disrepair creating safety hazards. § Cross walks don’t allow enough time for people with mobility devices. Occasional Transit Needs – 9 comments § Transportation need due to hospitalization, medical condition, or car trouble. These can be surprises and some report they need information about reliable, affordable transportation options for these occasional situations. Public Transit Bus Stops – 9 comments § Bus stops needs lighting, shelters, benches and clear signage with transit and wayfinding information. Rail – 9 comments § Metrolink needs more frequency to LA and Orange County and on weekends. § Need additional hours on trains to Perris. § Suggestion for rapid transit linking Southwest Riverside County to rapid transit systems in San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Fares and Affordability – 8 comments § Concerns about Dial A Ride fare. § RTA fare is difficult for low income individuals. § Concerns about transit fare. Dial A Ride – 7 comments § Reports the Dial a Ride is time consuming and unreliable. § Need for expanded Dial-A-Ride services and coverage. § Reports of difficulty applying for Dial-A-Ride eligibility and getting Dial-A-Ride information. Public Transit Connectivity and Transfers – 6 comments § Reports of consistent difficulty with transfers. § Too many transfers required to get around Riverside. § Need improved RTA and Metrolink connections. § Transfer between RTA Route 22 and Route1 are challenging. 176 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 E-5 Bike Riding Safety – 7 comments § Bike riding isn’t safe because of unmarked bike lanes, trash in bike lanes and high vehicle speeds. § Need for improved bike lanes throughout City of Riverside. Public Transit Information or wayfinding – 3 comments § There is a lack of clear transit signage. § Comprehensive, correct transit information needs to be available to the public. Are there other improvements that would be helpful to you? (Please explain) 110 respondents provided a comment to an open ended question about transportation improvements that would help them. Comments that were not relevant or unintelligible were not included in the following counts. Public transportation Improvements – 37 comments § Increased frequency. § Increased express and commuter service. § Increased coverage and bus stops. § Increased Dial-A-Ride Coverage. § Increased transit service for Rancho Viejo and Tahquitz high school students in the Coachella Valley. § Bus stop amenities like benches and shelters and wayfinding signage for persons with vision impairments. § Increased transit service to Metrolink stations including the UCR and Sycamore Canyon stations. § Increased service in Murrieta and Temecula areas, including rapid service to major destinations. Affordability, bus passes, vouchers and other fare assistance – 12 comments § Assistance with gas and car maintenance and other programs for low-income individuals. § Discounts for transit and Dial-A-Ride. § Discount programs or bonus programs for long-term riders. § Discounts for emergencies. § Voucher programs for Uber and Lyft services. Alternative and specialized transit programs and rideshare programs – 12 comments § Rideshare programs through employers. § Volunteer driver programs. § Door-to-door and door-through-door assistance needed. Care share program – 9 comments § Support for and interest in a carshare program 177 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 E-6 COVID-related – 6 comments § Safe transportation. § Resume normal service hours. Complete streets and pedestrian improvements – 6 comments § New sidewalk codes to remove obstacles. § Safe walking trails. § More paved and accessible sidewalks and crosswalk improvements. Bike safety and other improvement – 6 comments § More safe biking trails and lanes. § Bike share programs. Transit information, apps and fare media – 5 comments § Better apps for tracking, planning and information. § Ability to buy tickets on apps. § More readily available transit information. Rail improvements – 5 comments § Expand Metrolink lines to disadvantaged communities to increase employment opportunities for marginalized residents. § Increased frequency on Metrolink. § More regional rail coverage, such as from Riverside and Lake Elsinore to LAX. Safety improvements – 3 comments § Lighting, cameras and security at bus stops and transit centers needed. 178 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 F-1 Appendix F: Strategy Prioritization Public Input and Rankings This Appendix presents public input from three activities related to prioritizing strategies: § Comments from Transportation Strategies Workshop, October 27, 2020 § Comments from the Prioritization Survey, October 26-30, 2020 § Strategy rankings from the Prioritization Survey, October 26-30, 2020 Comments from Transportation Strategies Workshop § Can you email me a copy of your power point presentation this morning? Thank you. It was very impressive and complete. § There needs to be improvements to bus stops to include safer stops away from on-turning traffic, also shade and seating at each stop, especially in inclement weather. § Good Morning, Everyone, I'm Alejandro Clark from Palo Verde College in Blythe, Ca. As the coordinator for the adult education program (GED/ESL/CTE), I'm here to bring awareness to the importance of public transportation in rural areas. § Being in a rural area, we have ranging degrees of access and our students require deviation passes to get access to public transportation. My job is to increase education and employment opportunities, but transportation has always been a barrier for our students. Can we use funds like formula gran for rural areas or mobility on demand project on-ramp funds to help out our students eliminate the transportation barriers? § How can we suggest ideas to meet specific strategies? § PVVTA supports Mr. Clarks comment and asked that RCTC be mindful of the gaps between Blythe and the rest of the County. § What are the new geographics for RTA? § A metro train is good for Blythe. § We are/were looking at creative funding avenues for students and the College demand with RCTC and the AMMA team. § Yes, thank you for this important information. Gracias tambien a Adriana por traducir:) § Thank you, Heather! Thank you Adriana for increasing access to this valuable information to our Spanish community! 179 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 F-2 Open-Ended Comments from Prioritization Survey § Regional transit information tools would only help if it was viable for people with disabilities to use transit for long, cross jurisdictional trips to medical facilities - but it is not realistic. The transit options from the Coachella Valley to Loma Linda, for instance, are not sufficient for that to be possible. It would be very helpful to expand the TRIP parameters to allow payment to family members when the person w/a disability is a child, given that parents always have to accompany them, particularly to medical appointments. The issue is the cost burden - TRIP would help with that and help to ensure children get the medical care they need. § With regard to: strategies 1.1 and 1.2, expand the eligibility of TRIP eligibility to include mileage reimbursement for rideshare. With regard to: strategy 1.5, suggest encouragement for transit to add TRIP mileage reimbursement to menu of services. With regard to 2.x strategies, incentivize coordination and partnership of TRIP with transit and other community services. § I would like to see more bus service, more frequent and later at night. 180 COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT—HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, 2021-2025 F-3 Figure F-1: Strategy Rankings Strategy High Priority Moderate Priority Weighted Score Goal 1: Build a More Responsive, Sustainable Public Transit Network 1.1 Address essential worker trip needs. 83% 17% 183% 1.2 Grow ridership. 58% 42% 158% 1.3 Promote mobility innovations and use of technology, seeking funding to support these. 45% 36% 127% 1.4 Promote alternative fuel innovations, while seeking new funding. 73% 27% 173% 1.5 Promote multi-modal connections. 64% 27% 155% 1.6 Ensure safety and security. \1 not rated not rated not rated Goal 2: Strengthen Specialized Transportation Options 2.1 Promote operations and capital support for specialized transportation. 45% 45% 136% 2.2 Grow capacity on specialized transportation programs, anticipating continued population growth. 55% 45% 155% 2.3 Address long-distance trip needs 64% 27% 155% 2.4 Promote mobility innovations in specialized transportation. 36% 55% 127% Goal 3: Equitably Distribute Transportation Resources 3.1 Ensure proactive outreach to vulnerable populations. 64% 27% 155% 3.2 Identify Pandemic transit use patterns to better understand new or more clearly revealed trip needs 64% 36% 164% 3.3 Establish racial and social equity frameworks for transportation planning and resource allocation. 64% 27% 155% 3.4 Expand affordability strategies to improve mobility 82% 9% 173% 3.5 Target and expand bus stop, bus shelter, transfer location enhancements and accessibility 55% 36% 145% Goal 4: Grow Public Transportation Awareness to Rebuild Ridership 4.1 Expand use of information technology, with emphasis on customer facing tools 55% 45% 155% 4.2 Promote "teaching" use of transit information technology 45% 45% 136% 4.3 Ensure communication with vulnerable populations embraces the broadest array of methods 91% 0% 182% 4.4 Promote leadership and information exchange around transportation by RCTC and others. 55% 45% 155% 4.4 Develop regional transit information tools to facilitate long, cross-jurisdictional trips particularly to medical facilities. 60% 40% 160% Note \1 Strategy 1.6 was inadvertently not rated by participants due to a software problem. High priority rating Moderate priority ranking Weighted score (2x High rating) at or above the median 181 Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for Riverside County, 2021-2025 CSTAC Presentation | December 7, 2020 Today’s Agenda •Coordinated Plan Purposes •Outreach Approach & Findings •Responses to Enhance Mobility •Goals and Strategies •Implementation & Funding Opportunities Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Coordinated Plan Purposes Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Servcies Plan Coordinated Plan Purposes •Is required by Federal statute •Targeted to key populations across Riverside County –Older adults, persons with disabilities, persons of low income •Establishes a roadmap of responses to improve mobility •Supports funding requests –To improve public transit and specialized transportation •Encourages partnerships Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Plan Who Does this Plan Concern? Riverside County Coordinated Public Transportation Plan Outreach Approach & Findings Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Outreach Approach Phase I: Spring Agency Interviews •Stakeholder Interviews by phone/Zoom –20 agencies/ organizations across County –2 focus groups –1 presentation to IEDC Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Phase II: Summer E-Survey •51 agency responses •748 general public responses •5% in Spanish Phase III: Fall Virtual Open House •Findings/Info •Prioritization survey Live Transportation Strategies Workshop •Feedback on strategies Agencies Interviewed 12/7/20Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Agency Area of County Served Target Market(s) Angel View Coachella Valley Persons with disabilities Angel View East Coachella Valley Coachella Valley Persons with disabilities, persons of low-income College of the Desert Coachella Valley Students/ students with disabilities Community Connect 211 Countywide All Riverside County residents Boys & Girls Club Southwestern Riverside Co.Youth, low-income households Care-a-Van Southwestern Riverside Co.Older adults, persons with disabilities Desert Arc Coachella Valley Persons with disabilities Independent Living Partnership-TRIP Countywide Older adults Inland Empire Health Plan/IE Disabilities Collaborative Riverside and San Bernardino Counties Persons with disabilities Inland Regional Center Countywide Persons with disabilities Agencies Interviewed 12/8/2020Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Agency Area of County Served Target Market(s) Leadership Council Coachella Valley Persons of low-income, limited English proficient households Michelle’s Place Southwestern Riverside Co.Cancer patients, medical fragile adults Riverside City College Western Riverside/Countywide Students/students with disabilities Riverside City College/Disabilities Specialists Western Riverside/Countywide Students with disabilities Riverside County Dept. of Public Social Services/In-Home Supportive Services Countywide Older adults, persons with disabilities, medically fragile adults Riverside County Office on Aging Countywide Older adults, persons with disabilities Soboba Tribal Government Representatives San Jacinto Tribal members US Vets Western Riverside Homeless veterans Voices for Children (CASA)Western Riverside Youth of low-income, under court supervision Outreach Finding Themes 1.Public transit –vital link to target groups; continuing investment is of benefit. 2.Unique travel challenges –some not addressed by public transit; specialized transportation meets mobility needs that public transit cannot. 3.Long-distance trips –difficult on public transit; specialized transportation programs can assist. 4.Specialized transportation –sustaining and expanding to meet particular trip needs. Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Outreach Finding Themes 5.Effective information strategies –involves human service agency personnel, technology and traditional communication methods. 6.Infrastructure needs -impact safe travel of transit users, pedestrians and bicyclists. 7.Expanded coordination –interest and opportunity among transit services and human service programs. Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Goals and Strategies - Coordinated Plan 2021-2025 Responses to Enhance Mobility Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan 1. Build a More Responsive, Sustainable Public Transportation Network 2. Strengthen Specialized Transportation Options 3. Equitably Distribute Transportation Resources 4. Grow Public Transportation Awareness Enhanced Mobility For Target Populations Four Goals Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan 1.1 Address essential worker trip needs 1.2 Grow ridership 1.3 Promote mobility innovations and technology, while seeking new funding 1.4. Promote fuel innovation, while seeking new funding 1.5 Promote multi-modal connections 1.6 Ensure and communicate safety and security Goal 1: Build a More Responsive, Sustainable Public Transit Network 6 Strategies Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan 2.1 Promote operations and capital funding support 2.2 Grow capacity to provide more trips 2.3 Address long distance trip needs 2.4 Promote mobility innovations Goal 2: Strengthened Specialized Transportation 4 Strategies Goal 3: Equitably Distribute Transportation Resources 5 Strategies Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan 3.1 Ensure proactive outreach to vulnerable populations 3.2 Identify Pandemic transit use patterns to understand new or more clearly revealed trip needs 3.4 Expand affordability strategies to improve mobility 3.5 Target for enhancement bus stops, shelters, stations and transfer locations to improve accessibility 3.3 Establish social and racial equity frameworks for transportation planning & resource allocation Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Goal 4: Grow Public Transportation Awareness 4.1 Expand use of technology, customer-facing 4.2 Promote “teaching” of transit info technology 4.3 Ensure communication with vulnerable populations uses broadest array of methods 4.4 Promote leadership and information exchange around transportation topics by RCTC and others 4.5 Develop regional transit information tools to facilitate long, cross-jurisdictional trips 5 Strategies Implementation and Funding Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Build a More Responsive, Sustainable Public Transportation Network Strengthen Specialized Transportation Options Equitably Distribute Transportation Resources Grow Public Transportation Awareness Enhanced Mobility 1 4 3 2 Four Goals Towards Implementation Implementation •Engaging interested, willing & able partners •Encouraging responsive projects •Promoting grant & funding opportunities For Coordinated Plan Target Populations: •Older adults •Persons with disabilities •Persons of low-income, including youth •Tribal members and elders •Veterans •Persons of limited English proficiency Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Enhanced Mobility Implementation Funding Anticipating grant & funding opportunities: •January 2021 -Western Riverside County Measure A Specialized Transportation Program RCTC 2018 call: $2.7 million+ annually for 3 years to 18 projects •Summer/Fall 2021 -FTA Section 5310 program-Statewide Caltrans’ 2019 call: $3.4 million+ awarded to 11 Riverside County recipients •Other discretionary funding: Federal California Local, state and federal Human Services Agency grants Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan Questions and Comments Riverside County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Plan AGENDA ITEM 8 Agenda Item 8 RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION DATE: December 7, 2020 TO: Riverside County Transportation Commission FROM: Monica Morales, Senior Management Analyst Eric DeHate, Transit Manager THROUGH: Lorelle Moe-Luna, Multimodal Services Director SUBJECT: Fiscal Years 2021/22 – 2023/24 Western Riverside County Measure A Specialized Transit Call for Projects This item is for the Council to receive and file an update on the 2021 Measure A Specialized Transit Call for Projects (2021 Call for Projects) for approximately $6.8 million covering Fiscal Years (FY) 2021/22 – 2023/24 for Western Riverside County (Western County). BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The 2009 Measure A Expenditure Plan allocates approximately 11.6 percent of the annual revenues from the 2009 Measure A Western County program to public transit. The public transit allocation is then distributed among five programs, namely: specialized transit services, specialized transit-consolidated transportation service agency operations, commuter rail, intercity bus, and commuter services. The Measure A allotment for the specialized transit services program provides ongoing funding to benefit older adults, persons with disabilities, and low-income individuals in Western County. In Western County, this funding has been distributed through a competitive process to a wide array of non-profit and community organizations that serve these constituencies, and municipal transit operators for specialized transit services for persons with disabilities and older adults. In the Coachella Valley, the 2009 Measure A Expenditure Plan allocates an even higher percentage of funding for public transit (15 percent) than in Western County. This funding is allocated directly to SunLine Transit Agency (SunLine). Currently, Measure A is utilized by SunLine to improve and expand public transit and specialized transportation services. DISCUSSION: Goals for the Measure A Specialized Transit Program are summarized below: • Support directly operated services that expand or extend existing services, which, if not funded by Measure A funds, would leave an area and/or special population without alternate service options; • Support existing services that offer an improved level of service coordination with the existing transportation network; 182 Agenda Item 8 • Expand new services that leverage other revenue sources, can be administered in a cost-effective manner, and will not require long term support from Measure A funding; and • Support new and expansion of existing services including transportation for veterans and shuttles including, but not limited to, nutrition and medical services. Under the 2021 Call for Projects, staff projects approximately $6.8 million to be available for the specialized transit programming in Western County. Staff anticipates strong competition for the available funds as prior calls for projects have been significantly oversubscribed. Staff is currently reviewing the existing guidelines and application procedures and will consider the following enhancements to the program: • Revisions to the local match requirement for operating and capital projects; • Maximum cap for one project or program; and • Revisions to the evaluation criteria and scoring rubric. Additionally, applicants will be requested to indicate how their proposed project will coordinate trips and/or services with existing transportation providers including public and non-profit agencies. Projects should not duplicate existing services currently provided by public agencies. Staff encourages all existing Measure A recipients and potential applicants to attend a workshop to discuss the potential changes to the guidelines and to provide feedback on how the program can be improved to deliver more cost-effective services to the targeted populations. Workshop details are below: 2021 Measure A Specialized Transit Call for Projects Workshop December 15, 2020 at 09:00 a.m. https://rctc.zoom.us/j/84573074393 Meeting ID: 845 7307 4393 One tap mobile +16699006833,,84573074393# US (San Jose) 13462487799,,84573074393# US +(Houston) Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) Meeting ID: 845 7307 4393 Find your local number: https://rctc.zoom.us/u/kJ0KXm6ZF 183 Agenda Item 8 The 2021 Call for Projects is tentatively planned to be released on January 13, 2021, pending the Commission’s approval of the guidelines. The application submission deadline is tentatively scheduled for February 17, 2021. The evaluation and selection of applications will be completed in March 2021, and the recommendations for funding awards to successful applicants will be presented to the Commission for approval at its April 2021 meeting. Funding coverage will commence on July 1, 2021 and the grant cycle will conclude on June 30, 2024. 184 MEASURE A SPECIALIZED TRANSIT 2021 Call for Projects Monica Morales, Senior Management Analyst 1 Program Overview 2 •Measure A –voter approved ½ cent sales tax •Purpose –Older adults –Persons with disabilities –Low-income individuals •Eligible Agencies –Non-Profit –Community Organizations –Public Agencies •Eligible Projects –Capital –Operating –Pass Programs –Travel Training •Last two CFP partially funded 18 agencies Call Dates & Enhancements 3 •Next call release Jan 13, 2021 (subject to Commission approval) •Application deadline submission Feb 17, 2021 (tentative) •Pre CFP workshop on Dec 15, 2021 •Funding availability $6.8 million •Proposed Enhancements –Revisions to local match for operating & capital –Maximum cap for one project/program –Revisions to evaluation criteria & scoring rubric THANK YOU. QUESTIONS? 4 AGENDA ITEM 9 Agenda Item 9 RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION DATE: December 7, 2020 TO: Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council FROM: Marla Dye, Senior External Affairs Management Analyst Cheryl Donahue, Public Affairs Manager THROUGH: Aaron Hake, External Affairs Director SUBJECT: Together 2020: RCTC Year-In-Review STAFF RECOMMENDATION: This item is for the Council to receive and file a presentation providing a review of RCTC 2020. BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION: Without question, 2020 has been a year like none other, with health and economic concerns dominating our lives. Through it all, RCTC kept moving forward. RCTC invested $943 million in road and transit projects this year to keep people working and keep the public moving. Working together, RCTC gets things done. Attachment: Together 2020: Year-in-Review Infographic 185 RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION RCTC Total value of projects under construction: $722 million Started 5 new major highway projects Recorded 91 Express Lanes trips: 13.1 million Maintained149,803accounts for 91 Express Lanes customers Opened 1,749 new 91 Express Lanes accounts Reinvested $25.6 million in toll revenue into new traffic relief projects on 15 and 91 corridors Approved $101 million in local funds for 276 local road projects Helped 49,051 motorists through Freeway Service Patrols Began construction of I-15 Railroad Canyon Road Interchange in Lake Elsinore Launched construction of I-215 Placentia Interchange, first segment of Mid County Parkway Riverside County Transportation Commission Together 2020: Secured $58 million in competitive grant funds for 71/91 Interchange, the balance needed to start construction in 2022 Formed new Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council Served a daily average of 12,476 Metrolink riders on 3 rail lines and at 9 stations Secured $122 million in federal CARES Act funding for buses/trains/vanpool essential transportation Defined Riverside County unfunded transportation needs: $12.6 billion Offset Riverside County’s 10.5% COVID-related unemployment rate with new jobs Engaged with residents to develop Traffic Relief Plan, reaching 418,778 people, generating 4.4 million impressions, and prompting 21,036 clicks to learn more Expanded social media presence with 9,667 Facebook followers, 1,294 Twitter followers, and 711 Instagram followers Provided 8,418 construction jobs Reaffirmed and upgraded credit ratings, despite declining revenue Earned Government Finance Officers Association Award for excellence in budgeting Supported 30 vanpools for essential workers to reduce traffic and improve air quality Offered support to 188 employers for carpooling and using public transit Protected endangered species habitat for 146 native species of birds, animals, and plants Excavated 1.6 million cubic yards of dirt for Route 60 Truck Lanes Project Started 16 Metrolink construction/maintenance projects Funded 7 local bus systems and 18 specialized transit services Received $700,000 federal grant for transit-oriented development plan along 91/Perris Valley Line Investing in our Highways & Roads Protecting our Environment Improving our Public Transit System Helping our Economy Recover Offering Drivers Choices Listening to Residents RCTC.org Facing our Challenges Without question, 2020 has been a year like none other, with health and economic concerns dominating our lives. Through it all, RCTC kept moving forward. We invested $943 million in road and transit projects this year to keep people working and keep you moving. Working together, we get things done. (951) 787-7141 • www.rctc.org4080 Lemon Street, 3rd FloorP.O. Box 12008, Riverside, CA 92502-2208 Helped purchase 40 new Metrolink low-emission locomotives, which produce 85% fewer pollutants 186 TOGETHER 2020: RCTC YEAR IN REVIEW Citizens and Specialized Transit Advisory Council December 7, 2020 Marla Dye Sr. External Affairs Management Analyst 1 Together 2020 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Helping our Economy Recover 3 Improving our Public Transit System 4 Learn More 5rctc.org/together2020 QUESTIONS 6 RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION CITIZENS AND SPECIALIZED TRANSIT ADVISORY COUNCIL ROLL CALL DECEMBER 7, 2020 Present Absent Lisa Castilone X  John Chavez X  George Colangeli  X Betty Day  X Alejandra Gonzalez X  John Krick X  Jack Marty X  Priscilla Ochoa X  Mary Jo Ramirez X  Catherine Rips X  Gloria J. Sanchez X  Karen Long X  Kenneth Woytek  X Riverside Transit Agency X  SunLine Transit Agency  X