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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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§ 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
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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
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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.
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§ 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
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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
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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:
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§ 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.
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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:
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§ 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.
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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:
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§ 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
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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.
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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
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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
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Figure 1: Target Populations Overview
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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
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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.
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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.
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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+
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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)
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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).
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Figure 9: Map — Countywide Population by Census-Designated Place and Regions
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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.
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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,
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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.
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Figure 10: Equity-Focused Communities in Western Riverside County
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Figure 11: Equity-Focused Communities in Coachella Valley
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Figure 12: Equity-Focused Communities in the Palo Verde Valley
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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;
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§ 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
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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§ 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.
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§ 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
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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.
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§ 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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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§ 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.
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§ 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.
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§ 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:
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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§ 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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§ 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.
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§ 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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§ 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
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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.
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§ 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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Agency Responses – 51 Surveys Page 1
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Agency Responses – 51 Surveys Page 2
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Agency Responses – 51 Surveys Page 3
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General Public Responses – 748 Surveys Page 1
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General Public Responses – 748 Surveys Page 2
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General Public Responses – 748 Surveys Page 3
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General Public Responses Organized by Public or Human Service
Transportation use – 723 Surveys Page 1
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General Public Responses Organized by Public or Human Service
Transportation use – 723 Surveys Page 2
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General Public Responses Organized by Public or Human Service
Transportation use – 723 Surveys Page 3
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General Public Responses Organized by Age of Respondent –
648 Surveys Page 1
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General Public Responses Organized by Age of Respondent –
648 Surveys Page 2
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General Public Responses Organized by Age of Respondent –
648 Surveys Page 3
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General Public Spanish-Language Responses – 33 Surveys Page 1
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General Public Spanish-Language Responses – 33 Surveys Page 2
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General Public Spanish-Language Responses – 33 Surveys Page 3
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General Public Spanish-Language Responses Organized by Age –
30 Surveys Page 1
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General Public Spanish-Language Responses Organized by Age –
30 Surveys Page 2
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General Public Spanish-Language Responses Organized by Age –
30 Surveys Page 3
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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.
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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.
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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.
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§ 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.
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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
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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!
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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)
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+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