Transportation Options
in
R l Alaska
Rural
Al k
Presented by:
Joyanna Geisler
Executive Director
Kenai Peninsula Independent Living Center
October 30,
30 2008
TWO SUCCESSFUL MODELS
• Traveler’s
Traveler s Check Program
Program--APRIL
– 5 year demonstration projectproject-FY00
FY00--05
• Contract for ServicesServices-Voucher ProgramProgramState
St t off Al
Alaska
k DOT
– 1997 to the present
COMMUNITY DESCRIPTIONS
• Homer
– 5500 people
– Surrounded by 5800 people
– 360 sq.
sq miles
• Central Peninsula
– 5 small communities
• Kenai
Kenai--7000 people, 30 square miles
• Soldotna
Soldotna--4000 people, 7 square miles
• Kasilof
Kasilof--600 people,
people 11 square miles
• Sterling
Sterling--5125 people, 77 square miles
• Nikiski
Nikiski--4350 people, 70 square miles
TRAVELER’S
TRAVELER S CHECK PROGRAM
• Uses volunteer drivers, chosen by the rider
• Uses a several day “trip diary” to assess
travel needs
• Destinations categorized:
– Social,
Social work,
work church,
church shopping,
shopping medical
• Issues miles for a set period of time based
on the “trip
trip diary
diary”
• Uses a check book to keep track of miles &
destinations
TRAVELER’S CHECK PROGRAM
(continued)
• Rider issues check to driver on a regular
basis; e.g. weekly, monthly
• Driver submits checks to ILC,
ILC on regular
basis for reimbursement
• ILC reimbursed
i b
d drivers
di
36 cents/milecents/mile
/ il -FRR
PROS & CONS
• Consumer controlled
• Skill building
• Simple to administer
• Inexpensive
• Filled a gap
• Worked well for long
distances
• Supported “driving
driving
around”
• Driver controlled in
some instances
• Time intensive
tracking for grant
purposes
TODAY’S MODIFIED VERSION
• Uses checks only for keeping track of miles
• Issue 3600 miles per year for each rider
• ILC
C reimburses 2
25 cents/mile, consumer
reimburses 25 cents/mile
VOUCHER PROGRAM
• Uses 5310 funds under Alaska’s DOT p
program
g
to
purchase rides from cab companies
• Uses reputable, community/service minded cab
companies
• Riders purchase a designated number of
tokens/vouchers per month to be redeemed with
participating
ti i ti g cab
b companies
i
• Token is worth a certain amount of cab fare, e.g.
$5
• Token is purchased by rider for a a % of worth, e.g.
$2.50
VOUCHER PROGRAM
(continued)
• Cab company can give discount e.g.
e g token
worth $7 fare
• Tokens can be linked together for longer
rides
• Cab
C b company bills
bill ILC monthly
hl for
f
redeemed tokens
• ILC bills DOT quarterly for reimbursement
NUMBERS
• FY 08
– HomerHomer-119 total riders
• 92 In Town Riders
• 6800 rides
• $5.14/rider
• 27 Far Out RidersRiders-> 6 miles
• 1145 rides
• $26.02/ride
– Soldotna
Soldotna--252 total riders
• 7772 rides
• $10.45/ride
PROS & CONS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Wildlyy popular
p p
Easy to administer
Supports local businesses
Demand/response
24/7
Everyone contributes
Complements existing
transit
• Supported by DOT
• Success depends
p
upon
p
reputation of cab co.
• Coordination requirements
same as Public
P bli Transit
T
it
CONTACTS
• Joyanna Geisler
– [email protected]
[email protected],, www.peninsulailc.org
• Alaska DOT
– Nancy WebbWebb- [email protected]
• Local cab companies
– Brent HibbertHibbert-AAA Cab
Cab--907907-398
398--3236
– KacheCab
KacheCab--Chris or Peggy FischerFischer-907
907--235
235--5977