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TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Transportation Disadvantaged Program

The overall mission of Florida's transportation disadvantaged program is to ensure the availability of safe, efficient, cost-effective and quality transportation services for the transportation disadvantaged. The transportation disadvantaged include individuals who because of physical or mental disability, income status or age, are unable to transport themselves or to purchase transportation and therefore are dependent upon others to obtain access to health care, employment, education, shopping, social activities, or other life-sustaining activities. Services are also extended to include the handicapped, high-risk or at-risk children.

Florida's transportation disadvantaged program was created in 1979 and reenacted in 1989. The 1989 act created the Florida Transportation Disadvantaged Commission (currently the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged) and the enhanced local participation in the planning and delivery of coordinated transportation services through creation of local coordinating boards (LCBs) and community transportation coordinators (CTCs). Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) or designated official planning agencies (DOPAs) perform long-range planning and assist the Commission and LCBs in implementing the transportation disadvantaged program in designated service areas. The CTD is now an independent commission housed administratively within the Florida Department of Transportation.

The Levy County Board of County Commissioners is the designated as official planning agency. Levy County contracts with the WRPC to assist in carrying out some of the administrative and planning activities mandated by state statute.

Program Responsibilities and Requirements

Typical WRPC staff activities under this contract includes providing staff support to the LCB, providing technical assistance to the CTC, evaluating CTC performance, and preparing a three-year transportation disadvantaged service plan for the county with annual updates.

Responsibilities of the WRPC staff under the transportation disadvantaged program consist of the following:

  • Assist the local coordinating board, when necessary, to solicit for a community transportation provider, in conformity with Chapters 287 and 427 Florida Statutes.

  • Develop and maintain a process for the appointment and reappointment of members to the local coordinating board.

  • Prepare agendas for the local coordinating board meetings consistent with the Local Coordinating Board and Planning Agency Operating Guidelines.

  • Prepare official minutes of the local coordinating board meetings. For committee meetings, prepare minutes in the form of brief summaries that include basic points, discussions, decisions and recommendations to the full board. Records of all meetings are kept for at least three (3) years.

  • Assist the local coordinating board in providing at least one public hearing annually and assist the Commission for Transportation Disadvantaged, on an as needed basis, in co-sponsoring public hearings.

  • Provide staff support for any committees of the local coordinating board.

  • Assist the local coordinating board in developing and updating its by-laws on an annual basis.

  • Maintain a current membership roster and mailing list of all local coordinating board members.

  • Provide public notice of all local coordinating board meetings and local public hearings in accordance with the Coordinating Board and Planning Agency Operating Guidelines and publication in the Florida Administrative Weekly.

  • Report the actual expenditures of direct federal and local government transportation funds to the Commission for Transportation Disadvantaged annually.

  • Report the annual budget estimates of direct federal and local government transportation funds to the Commission for Transportation Disadvantaged annually, as required by Chapter 427 Florida Statutes.

Service Development

  • Develop jointly, with the community transportation coordinator and the local coordinating board, the Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP) by preparing and updating the planning section following Commission guidelines. Provide staff assistance to the LCB in updating the TDSP annually.

  • Encourage integration of "transportation disadvantaged" issues into local and regional comprehensive plans. Ensure activities of the LCB and CTC are consistent with local and state comprehensive planning activities including Florida Transportation Plan.

  • Encourage the local CTC to work cooperatively with local WAGES coalitions established in Chapter 414, Florida Statutes, and provide assistance in the development of innovative transportation services for WAGES participants.

Technical Assistance, Training and Evaluation

  • Provide the LCB with quarterly reports of transportation disadvantaged planning accomplishments and expenditures as outlined in the planning grant agreement and any other activities related to the transportation disadvantaged program including but not limited to consultant contacts, special studies and marketing efforts.

  • Attend at least one Commission-sponsored training, including but not limited to, the Commission's quarterly regional meetings, the Commission's annual training workshop, or other sponsored training.

  • Attend at least one Commission meeting each year within budget/staff/schedule availability.

  • Notify Commission staff of local transportation disadvantaged concerns that may require special investigations.

  • Provide training for newly appointed local coordinating board members.

  • Provide assistance to the CTC, purchasing agencies and others, as needed, which may include participation in, and initiating when necessary, local or regional meetings to discuss transportation disadvantaged needs, service evaluation and opportunities for service improvement.

  • To the extent feasible, collect and review proposed funding applications involving "transportation disadvantaged" funds consistent with Chapter 427, Florida Statutes, and Rule 41-2, Florida Administrative Code, and provide recommendations to the LCB.

  • Ensure the LCB conducts, at a minimum, an annual evaluation of the CTC.

  • Assist the Commission in joint reviews of the CTC.

  • Ensure the LCB annually reviews coordination contracts to advise the Coordinator whether the continuation of said contract provides the most effective and efficient transportation available, consistent with Rule 41-2, Florida Administrative Code.

  • Implement recommendations identified in the Commission's Quality Assurance and Program Evaluation (QAPE) reviews.

Committees

The Levy County Local Coordinating Boards (LCB) includes representatives of the following groups/agencies:

  • Levy County Commission

  • Florida Department of Transportation
  • Department of Children and Families
  • School Board

  • Florida Department of Education/Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
  • Veterans

  • Community Action agency

  • Elderly (60+ citizens)

  • Citizen User

  • Citizen

  • Children at Risk

  • Handicapped Citizen

  • Department of Elder Affairs

  • Agency for Health Care Administration

  • Regional Work Force Development Board

  • Local Medical Community


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The LCB has a number of Committees, which include:

Grievance Committee: The Grievance Committee is responsible to develop, update, and implement the local coordinating board grievance procedures in accordance with the Commission for Transportation Disadvantaged (CTD) guidelines.

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)/Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP)Committee: The TDSP is a three-year implementation plan with annual updates introduced by the CTC and the planning agency. The TDSP clearly identifies all aspects of the service delivery system typical of a coordinated transportation system.

Evaluation Committee: This Committee is responsible for evaluating the Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) annually. The purpose of the evaluation is to ensure that the most cost-effective, unduplicated, efficient and accountable transportation service is offered to the transportation disadvantaged population. The committee evaluates the CTC on four (4) areas: coordination, cost effectiveness, level of competition and availability of service.

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