Employers with at least 100 onsite workers from the Denver area north to Wyoming would have to reduce individual vehicle travel by 40% come 2025.
Denver County Local Coordinating Council
May 19, 2021; 9-10 AM
Zoom Meeting
Introductions
- Carol Buchanan – DRMAC
- Michael Hughes – West Corridor TMA
- Cooper Langdon – RTD Service Planning
- Kenna Davis – DRMAC TATF
- Patrick Kavanaugh – DRMAC
- Lindsey Alarcon – RTD
- Jaime Lewis – Colorado Cross Disability Coalition
- Mayra Gonzales – Montbello Organizing Committee
- Daryl Kinton – Former RTD Board Member
- Latoya Prante – DRMAC
- David Krutsinger – DOTI
- Christian Steward – DOTI
- Steve Martingano – RTD Transit Security
Getting There Travel Training (GTTT) -Latoya Prante, DRMAC
- Different types of travel training available including 101 ,102, 103
- Trainings include tutorial of the RTD app, discounts fares
- Trainings cover RTD and Lyft (app and scooters)
- Lyft bikes will be added to travel trainings in the future
- Example: Training 101 covers:
- Who is RTD and Lyft
- How to plan a trip
- How to find a bus/bus stop
- How to stay safe
- How to read a schedule
- How to find a train/platform
- Trainings are currently virtual but will be transitioning back to in-person by this summer. Expected to start in-person at Union Station.
- Online trainings have no capacity limits and all ages are welcome; in-person trainings must be 18+ and will have capacity limits.
- Mike to work with Latoya to host travel trainings with groups he is working with.
Sun Valley Project Update
- Debrief of second meeting with Sun Valley Youth Center
- Low levels of engagement – hard to have engagement with virtual meetings
- Staff needs travel training – schedule in-person training
- Provide bikes and/or demo bus with bike rack
- Current driver shortage limits this possibility, but could be an option if staffing levels increase
- Welcome Back Packet distribution
2021 Goals
- Building relationships in Montbello
- Mayra to check when the next FreshLo meeting will be held.
- David mentioned that DOTI is working with Montbello for a new transit circulator – opening in July 2021.
- Start planning some sort of travel training before the circulator is live. Mayra to work with Latoya to set this up.
- Plan some sort of DCLCC sponsored event when the circulator opens?
- DOTI is working with the Northeast Transportation Connections TMA and planning on providing some sort of travel training and event.
- DCLCC Website
- CALC summer micro-grants will be released around July/August.
General DCLCC Updates
- Steering Committee recruitment
- Looking at adding more members
- RTD sub-regional committees
- RTD Accountability Committee will be releasing their recommendations in the next couple months, will include public comment period.
- If RTD sub-regional committees are approved, want to not duplicate DCLCC efforts. Potential to make DCLCC the Denver sub-regional committee.
Member Updates
- Lindsey – RTD is kicking off their fare study this month (18-month process) which includes a community engagement component.
- Cooper – the RTD driver shortage limits the amount of service increases.
- Michael – ebikeshare program launching in June in Sun Valley
- Carol – DRMAC RCC is scheduled for June 1st; disability etiquette training scheduled for July 6th.
Next meeting:
June 16, 2021 at 9am
Zoom Meeting
As our communities recover, we have an eye on those most adversely impacted by COVID-19, the economic downturn, and inequitable systems. Prior to the pandemic, low-income riders made up about half of RTD transit riders, and those who continue to rely on public transportation are mostly Black, Brown, Indigenous, other people of color and low-income workers.
RTD Access-a-Ride’s Paratransit Advisory Committee (APAC) – May 11, 2021
APAC met via Microsoft teams on Tuesday, May 11. This was second of three separate meetings for APAC this year. Additional meetings of APAC will be held jointly with RTD’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities (ACPD) as part of a pilot. RTD is considering a merger of the two committees.
There was a discussion of who would be the APAC member to serve as the liaison to ACPD as well as be the new spokesperson to provide a verbal APAC summary to the RTD Board. Brenda Carney has been serving in both of these roles. Because of the joint meetings and the possible merger of APAC and ACPD, it was decided to shelve designating a new liaison. Tex Elam stepped forward as APAC’s new spokesperson for the Board and will serve in that role until the end of the year when it is likely the two groups will merge. This was voted on and approved.
Access-a-Ride Manager, Larry Buter then gave the following updates:
- Covid Response – There are changes in capacity restrictions. Currently there are no more than 3 passengers and one operator in a vehicle. This is expected to increase to 5 passengers and one operator with 4 passengers and one operator in smaller vehicle models. Masks are still required.
- Eligibility Vendor RFP – A new vendor was chosen unanimously with input from APAC and others in the RTD Access-a-Ride community. The new vendor will be Medical Transportation Management (MTM). They will do eligibility assessments as well as travel training. A final vote on the matter will occur at the RTD Board meeting this evening. They will begin serving in this role starting September 1, 2021. New users of Access-a-Ride will have presumptive eligibility until August 31, 2021.
- Volunteers are needed from APAC for practice/mock eligibility assessments with new vendor, MTM and for providing feedback on new vehicle specifications. Several members responded.
- Staff are updating the Customer/User Guide and requesting APAC members review and provide input. This input will be gathered at the next meeting.
Updates were followed by a report on Phase 2 of Access-a-Ride’s Uber pilot which includes a wheelchair accessible (WAV) option. There was discussion of the limited use of the WAV option. Uber and RTD are conducting outreach. APAC members provided some suggestions including providing marketing materials to CPWD, reaching out to CCBs, and expanding the service area.
The next meeting will be a joint meeting with ACPD on July 13th.
Boulder Mobility and Access Coalition (Boulder Local Coordinating Council (LCC))
May 10th, 2021
Location: Zoom virtual meeting
Frequency: 2nd Monday of every month 2:00pm-4:00pm until Dec 13, 2021
Purpose of meeting: Discuss transportation access & equity (access to opportunity, quality of life, basic needs)
Panel Discussion: Nick Robles (Boulder County Public Health), Paul Hamilton (RTD), Lisa Bitzer (Via Mobility Services)
Questions:
- What are some of the biggest barriers for your organization and clients during the pandemic and how have services changed?
- How did your engagement strategies change over the pandemic? Most successful strategies?
- How has your organization’s perspective on equity changed over the last year?
- What did your organization learn about adaptability and resilience that will impact your future uncertainties (pandemics, climate change, etc.)?
Answers Summary:
When thinking about the pandemic, things like unpredictability, decreased ridership, sanitation, safety, and food delivery programs became extremely relevant barriers that had to be addressed. Some pre-existing engagement strategies became more relevant and amplified. Using technology to connect with the community and partners strengthened communication and allowed for needs to be better addressed. To create equity, these organizations are doing things like ensuring that community members feel comfortable with resources, keeping ride services open to riders, shedding light on issues, reading books, and partnering with organizations like NAACP. Going forward, keeping the connections made during COVID will be important for learning and addressing community needs.
Speaker:
Jeff Butts (Multimodal Planner for Boulder County)
287 Bus Rapid Transit Feasibility Study
The objective of this study is to study and understand north/south mobility needs along US 287 and recommend specific capital improvements and transit service enhancements for the corridor (Longmont, Erie, Lafayette, and Broomfield). Data found people are either not using transit or rarely using it, although there seems to be public support among those who are engaged. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) takes the elements of a train and puts in on a bus (i.e. more cost effective, faster, more reliable, moves more people). Goals of the study include increased efficacy, increased attractiveness, competitive transit travel time, and social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
Next Meeting: Jun 14, 2021 from 2:00-4:00PM
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Please take 10-15 minutes to have your voice heard about the unmet needs in your community and to shape the direction of Serve Colorado. You can take the survey HERE.
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