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Overview
In the Piedmont Triad area, there are three urban and one regional bus systems. The Cities of Greensboro, High Point and Winston Salem operate fixed route bus systems and paratransit services consistent with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) operates express bus from outlying areas and between Greensboro, High Point and Winston Salem. PART also provides services to medical centers in the Triangle and operates the regional ridesharing program.
Within the greater Piedmont Triad area, there are ten coordinated human service/general public community transportation systems. Community transportation systems in Guilford, Alamance, Randolph and Davidson Counties are operated locally. The Winston Salem Transit Authority provides community transportation services in Forsyth County and the Yadkin Valley Economic Development District, Incorporated (YVEDDI) provides community transportation services in Davie, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin Counties.
In the region, there has been some effort to coordinate ADA paratransit and community transportation services, multi-county community transportation services, out of county medical services and technology activities. Generally speaking, however, there has been limited coordination between the transit systems, and this has contributed to making it difficult to travel from one part of the region to another with ease and in a timely manner. As the population and travel in the Piedmont Triad area continue to increase, the need for additional transportation options will also increase and become more important. In order to provide public transportation options that are more attractive to a larger percent of the population, public transit services must be coordinated to the greatest extent possible. And to maximize resources, services must be provided as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Interest among elected leaders and staff to explore opportunities for maximizing resources, coordinating functions and services to the maximum extent possible and providing seamless transit services has led to the concept of developing the Piedmont Triad Seamless Mobility Plan. The Plan is being undertaken with the support of local governing bodies, the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). Governing bodies of the urban and regional bus systems and coordinated human service/general public community transportation systems approved resolutions expressing their support for the development of the Plan and participation of staff.
A Steering Committee comprised of elected officials from the local governing bodies and transit systems will provide oversight and direction to the project. A Technical Advisory Committee comprised of Transportation Directors, Transit Administrators and Planning Officials has been established to assist in the preparation of the Plan.
The Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation engaged Mr. Sanford Cross as a Project Consultant to work with Transportation Directors, Transit Administrators and Planners to develop a Request for Proposals (RFP) to hire a consultant to prepare the Piedmont Triad Seamless Mobility Plan and oversee the development of the Plan. During the planning process, Mr. Cross will work closely with the consultant team and all systems.
From August – October 2007, the Technical Advisory Committee drafted and issued a Request for Proposals, reviewed proposals and interviewed consulting firms and selected a consultant team. URS Corporation – North Carolina out of Charlotte along with RLS and Associates of Dayton, Ohio were selected to prepare the Piedmont Triad Seamless Mobility Plan . Mr. Brian Piascik with URS Corporation is the Project Manager and will oversee the consultant team in the preparation of the Plan. The Plan will be prepared between November 2007 and July 2008.
The Piedmont Triad Seamless Mobility Plan will assess how current functions are accomplished and services are provided by each system, provide a description and benefit analysis of the different services and functions that might be coordinated and provide actions and recommendations that would result in maximum utilization of resources and the provision of seamless services for current and future users. The Plan will also include a timetable for implementing the actions and recommendations and responsible party. |
