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The National Academies

NCHRP 08-183 [Pending]

Resource to Support Volunteer Driver Programs in Rural and Low-Density Areas

  Project Data
Funds: $350,000
Contract Time: 24 months
Staff Responsibility: Dianne S. Schwager

BACKGROUND

People in rural and low-density areas are more likely to have limited transportation options than people in populated and developed areas. In the United States, a confluence of demographic changes, centralization of services, and other factors have exacerbated the effects of limited transportation options. Volunteer Driver Programs (VDPs) have been shown to help address these unmet mobility needs. The current body of knowledge regarding VDPs is largely anecdotal, with little research-based exploration that provides actionable findings and recommendations for state departments of transportation (DOTs). There is potential for state DOTs to support VDP success, identify opportunities to remove state-level barriers, provide effective technical assistance, and elevate innovation to close transportation gaps with VDPs.

There are opportunities for VDPs to be implemented and improved on a more coordinated basis to provide low-cost transportation for unserved and underserved people. However, the history and growth of VDPs has largely been community-based, with inconsistent support from state DOTs. State DOTs are the audience for this research because they have important responsibilities for planning, funding, and overseeing transportation services in rural and low-density areas. 

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop a resource for state DOTs to provide assistance to mobility providers in rural and low-density areas of the United States to plan, implement, and sustain VDPs as an option for responding to transportation gaps. The resource should include, but not be limited to: 

  • VDPs models. Define VDPs and identify examples in rural and low-density areas in the United States that illustrate a range of models and key attributes. This information will help identify models that may be best suited for different demographic and geographic factors and program goals.
  • Risk management and liability. Examine how risk management and liability of VDPs may be effectively addressed by state DOTs. This information will provide state DOTs with methods, procedures, and best practices to address risks and liability (e.g., insurance) for VDPs, their drivers, and their passengers.
  • Funding. In addition to traditional federal and state sources, identify nontraditional funding, including public and private sources, used to support VDPs. Identify the key attributes and administrative requirements of the funding. This will support state DOT’s funding coordination and technical assistance efforts.
  • Driver recruitment and retention.  Identify successful ways that state DOTs can leverage their resources to assist VDPs to identify, recruit, vet, train, and sustain a stable volunteer driver pool. The resource could present examples of state practices and policies around licensing, vetting, and training volunteer drivers. This will inform state DOTs of innovations, effective practices, and barriers.
  • Regulatory and compliance requirements.  Present examples of common regulatory and compliance requirements that pertain to VDPs; identify tools and guidelines for adherence.  Topics may include safety, risk management, eligibility of mobility providers to receive and use public funds, reporting, Title VI, and ADA implications.  This will help state DOTs provide needed technical assistance and support VDPs in navigating the regulatory environment.
  • Opportunities and challenges.  The resource should synthesize key opportunities and challenges facing VDPs in rural and low-density areas.  This will help state DOTs understand factors supporting VDP success, identify opportunities to remove state-level barriers, provide effective technical assistance, and elevate innovation to close transportation gaps with VDPs. 

RESEARCH PLAN

The research plan will describe appropriate deliverables that include the following (which also represent key project milestones):

  • An amplified research plan that responds to comments provided by the project panel at the contractor selection meeting.
  • An interim report and panel meeting. The interim report should include the analyses and results of completed tasks, a plan for the remaining tasks, and a detailed outline of the final research product(s). The panel meeting will take place in Washington, DC, after the panel review of the interim report. The interim report and panel meeting should occur after the expenditure of about 40 to 50 percent of the project budget.
  • Final deliverables. The final deliverables should include a resource for state DOTs regarding VDPs in rural and low-density areas, supplemented by a research report that documents the research process.  
  • A technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products”.
  • A slide deck, that presents the research findings and conclusions that may be used in webinars.

 

STATUS: Proposals have been received in response to the RFP. The project panel will meet to select a contractor to perform the work.

 

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