PARATRANSIT IN RURAL AREAS

Until the late 1970s only 1% of federal funds spent on public transportation was allocated to meet rural needs although over 25% of the U.S. population resides in rural areas. Federal and state programs then began to give more attention to non-urban travel needs. Since there is no single dominant transportation provider in such areas, services are initiated and operated through a wide range of institutional and operational structures. The majority of rural services--other than taxis--are initiated by social service agencies, although many "public" systems are funded largely by state and federal programs (predominantly through Section 18). Service is operated directly by a social service agency, by a private (non-profit or for-profit) provider, by a public transit operator, by volunteers, or through a cooperative arrangement. Commuter ridesharing is also promoted by employers in some locations. Major rural-service funding sources are U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Transportation (Section 18). Section 18 funding is channeled through the states which promotes coordination. With less federal funding, the state burden for rural transportation will grow.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • A Report in the Series Paratransit: Options for the Future.
• Corporate Authors:

  Multisystems, Incorporated

  1050 Massachusetts Avenue
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02138

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  Office of Policy Research, 400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Office of the Secretary of Transportation

  Technology Sharing Program, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Publication Date: 1982-4

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 62 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Federal government; Finance; Financing; Paratransit services; Private enterprise; Public transit; Rural areas; Social service agencies; State government; Subsidies; Volunteers
• Identifier Terms: Urban Mass Transportation Act
• Old TRIS Terms: Umta section 18
• Subject Areas: Finance; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00373779
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-I-82-17 Final Rpt.
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 30 2003 12:00AM