Paratransit services are more expensive to provide on a per-trip basis than fixed-route transit, so operating efficiencies could be achieved by attracting some paratransit riders to fixed route. The Guidebook identifies the characteristics and preferences of four distinct market segments: people with disabilities who use fixed-route transit; people with disabilities who use paratransit; others who currently use paratransit; and people with disabilities who normally do not use transit. The Guidebook also provides step-by-step procedures for estimating demand, locating bus stops, training drivers, providing travel training for patrons, marketing services, and evaluating successes.

"TRB's Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Synthesis 74: Policies and Practices for Effectively and Efficiently Meeting ADA Paratransit Demand highlights policies and practices that transit agencies may be able to apply to their own paratransit services, often without the need to devote significant funds, personnel, or other resources. The report also examines certain practices and technologies that are still under development or have not undergone extensive testing"--Publisher's description.

This volume gives an overview on new theoretical approaches on computer-aided methods for strategic and operational planning in public transport. The papers of this volume cover the most important steps of the complete process of planning and operational control in public transport and public mass transit. Readers of this book obtain detailed information on current developments in vehicle and crew scheduling and in solving such problems in practice. Interesting results in scheduling theory are shown, using procedures for solving combinatorial problems with more complex structures. Furthermore, experiences in the application of specific software tools are presented. TOC:Vehicle and Crew Scheduling - Methodical Advances.- Vehicle and Crew Scheduling - Practical Issues.- Advanced Transit Service and Vehicle Routing.- Monitoring and Control.- Strategic Decision Problems.- Appendices.

The future of disability in America will depend on how well the U.S. prepares for and manages the demographic, fiscal, and technological developments that will unfold during the next two to three decades. Building upon two prior studies from the Institute of Medicine (the 1991 Institute of Medicine's report Disability in America and the 1997 report Enabling America), The Future of Disability in America examines both progress and concerns about continuing barriers that limit the independence, productivity, and participation in community life of people with disabilities. This book offers a comprehensive look at a wide range of issues, including the prevalence of disability across the lifespan; disability trends the role of assistive technology; barriers posed by health care and other facilities with inaccessible buildings, equipment, and information formats; the needs of young people moving from pediatric to adult health care and of adults experiencing premature aging and secondary health problems; selected issues in health care financing (e.g., risk adjusting payments to health plans, coverage of assistive technology); and the organizing and financing of disability-related research. The Future of Disability in America is an assessment of both principles and scientific evidence for disability policies and services. This book's recommendations propose steps to eliminate barriers and strengthen the evidence base for future public and private actions to reduce the impact of disability on individuals, families, and society.

Demand responsive transit, sometimes referred to as dial-a-ride or, more generally, paratransit, includes those services where a transit vehicle does not operate a fixed route, but rather calls at selected geographic points in response to specific service requests. Service may or may not be provided on a fixed schedule. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) services are a subgroup designed specifically for persons who, because of a disability, cannot access or ride available fixed route services. Traveler response and related information are presented in this chapter for both services open to the general public and ADA services intended for persons with disabilities. This chapter, Chapter 6, will be of interest to transit and transportation planning practitioners, educators, researchers, and professionals across a broad spectrum of transportation and planning agencies; metropolitan planning organizations; and local, state, and federal government agencies.

Many urban transit providers are faced with the problem of declining ridership on traditional fixed route services in low density suburban areas. As a result, most fixed route services in such areas are not economically viable for the transit provider. Ridership levels on such routes could be increased by adding more flexibility to the fixed route structure by replacing the fixed route with a route deviation service. The higher level of service offered by route deviation has the potential to attract non-traditional transit riders. Another reason why transit providers are turning to route deviation is the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, which has brought forth new and greater responsibilities for transit agencies. With the law mandating that certain disabled persons must be provided complementary paratransit service at a nominal cost, public transportation providers were suddenly faced with the challenge of providing traditional fixed-route transit service while also serving individuals with disabilities. There are three categories of paratransit-eligible riders under the ADA: 1. Those who cannot independently board, ride, disembark from accessible vehicles. 2. Those who can independently board and ride an accessible bus but an accessible vehicle is not available for the route and time desired. 3. Those who have a specific impairment that prevent them from boarding or riding a bus. ADA requires that only the first of the three categories be provided service, and only if they want to travel within 3/4 mile of an existing fixed route. To accomplish this, around 550 fixed route systems across the nation have increased or added the availability of paratransit services (Balog, 1997). Consequently, there has been a notable and steady increase in the demand for paratransit by disabled people in the post-ADA era. Since the cost of providing accessible paratransit is definitely higher than the cost of accessible fixed route, the increased demand for paratransit is burdening transit agencies (Balog, 1997). Also, some individuals with disabilities currently using paratransit services could effectively use accessible fixed route services at a lower cost to the transit provider. This has led a number of transit providers to look for new options to encourage paratransit riders to use fixed route services. Most of these options are centered on improving the level of service of fixed route operations and making them more accessible to individuals with disabilities (Balog, 1997). One such option that has been tried by a few transit agencies in rural and suburban areas, with much success, is route deviation service. Route deviation has the potential to meet the challenges faced by urban public transportation providers in a more efficient manner than the current two service practice. Route deviation transit has been used effectively in a limited number of rural and small urban areas of the United States (Rosenbloom, 1996) and some suburban areas. However, it has not been proven to be effective in a large urban area. Currently, the Peninsula Transportation District Commission (Pentran) operates a fixed-route bus system with 13 routes in a service area composed of the cities of Hampton, Newport News and York County. Additionally, Pentran provides paratransit services for the disabled under the mandates of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).