“I don’t think I can get there………”

1. “I don’t think I can get there………”

2. Volunteer Driver Programs and Services CDA Transportation and Mobility Webinars - 2/27/13 Richard Smith, MBA Executive Director, Independent Living Partnership General Manager, TRIP Riverside County California

3. “I really didn’t realize there was a transportation issue until I started working with TRIP” - Karen, TRIP Riverside Staff “Karen’s right. Before coming to work here I, like a lot of other people, thought ‘Dial-A-Ride’ covered our needs when we were at the age when we couldn’t drive. I never thought that having a disability could affect your ability to ride the bus, ‘Dial-A-Ride’, that your income was going to be reduced to where you can’t afford the $4 to ride the bus.” - Consuelo, TRIP Riverside Staff TRIP Conversations, January 31, 2013 “Inside Daily TRIP Operations”

4. Who Probably Has Adequate Transportation? People who are able and can afford to drive People who have a spouse or children who are able and can afford to drive People who have reasonable access to public transportation options, are physically and mentally able, and can afford to use these services People who have friends or neighbors who have the means and are willing to help out those they know If none of the above, people who live in an area served by special transportation services that might be provided by a human services agency, senior or community center, health service provider, municipal government, or other non-profit service agency

5. Who May Not Have Adequate Transportation? • People who live in an area without public or other transportation services • or where insufficient services are provided • People who are elderly and live alone • People who have disabilities and/or suffer from chronic or serious illnesses • or mental impairments that limit their mobility • People who are living on very low income • who may be near or below the poverty level • People who have become isolated by choice, circumstances or who have been abandoned by family and friends

6. Why Start and Operate a Volunteer Service? • People live in an rural area that does not have public services need transportation too • In areas with public services that are insufficient • Hours of service • Providing access to specific destinations • High frequency of travel required (example: dialysis) • To help the frail and special needs residents who are unable to use area services due to physical or mental impairments • To serve a specific constituency

7. What Are Reasons Why Residents of an Area Well-Served by Rail, Fixed Route or Paratransit Might Not Be Able to Get to Health Services, Get Groceries or to Other Life Sustaining Services? • Advanced disease, physical or mental • Effects of powerful medications • Age related frailty • Low income/poverty

8. Forms of Volunteer Supplemental Services • Family driving for family members when possible • Friends driving friends and neighbors occasionally • Recruited volunteers driving groups in organization vans • Recruited volunteers driving individuals in organization owned vehicles • Recruited volunteers driving and donating rides in their own vehicles • Recruited volunteers receiving mileage reimbursement for providing rides in their own vehicles • Rider recruited volunteers receiving mileage reimbursement for providing rides in their own vehicles

9. What Some Transit Managers Have Said About the Place for Volunteer Driver Programs • They are effective for serving the most difficult service segments – the very frail, those with debilitating sickness, and those needing escorts because of dementia • They can provide low cost service in parts of service areas where fixed route and paratransit are infeasible • They can serve as a supplemental service to mitigate complementary paratransit demand, much as travel training does (transit benefit) • They can be offered as an alternative for riders who are older and have difficulties using fixed route but don't qualify for ADA paratransit • They can provide services when other system services are not operating

10. More Reasons to Provide Volunteer Services? • They can provide economical service to underserved residents regardless of age and economic status • Dialysis patients are a group better served by volunteer driver friends • Can usually be implemented without causing labor contract issues (benefit for transit and paratransit operators) • Budget certainty - Can be strictly limited and managed • Can be lower cost to operate and scalable to available resources • They are a valuable resource for person-centered care and mobility managers

11. Best Case Profile of Effective and Efficient Service • Able to provide a level of service that meets rider requirements • It is available when needed • It goes where rider needs to go, when the rider needs to go there • It is within the reasonable capabilities of the rider • Riders accept the service • Image • Comfort • Safety • It is affordable

12. Family Driving for Family • Advantages • No cost to rider (typically) • Transportation provided by someone you know • Probably accommodating (accompany, assist, wait for, etc.) • Limitations • May not be regularly available

13. Friends Driving Friends and Neighbors (informal) • Advantages • No cost to rider (sometimes) • Transportation provided by someone you know • Probably accommodating (accompany, assist, wait for, etc.) • Limitations • May not be regularly available • Eventual burnout likely, unless incentives are provided

14. Recruited Volunteers Driving Groups in Vans • Advantages • Predictable availability • Transportation provided by trusted organization • Sometimes accommodating (accompany, assist, wait for, etc.) • Limitations • Riders usually pay fee or “suggested donation” • Riders may be required to schedule in advance • Riders able to access limited number of destinations • Personal/individual accommodations may be limited • Organization expenses include vehicle acquisition, fuel, maintenance, insurance, and scheduling staff • Difficulty recruiting and maintaining staff

15. San Ramon Senior Center • Volunteer drivers are recruited to operate a senior center van owned by the City of San Ramon • Provides door-to-door service for city residents over the age of 55 who no longer drive • Van operates on a set schedule (limited hours on Tuesday through Friday) • 24-hour advance notice is required • Primary destinations include medical, pharmacy, grocery stores and the senior center • $2 fee charged per ride • Recruiting and maintaining volunteer drivers is challenging Part of Parks and Rec Budget for City; Estimated cost / trip is not available

16. Recruited Volunteers Driving Individuals in Private Vehicles • Advantages • Predictable availability • Transportation provided by trusted organization • Sometimes accommodating (accompany, assist, wait for, etc.) • Limitations • Riders usually pay fee or “suggested donation” • Riders may be required to schedule in advance • Riders able to access limited number of destinations • Personal/individual accommodations may be limited • Organization expenses include recruiting, screening, and training volunteers plus organizational insurance • Difficulty recruiting and retaining volunteers

17. ITN Las Vegas Valley, Henderson Nevada • Predictable availability • Transportation provided by trusted organization • Sometimes accommodating (accompany, assist, wait for, etc.) • Pick up charge and a mileage charge - average charge is $10 • Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week • Schedule one day in advance • Available for any type of ride within City of Henderson • Rides are provided in private automobiles by trained drivers • 60 years+ and adults with visual impairments are eligible to join • Annual membership fee is $50 • Pick up charge and a mileage charge - average charge is $10 Began service in November 2010; 25,000 rides provided by November 2012; Estimated cost $18.40/trip (Note: October 2010, ITN Affiliates combined celebrated having provided 300,000 rides - less than 20,000 rides each per year on average)

18. Recruited Volunteers Driving Individuals in Private Vehicles –Internet Dispatched • Advantages • Predictable availability • Transportation provided by trusted organization • Sometimes accommodating (accompany, assist, wait for, etc.) • Limitations • Riders may pay fee or “suggested donation” • Riders may be required to schedule in advance • Riders able to access limited number of destinations • Personal/individual accommodations may be limited • Organization expenses include recruiting, screening, and training volunteers and organizational insurance • Difficulty recruiting and retaining volunteers

19. Rides and Smiles, San Diego County • Riders enroll and request rides one week in advance • Rides can be for any purpose • Volunteer drivers are recruited, screened, and trained • Trips needed by riders are posted on website • Volunteer drivers go to website and “accept” assignments • Staff monitors rides posted and volunteer commitments and attempts to match remaining rides with volunteer pool • Rides provided within a limited area (average 10 miles roundtrip) • Volunteer drivers are paid mileage reimbursement • JFS provides secondary insurance for volunteer drivers Began service 5 years ago; 18,000 rides provided by volunteer driver service through end of 2012; Estimated cost to organization $15 - $20/trip

20. Recruited volunteers receiving mileage reimbursement -providing rides in their own vehicles • Advantages • Predictable availability • Transportation provided by trusted organization • Sometimes accommodating (accompany, assist, wait for, etc.) • Limitations • Riders may pay fee or “suggested donation” • Riders may be required to schedule in advance • Riders able to access limited number of destinations • Personal/individual accommodations may be limited • Organization expenses include recruiting, screening, and training volunteers and organizational insurance • Difficulty recruiting and retaining volunteers

21. West Austin Caregivers of Austin, Texas • Volunteers are recruited, trained and matched with enrolled riders • Personalized transportation is provided to medical appointments, shopping, volunteer jobs, and other destinations • Advance notice is required • A donation is suggested • Affiliated with other Faith In Action groups in adjacent areas in Austin Began service 28 years ago; Expenses in 2009 were $91,478 and 5,288; Estimated cost to organization $17.30/trip

22. Rider recruited and managed volunteers receiving mileage reimbursement -providing rides in their own vehicles • Advantages • Self-scheduling for maximum availability • Transportation provided by trusted friend or neighbor • Maximum accommodation to rider needs • Minimal organizational infrastructure required – no recruiters, no trainers, no matching or scheduling • Rides are provided at no cost to rider • Any destination is possible as mutually agreed

23. TRIP, Riverside California Rider recruited and managed volunteers receiving mileage reimbursement - providing rides in their own vehicles • self-directed mileage reimbursement service • designed as a low-cost, low-maintenance, customer driven approach • passengers recruit their own drivers • rides are arranged between passengers and their drivers • assistance is based on individual capabilities and needs and may be authorized for any travel purpose but 95% of TRIP enrollees use the service for health access • TRIP is different than most volunteer transportation services • it does not recruit drivers, schedule rides, own vehicles, or charge fees • mutual-agreement scheduling method creates the possibility of 24/7 availability for travel to mutually agreed on destinations • involvement of drivers who are friends of riders ensures that drivers are aware of and perhaps experienced in providing the type of transportation assistance needed • 2012: 101,093 one-way trips for 804 unique riders, more than 1,000 volunteer drivers. • Actual cost to organization $6.09/trip

24. How to start…. Step 1 – Who Will Be Served Step 2 – TRIP’s Basic Elements Step 3 – Who Can Be A Volunteer Driver Step 4 – What Area Will Be Served Step 5 – Managing Capacity Step 6 – Arranging For Needed Insurance Step 7 – How The Office Will Be Organized Step 8 – Staffing The Service Step 9 – Setting Up the Right Service Environment Step 10 – Financial Resources Needed Step 11 – Establishing The Budget Step 12 – Required Information and Data Management Step 13 – Establishing The Application Process Step 14 – Insuring Necessary Communications Essentials Step 15 – Outreach / Making It Happen

25. How to fund? • Older Americans Act Title III funds • Fee-for-service contracts with local and county governments • Direct municipal support • Other Federal grants • Community Development Block Grants • Foundation grants • Corporate partnerships • Other non-profits requiring support • Hospitals, patient transportation • Specific constituency service • Businesses • Service organizations • Religious organizations • Public contribution campaigns • Bequests and memorials • Fundraising events

26. Risk and Liability “We are not aware of any study that demonstrates that the use of volunteer drivers is somehow more risky than other activities involving motor vehicles.” “It is important to note that volunteer drivers, while using their own cars, will be covered initially by their own personal auto insurance. A volunteer’s personal auto insurance for his/her own car will cover anyone named in a lawsuit arising out of the use of the personal auto…” “However, in cases where a catastrophic injury occurs to a passenger or pedestrian when a volunteer driver is using her own car, the damages may exceed the driver’s personal auto insurance limits…. Non-owned auto liability insurance covers liability for accidents caused by an employee or volunteer driving their own vehicle.” - Nonprofit Risk Management Center

27. Volunteer Act of 1997 SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON LIABILITY FOR VOLUNTEERS. (a) LIABILITY PROTECTION FOR VOLUNTEERS.—Except as provided in subsections (b) and (d), no volunteer of a nonprofit organization or governmental entity shall be liable for harm caused by an act or omission of the volunteer on behalf of the organization or entity if— (1) the volunteer was acting within the scope of the volunteer’s responsibilities in the nonprofit organization or governmental entity at the time of the act or omission; (2) if appropriate or required, the volunteer was properly licensed, certified, or authorized by the appropriate authorities for the activities or practice in the State in which the harm occurred, where the activities were or practice was undertaken within the scope of the volunteer’s responsibilities in the nonprofit organization or governmental entity; (3) the harm was not caused by willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct, or a conscious, flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of the individual harmed by the volunteer; and (4) the harm was not caused by the volunteer operating a motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or other vehicle for which the State requires the operator or the owner of the vehicle, craft, or vessel to— (A) possess an operator’s license; or (B) maintain insurance.

28. ISO 31000:2009 International Organization for Standardization seeks to provide a methodology to “manage” risk, whatever activities an organization might be involved with. ISO 31000:2009 lists the following strategies to manage risk: Transferring the risk to another party (making the problem belong to another entity – this is the purpose of insurance and also the basis of the TRIP model concept of only having a “contract” with the enrolled rider) Avoiding the risk (don’t provide the service) Reducing the negative effect or probability of the risk Or even accepting some or all of the potential or actual consequences of a particular risk.

29. Where to get more information…. Independent Living Partnership www.Triptrans.org www.ILPconnect.org Richard Smith executivedirector@livingpartnership.org The Beverly Foundation www.beverlyfoundation.org National Center for Senior Transportation seniortransportation.easterseals.com