“Big Ideas Fit in Small Towns”

1. “Big Ideas Fit in Small Towns” Pam Couch, Executive Director Modoc Transportation Agency / Sage Stage 18th National Conference on Rural Public & Intercity Bus Transportation Omaha, NE - October 20, 2008 (TEC3)

2. Frontier Rural Context & Issues • Older and poorer population • Often with lifeline mobility issues • Long travel distances >100 mi. one-way • Limited services / infrastructure • Few operators / providers • Most with limited schedules / service

3. Where We Started • Need to solve a real problem (2000) How to get to, from and through remote, rural places? • Need for information - options • Need for bus traveler information • Need for on-line information tool

4. Systems Approach • Think “system” • Solve problems - one at a time • Assemble “building blocks” • Integrate solutions • Coordinate and collaborate with others (neighbors, colleagues, operators & vendors) • Share ideas and lessons learned

5. Enhanced Connectivity • CALnections project (http://www.calnections.com) • Greyhound Interline Partnership • Google Transit on Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/transit) Plus some lessons learned

6. Research projects yield important learning • Must report and share all lessons learned

8. Enlarged Message Display ”No service is provided at 11:35 AM on Thursday, but you can make this trip if you start travel at 12:40 PM on Wednesday” • Important information for rural traveler • Offers ‘doable’ option and alternatives

9. CALnections.com Lessons Learned • Building an on-line trip planner, ain’t easy • Really need data exchange standards! • Converting one advanced technology (brokerage management system) to another is tough (on-line trip planner) • Use / re-use everything you can, and always remember they’re your data • Need good partners (who keep commitments)

10. Intercity trips to/from remote, rural areas typically require using 2+ bus operators (mainstream and upstream) • Must report and share all lessons learned

11. Greyhound Interline Partnership: Lessons Learned • Ticket sales (commissions) reflect population within service area • Need ~20% commission to break even (or consider as ‘mobility service’) • Invaluable referrals and exposure • Need more creative solutions andinnovative public/private partnerships

12. Intercity trips to/from remote, rural areas typically require using 2+ bus operators (mainstream and upstream) • Must report and share all lessons learned

14. Google/Transit Partnership: Lessons Learned • Works really well for large urban transit systems (with many routes and frequent headways) • Exposed challenges when transit systems connect / overlap • Invaluable referrals and new riders • Need more creative solutions andinnovative public/private partnerships

15. Basic Lessons Re-Learned • Be willing to work hard! • Development costs are hard to recover and often underestimated • Effective public/private partnerships are absolutely necessary • Share all lessons learned • Keep on “keeping on”

16. Pam Couch, Executive Director Modoc Transportation 111 W. North Street Alturas, CA 96101-3936 Phone (530) 233-6422 pamcouch@frontiernet.net