San Luis Obispo - Caltrans - State of California

SAN LUIS OBISPO REGION
COORDINATED HUMAN SERVICES-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PLAN
4.3 STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH FINDINGS
Recognizing that this plan outreach brings back representative results and not a complete
picture of any single service or client group, results are summarized from two perspectives:
1. Consumer group or market segment
2. Geographic area
SLOCOG’s request for proposal required the needs assessment to consider market segments
or consumer groups as one primary frame of analysis. Also presented is a geographic
dimension, so critical to public transportation planning and because many trips made by
consumers within the county are inter-regional in nature. These perspectives will provide a
clearer understanding of needs that may be met by coordinated responses.
The highlights of the outreach activities are presented below. In addition, the public meeting
notices are included as Appendix 4-1 and summaries of the outreach interviews and public
meetings are included as Appendix 4-2.
4.3.1 Consumer Groups’ Transportation Needs and Findings
Persons with Developmental Disabilities:
• Tri-Counties Regional Center (TCRC) reduced its transportation reimbursements to
agencies, requiring them to both cut their transportation budgets (in half in some
instances) and develop alternatives transportation methods.
• TCRC vendor agencies struggle with reduced transit operations budgets.
• TCRC consumers are eligible for public transit services and many for ADA services. In
Paso Robles, the morning and afternoon buses are filled with school children, with no
capacity to serve regional center trips.
• Vehicle replacement, vehicle maintenance and driver training are support services of
concern. Any potential for saving dollars in these areas is of interest.
• Long-distance trips to outlying areas are of a concern; expensive and difficult trips to
schedule given the time involved: Shandon in northeast SLO County.
• Transfers between buses are difficult for this population. Consumers are more likely to
use public transit where it goes straight through – appreciated change with North County
Shuttle thru service to Cuesta College from Atascadero.
• Possible liability insurance concerns [costs] for TCRC vendors providing client
transportation.
• Changes to services are difficult for this population – holiday changes that don’t coincide
with workshop holidays (e.g. the summer schedule reflecting Cal Poly student travel in
San Luis Obispo).
Potential projects:
Operations or alternative services: driver training; vehicle maintenance projects;
special shuttles targeted to outlying communities; input on routing/ scheduling or at least
advance notice in order to re-train consumers who are travel trained on an existing route
configuration.
Capital projects: spare vehicle, vehicle replacement for NCI (formerly North County
Industries), possibly other regional center vendors.
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OCTOBER 2007