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Mobility management in Wisconsin

Background

In Wisconsin, mobility management began when Governor Jim Doyle charged heads of state agencies to work toward eliminating administrative barriers that prohibit transportation coordination by forming the Interagency Council on Transportation Coordination (ICTC) in October, 2005. Part of its mission was to develop a state model of coordination.

Through the 2006 Coordinated Public Transit – Human Services Transportation planning process, mobility management was identified as one of the eleven priorities in most areas of the state.

In April 2007, the ICTC sponsored a conference with statewide stakeholder attendance. The conference was intended to raise awareness of the ICTC and its mission, and was aimed at improving access to, and coordination of, transportation for disadvantaged people in Wisconsin.

In June 2007, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) sponsored two sessions of the NTI course, “Coordinated Mobility,” to provide stakeholders with the basic concept of mobility management and its application to transportation operations at the community level.

Mobility management projects

WisDOT developed its New Freedom grant program with initial application submissions due in the fall, 2007 for project implementation in calendar year 2008. As a result of this solicitation, 16 mobility management projects were awarded funding at the capital level of 80%. Through an agreement with WisDOT, the Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation provided an additional $425,000 to rural areas of the state for mobility management projects implemented in 2008.

In 2008, 16 local and 3 regional mobility management projects were formally identified in New Freedom grant proposals. Two of the regional projects covered 18 and 20 counties respectively. Only 6 of 72 counties were not yet involved in performing mobility management activities to some degree.

In 2009, 9 new mobility management projects were awarded funding and added 2 more regional projects to the mix. 69 of 72 counties were actively engaged in practicing mobility management.

In most cases, mobility management projects were identified and defined through the locally developed human services transportation coordination planning process in 2006, and the subsequent planning process in 2008. The direction mobility management projects take is purely a local decision and is not limited or mandated by WisDOT other than to ensure project eligibility according to the applicable funding source.

Wisconsin’s mobility managers are employed by a variety of agencies including Aging and Disability Resource Centers, local governing bodies, employment and community action programs, transit systems, human service and social service agencies, independent living centers, and economic opportunity councils.

Mobility management training program

The initial cast of New Freedom mobility managers, many of whom were new to the transportation industry, looked to WisDOT for training and resources to help them implement their projects. WisDOT’s response to this need was to develop a training program with formal workshops in which to offer classes, raise awareness of resources and best practices, and to foster a network of peers within the state. Initial plans for continuation of the annual training program are to offer it as long as the need existed and funding was available.

The objective of the training program is to assist mobility managers in efficiently and effectively implementing their programs within their one-year grant. To achieve this goal, a nationally recognized and well known third party consultant was hired to facilitate face-to-face workshops, providing formalized training on topics that include the basics of mobility management, the history of transportation, negotiation skills, building partnerships, funding sources, performance measurement, financial and grant management, reporting, software needs, and other areas of significance to effective mobility management. With an extensive background in transportation and vast knowledge of transportation issues and challenges at various levels, the third party consultant provides expert guidance and effective best practices from a variety of sources throughout the nation.

In addition to four or five in-person meetings, teleconferences are held in months where a face-to-face meeting is not held. To facilitate further communication between workshops and teleconferences, a Google group was created as a forum by which mobility managers could request information and resources, share best practices, exchange ideas, and seek input from each other as well as experts in other states and at the national level. The Google group, Mobility Management Forum, is open to membership by anyone with an interest in mobility management. Membership activation is carefully screened to ensure legitimacy and assure applicability so as to maintain the integrity of the blog.

The training program began with its first workshop in May 2008. Word quickly spread about its existence and requests from those performing mobility management activities but funded by sources other than New Freedom expressed interest in participating. Recognizing the significance of including them in the training program, WisDOT afforded them the opportunity to participate with the number of attendees at later workshops in 2008 swelling from the 16 newly hired mobility managers funded by New Freedom, to 29 by the end of the year. Participants included transportation industry staff funded by JARC (Job Access Reverse Commute) and WETAP (Wisconsin Employment Transportation Assistance Program), STRAP (Supplemental Transportation Rural Assistance Program), and state or local funding programs.

Training program participation in 2009 has reached 49, comprised of 21 mobility managers who are funded by New Freedom, 19 JARC/WETAP, 4 STRAP, and 5 funded by other state or local resources. Several other states have sent representatives to participate and learn about the training program.

Using the knowledge gained through the training program, mobility managers have achieved successful program implementation through a variety of options that serve the transportation disadvantaged through the use of creative and effective programs including voucher and volunteer drivers, travel training and orientation, community car, ride sharing, van pools, shuttle service, one-stop call centers, vehicle loan and repair programs and other innovative solutions.

With increased knowledge and access to resources, and an expanded knowledge of how to combine and maximize funding sources, participants in the training program have been able to very quickly accomplish transportation coordination and effective mobility management. Three mobility management projects that began in 2008 resulted in new public transportation in 2009 where none was available before, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of the training program and showing that it is a beneficial use of the funds by which it is supported.
More information and details are available about the 2008 and 2009 events.

2008 and 2009 projects and programs in place

In 2008, mobility management projects included 10 vehicle loan programs (funded by WETAP), 7 projects for service, 5 voucher programs, 4 vehicle repair programs (funded by WETAP), 3 car pool programs, 3 rideshare programs, 3 shuttle programs, 3 travel training programs, 3 volunteer driver programs, and 3 travel orientation programs.

In 2009, most of the projects from 2008 were awarded continuations of funding. Additionally, new programs include 4 one-stop call centers, 4 car loan programs, 1 voucher program, 1 travel training and 3 projects providing new public transportation service.

Projections for 2010

Based on word-of-mouth and inquiries received, WisDOT anticipates grant proposals for projects with 2010 implementation will include 3 more mobility management projects, 1 new vehicle repair program, a number of community car programs, several more transportation coordination programs, 2 new service projects, and more that are yet unknown.
It is expected that the training program will continue in calendar year 2010, based on initial inquiries and the interest that has been expressed by potential grant applicants.

Contact:  Ingrid Koch, ingrid.koch@dot.wi.gov, or (608) 266-1379

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Questions about the content of this page:
Ingrid Koch, ingrid.koch@dot.wi.gov
Last modified: June 19, 2009