Merriam Webster defines coordination as the process of organizing people or groups so that they work together properly and well. Sounds simple – but the reality is that in practice it’s not so simple. The Federal Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM) provides the impetus for transit agencies to share riders, vehicles, and funding to create a seamless continuum of accessible transportation services for individuals with disabilities. However, in practice, there are obstacles and challenges to “easily” coordinate. This session addresses these challenges and offers viewers viable and “doable” strategies and tools, including mobility management, to enhance coordination.
The diverse panel included Enjoli Dixon, Easterseals Technical Assistance Specialist, National Center for Mobility Management, and Mike Spadafore, Director, Mobility Management, Topeka/Shawnee County Region. Enjoli and Mike were joined by local mobility management professionals including Chad M. Eggen, Executive Director, Boonslick Regional Planning Commission, and Andy Fry, Director of Planning for Topeka Metro (Topeka, KS), and facilitated a discussion regarding on the ground – in the weeds strategies to improve the access, efficiency, and accessibility of transportation and mobility services.
Presentations and resources from the Webinar:
- “In The Weeds: A Candid Conversation About the Challenges, Conditions, and Considerations of Transportation Service Coordination” – Enjoli Dixon
- “In The Weeds: Developing bus stops in a car-centric culture” – Andy Fry
- “In the Weeds: Being a good gardener: Time spent in the weeds can lead to a massive harvest” – Mike Spadafore
- Connecting Everyone to Everywhere – A universal message of advocacy for support for more rural/small urban transportation programs.