If You Want Something to Happen, You Have to Make a Space for it:A Best Practice on Increasing Mobility Options in Rural Areas

Presented by:Cathy Brown, Executive Director

Lisa Love, Director of Transportation ServicesSt. Johns County Council on Aging, Inc.

St. Augustine, FL

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:A Snapshot of the County

600 square mile county Population: 179,361 75% Urbanized/25% Rural Rapid population growth, estimated to be

224,335 by 2012

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:Our Rural Mobility Challenges

Growth in population is naturally accompanied by an increased demand for community transportation options.

St. Johns County was reclassified as a Small Urban community in 2000 Census which brought new 5307 funding and resources to assist in addressing the increased demand in our urbanized areas.

At the same time our rural population was growing as well, and here we had no new resources to meet the demand.

What to do, what to do.

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:Identify the need

Track the increased demand The highest level of requests for rural trips were

from the southwest portion of our county from the communities of Elkton, Hastings and Flagler Estates

Research indicated that these areas had grown from their 2000 census population of 6,053 to 10,682 in 2008, an almost 50% increase, with the largest increase in Flagler Estates.

Furthermore these areas have high populations of low to middle class households with largely blue collar workers.

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:Identify the need

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:Identify the solution

To meet the increased demand in the identified target areas, we set two major goals:

#1 Increase demand response trips by 30%

by 2009.#2 Add a new route to our deviated fixed

route system, the Sunshine Bus Company, to

serve these areas, also by 2009.

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:Identify resources to fund solution

We knew what we had to do, all we needed was money!

We contacted our funding partner at our district FDOT office for help. You gotta have friends!

FDOT assisted us in increasing our section 5311 dollars for operating to meet the increased demand response needs and came through with a special supplemental grant of 30k to fund a marketing initiative.

We also learned of new section 5316 JARC funding opportunities through our district FDOT office. We applied for and were awarded operating and capital funds to add our new deviated fixed route line to the targeted areas.

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:Marketing the new services; a grassroots approach

Getting Madison Avenue Getting Madison Avenue

Results on a Results on a

Main Street Budget!Main Street Budget!

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:Marketing the new services; a grassroots approach

Budget: $30,000.00 from section 5311 one-time supplemental grant

Strategy was to use dollars to fund a temporary marketing position to network and outreach at a grass roots level.

Simple, straightforward brochures and rack cards were produced to tell the story.

Armed with these promotional pieces, a heart for our mission and a solid plan to infiltrate our targeted areas, our marketing coordinator hit the streets.

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:Marketing the new services; a grassroots approachThe Marketing Plan: Presentations at Board of County Commissioners and local town

hall meetings Presentations at community and civic organizations, including

Rotary, Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce. Outreach and networking with local community action groups,

including health department officials, medical community, OUR Center in Hastings, and the Flagler Estates Community Redevelopment Assoc.

Face time with pastors of local churches Participation in all community events, such as health fairs, fall

festivals and open houses. Press releases to local newspapers and newsletters. Interviews

on local radio stations to discuss the new rural transportation options.

Information included on our websites and those of our community partners.

Advertising for the new deviated fixed route line on paratransit buses traveling in the targeted areas.

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:Marketing the new services; a grassroots approach

Medical Community

CommunityActionGroups

MediaTraditional

&Web-based

Churches

Civic Groups

GovernmentEntities

The messageNeed a Ride?

With Daily Service to Hastings and Flagler Estates, Monday-Saturday!

The Sunshine Bus, St. J ohns County's public bus system, offers safe, affordable and convenient

transportation to everyone. We go where you want to go ... shopping, employment, medical appointments,

school, errands and our beautiful beaches, all for $1.00 per one-way trip. (.50 for seniors and the disabled)

Wherever you’re going…

We’ll take you there!

For Route and Scheduling Information Call 904-209-3716, or visit our website

at www.sunshinebus.net

The Sunshine Bus Company is operated by the St. J ohns County Council on Aging, Inc.

Introduces the

TTTEEEAAALLL LLLIIINNNEEE starting

October 20, 2008

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:Ta Da! The Results

Increased revenue from Section 5311 and marketing efforts resulted in a 75% increase in rural trips provided between June 2007 and June 2008.

The results of the addition of the Teal Line to the Sunshine Bus Company deviated fixed route system?

We’ll keep you posted, it made its inaugural run yesterday on Monday, October 20, 2008.

BUT…We have done our homework and the groundwork

and are expecting great things!

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:The Bottom Line

Increasing Rural Mobility Options in St. Johns County:Contact Information

Cathy Brown, Executive DirectorLisa Love, Director of Transportation

ServicesSt. Johns County Council on Aging, Inc.180 Marine StreetSt. Augustine, FL 32084904-209-3700Email: cbrown@stjohnscoa.com

llove@stjohnscoa.comWebsite: www.stjohnscoa.com

www.sunshinebus.net