Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations
Federal Agencies Are Taking Steps to Assist States and Local Agencies in Coordinating Transportation Services Gao ID: GAO-04-420R February 24, 2004In June 2003, we reported that over 60 federal programs can fund transportation services for certain "transportation-disadvantaged" populations (such as some elderly persons, persons with disabilities, or low-income persons) that lack the ability to provide their own transportation or have difficulty accessing conventional public transportation, but that several obstacles impede coordination of these programs. Most of the programs are administered by four federal departments--Transportation, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Education. Coordinating these disparate federal efforts could result in more efficient use of federal resources and in improved services for these transportation-disadvantaged populations. In fact, some local areas that have overcome existing obstacles and successfully coordinated the services offered by federal programs and others available in their area have realized improved customer service and substantial cost savings. To promote and encourage further coordination of the transportation services provided by these programs, we recommended that (1) the Departments of Labor and Education join the Departments of Transportation and Health and Human Services as members of the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (Coordinating Council); (2) the members of the Coordinating Council develop and distribute additional guidance to states and other grantees that encourages the coordination of transportation services; (3) the member departments ensure that the Coordinating Council's strategic plan and each member department's strategic and annual performance plans have long-term goals and performance measures related to coordinating the departments' programs and improving transportation for transportation-disadvantaged populations; and (4) the member departments link their Web sites to the Web site of the Coordinating Council and advertise the site in departmental correspondence and other outreach opportunities. In addition to these recommendations, we identified several more general options for improving coordination--including developing improved leadership and establishing interagency forums at the federal, state, and local levels; harmonizing differing federal program standards and requirements; and providing financial incentives to encourage state or local agencies to coordinate. Congress asked us to (1) determine whether the four federal departments and the Coordinating Council have taken steps to address our recommendations and (2) identify actions taken by the four federal departments in relation to the options we outlined for improving coordination.
Federal departments and the Coordinating Council have made progress implementing the recommendations in our June report, which should result in improved coordination of federal programs at the state and local level. However, the departments have made limited efforts to include coordination in their strategic and annual performance plans. The Departments of Labor and Education have been invited to join the Coordinating Council, and have been active in interdepartmental working groups under the council. In addition, several efforts are under way to improve and expand the range of guidance and technical assistance offered by three of the four federal departments; however, the Department of Education has yet to begin developing guidance on coordination for its programs. These federal coordination efforts are designed to help state and local agencies coordinate some of the key federal programs, such as Health and Human Services' Medicaid program and Labor's programs under the Workforce Investment Act, with transportation services funded by the Department of Transportation. All of these actions are in the early stages of implementation, and their success will depend on whether the departments can muster a sustained effort focused on measurable performance goals related to coordination efforts. While the Federal Transit Administration--an agency within the Department of Transportation--has included coordination-related performance goals in its strategic plan, other agencies and departments have not yet fully incorporated transportation coordination objectives, goals, or performance measures related to coordination in their strategic and annual performance plans. Officials within the involved departments and agencies, however, have identified transportation and the coordination of these services as an area to consider in the next cycle of planning efforts. Finally, while some of the agencies within the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Education have linked their Web sites to the Coordinating Council's Web site, or have plans to do so, other agencies within these departments have not yet implemented this recommendation. The Departments of Transportation, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Education have also taken additional actions related to the other options outlined in our report for improving coordination. In December 2003, the four departments launched a five-part coordination initiative--"United We Ride"--that is designed to help states and communities overcome obstacles to coordination. This initiative is designed to provide financial incentives for coordination and establish an interagency forum for communication. While this initiative holds promise for improving coordination at the state and local levels, it is too soon to comment on its ability to do so. Also, while there have been some onetime funding contributions from three of the four departments, a more long-term commitment of resources could make the success of these ongoing actions more likely.
GAO-04-420R, Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations: Federal Agencies Are Taking Steps to Assist States and Local Agencies in Coordinating Transportation Services
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February 24, 2004:
The Honorable Thomas E. Petri:
Chairman:
Subcommittee on Highways, Transit, and Pipelines:
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure:
House of Representatives:
Subject: Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations: Federal Agencies
Are Taking Steps to Assist States and Local Agencies in Coordinating
Transportation Services:
Dear Mr. Chairman:
In June 2003, we reported that over 60 federal programs can fund
transportation services for certain "transportation-disadvantaged"
populations (such as some elderly persons, persons with disabilities,
or low-income persons) that lack the ability to provide their own
transportation or have difficulty accessing conventional public
transportation, but that several obstacles impede coordination of these
programs.[Footnote 1] Most of the programs are administered by four
federal departments--Transportation, Health and Human Services, Labor,
and Education. Coordinating these disparate federal efforts could
result in more efficient use of federal resources and in improved
services for these transportation-disadvantaged populations. In fact,
some local areas that have overcome existing obstacles and successfully
coordinated the services offered by federal programs and others
available in their area have realized improved customer service and
substantial cost savings.
To promote and encourage further coordination of the transportation
services provided by these programs, we recommended that (1) the
Departments of Labor and Education join the Departments of
Transportation and Health and Human Services as members of the
Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (Coordinating
Council);[Footnote 2] (2) the members of the Coordinating Council
develop and distribute additional guidance to states and other grantees
that encourages the coordination of transportation services; (3) the
member departments ensure that the Coordinating Council's strategic
plan and each member department's strategic and annual performance
plans have long-term goals and performance measures related to
coordinating the departments' programs and improving transportation for
transportation-disadvantaged populations; and (4) the member
departments link their Web sites to the Web site of the Coordinating
Council and advertise the site in departmental correspondence and other
outreach opportunities. In addition to these recommendations, we
identified several more general options for improving coordination--
including developing improved leadership and establishing interagency
forums at the federal, state, and local levels; harmonizing differing
federal program standards and requirements; and providing financial
incentives to encourage state or local agencies to coordinate.
You asked us to (1) determine whether the four federal departments and
the Coordinating Council have taken steps to address our
recommendations and (2) identify actions taken by the four federal
departments in relation to the options we outlined for improving
coordination.
To determine what actions have been taken or planned in response to our
June 2003 report, we interviewed officials at the Departments of
Transportation, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Education
responsible for those departments' transportation coordination
efforts, as well as officials from the Coordinating Council. We
reviewed internal agency documents and publicly available documents
describing several of the departments' planned actions regarding
coordination. We reviewed departmental strategic plans issued since
June 2003 and determined whether linkages had been established between
the Web sites of the Coordinating Council and the Web sites of the four
departments. We also reviewed the departments' written responses to
questions posed at a congressional hearing on coordination held in May
2003,[Footnote 3] as well as their written responses to our
recommendations. We compared the departments' actions to the
recommendations and options we outlined in our June 2003 report. To
obtain perspectives on the extent to which the departments' actions are
responsive to the recommendations and options we outlined, we sought
the input of officials responsible for implementing some of these
actions, and officials from the Community Transportation Association of
America and associations representing transportation-disadvantaged
populations, including AARP and the National Council for Independent
Living. We conducted our work from November 2003 through February 2004
in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.
Results in Brief:
Federal departments and the Coordinating Council have made progress
implementing the recommendations in our June report, which should
result in improved coordination of federal programs at the state and
local level. However, the departments have made limited efforts to
include coordination in their strategic and annual performance plans.
The Departments of Labor and Education have been invited to join the
Coordinating Council, and have been active in interdepartmental working
groups under the council. In addition, several efforts are under way to
improve and expand the range of guidance and technical assistance
offered by three of the four federal departments; however, the
Department of Education has yet to begin developing guidance on
coordination for its programs. These federal coordination efforts are
designed to help state and local agencies coordinate some of the key
federal programs, such as Health and Human Services' Medicaid program
and Labor's programs under the Workforce Investment Act, with
transportation services funded by the Department of Transportation. All
of these actions are in the early stages of implementation, and their
success will depend on whether the departments can muster a sustained
effort focused on measurable performance goals related to coordination
efforts. While the Federal Transit Administration--an agency within the
Department of Transportation--has included coordination-related
performance goals in its strategic plan, other agencies and departments
have not yet fully incorporated transportation coordination objectives,
goals, or performance measures related to coordination in their
strategic and annual performance plans. Officials within the involved
departments and agencies, however, have identified transportation and
the coordination of these services as an area to consider in the next
cycle of planning efforts. Finally, while some of the agencies within
the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Education have
linked their Web sites to the Coordinating Council's Web site, or have
plans to do so, other agencies within these departments have not yet
implemented this recommendation.
The Departments of Transportation, Health and Human Services, Labor,
and Education have also taken additional actions related to the other
options outlined in our report for improving coordination. In December
2003, the four departments launched a five-part coordination
initiative--"United We Ride"--that is designed to help states and
communities overcome obstacles to coordination. This initiative is
designed to provide financial incentives for coordination and establish
an interagency forum for communication. While this initiative holds
promise for improving coordination at the state and local levels, it is
too soon to comment on its ability to do so. Also, while there have
been some onetime funding contributions from three of the four
departments, a more long-term commitment of resources could make the
success of these ongoing actions more likely.
The Departments of Transportation, Health and Human Services, Labor,
and Education all commented on a draft of this report. All agreed with
the findings of the report and provided technical comments that have
been incorporated where appropriate.
Background:
Many federal programs authorize use of funds to provide transportation
to transportation-disadvantaged people so they can access government
programs. Programs that can fund incidental transportation services
include health and medical programs or job-training programs. For
example, Medicaid, which is administered by the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services within the Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS), spent an estimated $976.2 million on transportation in fiscal
year 2001. In addition, the Community Transportation Association of
America (CTAA)[Footnote 4] identified several programs as routinely
providing transportation for clients, including Workforce Investment
Act (WIA) programs, administered by the Department of Labor (DOL), and
Vocational Rehabilitation Grants, administered by the Department of
Education.[Footnote 5]
In addition to these services, the Department of Transportation (DOT)
funds several programs that focus on the specific transportation needs
of transportation-disadvantaged populations. For example, Job Access
and Reverse Commute Grants are aimed at connecting low-income
individuals to employment and support services, and the Capital
Assistance Program for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities
provides financial assistance to nonprofit organizations for meeting
the transportation needs of elderly persons and persons with
disabilities.
Recognizing the potential problems created by uncoordinated approaches
to providing transportation to transportation-disadvantaged
populations, DOT and HHS formed the Coordinating Council on Human
Services Transportation in 1986, renamed the Coordinating Council on
Access and Mobility in 1998, to have responsibility to coordinate and
address issues of transportation access and mobility in the member
Departments' respective programs. Besides meeting as a whole body,
members of the Coordinating Council also participate in various working
groups to address coordination issues for specific populations, such as
the elderly or persons with disabilities, or specific types of trips,
such as medical trips.
Federal Departments and the Coordinating Council Are Making Progress in
Implementing Our Recommendations:
Numerous actions and plans to implement our recommendations to improve
coordination are under way by federal departments involved in providing
transportation services for the transportation-disadvantaged and by the
Coordinating Council, though some departments have made more progress
than others. In addition, the Coordinating Council has recently formed
a working group to address the obstacles to coordination we identified
in our report. The group, which first met in January 2004, was formed
to determine which obstacles can be addressed administratively and
which require legislative action and to propose next steps for
administratively addressing the obstacles.
The Departments of Labor and Education Have Been Invited to Join the
Coordinating Council:
The Secretaries of Transportation and Health and Human Services sent
the Secretaries of Labor and Education letters inviting them to join
the Coordinating Council on January 29, 2004. While the Coordinating
Council has yet to meet formally with its new members, the expectation
of joining has led to increased communication and collaboration among
the four major departments involved in providing transportation
services for the transportation-disadvantaged. For example,
representatives of DOL and Education attended the most recent
Coordinating Council meeting in November 2003, and both departments
have participated in the council's Obstacles Work Group and Persons
with Disabilities Transportation Work Group.
Federal Departments Are Taking Steps to Improve Guidance and Technical
Assistance for Transportation Coordination:
Federal departments have efforts under way to develop and disseminate
additional guidance to states and other grantees that are designed to
help clarify program rules and encourage coordination of some key
programs (see table 1). Many of these efforts are centered in the
Coordinating Council's work groups and focus on specific opportunities
to coordinate transportation services for particular populations or
types of trips.
Table 1: Federal Actions in Response to Recommendation to Develop
Additional Coordination Guidance:
Recommendation: Develop and distribute additional guidance to states
and other grantees that encourages the coordination of transportation
services;
Federal actions:
* DOT and HHS: Medicaid transit-pass brochures being updated;
* DOT and HHS: Guidance on Medicaid transportation brokerage under
development;
* DOL and DOT: Guidance on using WIA program funds in coordination
with other program funds forthcoming;
* DOT and HHS: Providing proactive technical assistance in eight
states;
* DOL, DOT, and HHS: Existing technical assistance centers are
coordinating and streamlining their efforts;
* DOL, DOT, and HHS: Developed the "Framework for Action," a human
services transportation coordination self-assessment tool for states
and communities.
Source: GAO.
[End of table]
Guidance for Coordinating with Medicaid Is Being Updated:
The Medical Transportation Work Group of the Coordinating Council,
which includes officials from DOT's Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) and HHS's Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), plans
to issue an updated Medicaid transit-pass brochure[Footnote 6] that
provides guidance on how to coordinate Medicaid transportation with
local transit services. In addition, the group is working to issue a
new brochure on Medicaid transportation brokerages aimed at providing
guidance on coordinating the various medical transportation providers
within a community.[Footnote 7] These materials, when issued, could
help states better utilize existing transit systems and other medical
transportation resources in communities to provide transportation for
Medicaid beneficiaries. Medicaid transit-pass programs and brokerage
systems in some states have resulted in significant cost savings and
expanded transportation services for Medicaid beneficiaries, and
additional guidance could encourage more states to develop these
systems. In addition, an official from the work group said the group is
working to clarify Medicaid's cost allocation policy, which was cited
as an obstacle to coordinating transportation services provided under
Medicaid with other programs.
Guidance Is Being Developed to Help Communities Identify Resources and
Improve Planning:
Additional efforts designed to encourage local coordination are also
under way by the Older Adult Transportation Work Group of the
Coordinating Council, which includes officials from HHS's
Administration on Aging and FTA. One effort involves developing a
template, being piloted in 15 communities, for each community to use in
identifying existing transportation resources. In our June 2003 report,
we found that an important first step for communities to coordinate
transportation services is to identify the extent of services being
offered in the community. The group is also working with the National
Consortium on the Coordination of Human Services
Transportation[Footnote 8] to develop guidance for state and local
transportation agencies to develop and coordinate state and local
transportation plans with human services agencies that are involved in
providing transportation for their older adult clients. Including human
services agencies in transportation planning has been an important
factor in the development of coordinated transportation projects under
FTA's Job Access and Reverse Commute program, and further participation
of human services agencies in transportation planning could lead to
improved coordination of the transportation services provided by those
agencies with other transportation resources. This project began in
November 2003 and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2004,
according to a CTAA official involved with the work group.
Another effort, aimed at helping communities identify coordination
resources, occurred when DOT and HHS convened four regional meetings of
transportation and human services providers and staff from various
state-funded programs.[Footnote 9] The purpose of these meetings was to
discuss coordination issues and programs, such as the Medicaid transit-
pass program and brokerage programs. According to a DOT official,
attendees developed state action plans for coordination and discussed
best practices in service delivery. DOT and HHS officials indicated
that they plan to hold similar meetings in the remaining six regions in
2004 that will also include representatives from DOL and the Department
of Education.
Guidance on Coordinating DOL Programs Is Forthcoming:
DOL, in conjunction with FTA, is developing additional guidance.
According to officials from these agencies, the agencies are in the
process of developing responses to questions posed by CTAA with regard
to how DOL program funds, such as from the WIA programs, can be used
for transportation and in conjunction with other programs that serve
similar populations and purposes. In our June report, we found that the
lack of guidance about how WIA funds could be used to coordinate
transportation was a common obstacle for states trying to coordinate
the transportation services provided under WIA with other programs.
Agency officials told us the responses will also address other
obstacles mentioned in our June report, such as liability insurance
issues related to carrying participants of other programs, and the
proper sharing of funds from multiple programs. The responses are
currently awaiting administrative approval for release and
dissemination. DOL plans to post the responses on its Web site, as does
CTAA.
Department of Education Has Not Developed Additional Guidance:
While DOT, HHS, and DOL have developed guidance for some of their key
programs, the Department of Education has not yet done so. According to
Education's response to questions posed at the May hearing on
coordination, the department agrees in principle with providing
additional guidance and technical assistance with regard to how its
programs can be coordinated at the local level. However, Education
officials said they had been awaiting the invitation to join the
Coordinating Council before pursuing the recommendations in our June
report, and they also cited the impending reauthorization of some of
the department's key programs as the reason for delaying action.
Technical Assistance Programs Are Being Expanded and Coordinated:
Federal departments are also improving and expanding technical
assistance for coordination in several ways. First, as part of the
"United We Ride" initiative, representatives from existing federally
sponsored technical assistance programs--including DOT's Rural
Transportation Assistance Program, Easter Seals Project ACTION
technical assistance center, and Intelligent Transportation Peer-to-
Peer Program; HHS's Community Transportation Assistance Project; and
DOT's and DOL's Joblinks Technical Assistance Program--have begun
meeting regularly with the goal of determining how best to
collaboratively address the coordination of human services
transportation and technical assistance needs.
DOT and HHS have been conducting a pilot project using two technical
assistance "ambassadors." These individuals, who are active technical
assistance specialists with CTAA and Easter Seals Project ACTION, are
testing a new approach in eight states (Alabama, Alaska, Delaware,
Idaho, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, and Texas). According to agency
officials, the ambassadors are to proactively assist these states, and
communities within the states, in following through on coordination
action plans and other initiatives begun in joint FTA/HHS regional
workshops. The job of the ambassadors is to ensure that states are
actively identifying the extent of coordination that currently exists
in their states, to offer assistance along the way, and to pinpoint
potential trouble spots and bring additional resources to bear in
addressing them, according to a CTAA official who works with one of the
ambassadors. For example, according to the official, the city of
Birmingham, Alabama, was experiencing significant difficulties in their
coordination efforts, and technical assistance from the Joblinks
program was insufficient to overcome the difficulties. The CTAA
official said he and the ambassador were able to tap into the other
federal technical assistance programs' resources to help the city
develop a strategic vision and plan, and to connect city officials with
peers elsewhere in the country, with the goal of improving coordination
of programs. DOT officials also said that they hope this pilot project
will help the agencies within DOT and HHS assess the resources that
would be required to provide such intense technical assistance to
additional states.
Additional Guidance Has Been Developed for Assessing Coordination
Efforts:
As part of the "United We Ride" initiative, DOL, DOT, and HHS recently
developed the Framework for Action, a coordination self-assessment
tool. According to DOT, states and communities can use the tool to
identify areas of success and highlight the actions still needed to
improve the coordination of human service transportation. It includes a
facilitator's guide and descriptions of the core elements of a fully
coordinated transportation system in a state or community. For example,
the Framework for Action core elements for states include (1)
evaluating the degree of existing state leadership and partnership; (2)
determining whether current transportation resources have been
identified, transportation needs have been assessed, and a strategic
plan has been developed; (3) assessing the degree of customer focus;
(4) identifying cost-sharing arrangements; (5) determining technology
needs; and (6) assessing the extent of community-level mobility
management arrangements.
Federal Departments and the Coordinating Council Have Yet to Fully
Incorporate Coordination Activities with Measurable Performance Goals
in Their Strategic and Annual Performance Plans:
Officials from DOT, HHS, DOL, Education, and the Coordinating Council
have indicated that they plan to consider including information on
coordinating transportation services for the transportation-
disadvantaged in their next strategic and annual performance plans.
However, for various reasons, only FTA has demonstrated progress in
this area at this time (see table 2).
Table 2: Federal Actions in Response to Recommendation to Incorporate
Coordination in Strategic Planning Efforts:
Recommendation: Ensure that the Coordinating Council's strategic plan
and each member department's strategic and annual performance plans
have long-term goals and performance measures related to coordinating
the departments' programs and improving transportation for
transportation-disadvantaged populations;
Federal actions:
* Coordinating Council and HHS strategic plans are under revision;
* FTA has added coordination-related performance measures to its
strategic plan;
* Officials from DOL and Education say they are waiting for
reauthorization of several key pieces of legislation before
incorporating transportation coordination into their strategic and
performance plans.
Source: GAO.
[End of table]
DOT's most recent departmentwide strategic plan, issued in September
2003, does not specifically address coordination of transportation
services for the transportation-disadvantaged. However, a DOT official
noted that some of the strategies presented in the plan for increasing
access to transportation-disadvantaged populations do support
coordination. In particular, one strategy is to "work with stakeholders
in all modes to — operate the system at its highest level of
efficiency," which supports coordination with other service providers.
Furthermore, FTA has added an objective to its own strategic plan
creating, as a key deliverable, accountability for each of the 10
federal regions to help states complete assessments using the Framework
for Action. The target goals for fiscal year 2004 are for 30 percent of
states overall (15 states) to complete the assessment and for at least
one state in each region to implement one or more of the core elements
of the Framework for Action.
HHS's strategic plan for fiscal years 2003-2008 is still in draft form.
An HHS official said that the department is developing more detailed
goals and measures of collaboration and transportation efforts that cut
across departments.
Officials from DOL and Education told us that their departments'
ability to respond to our recommendations is limited by reauthorization
issues. A DOL official said that the department is making an effort to
make coordination of transportation services more of a priority in its
strategic and performance planning process. However, the most recent
departmentwide strategic plan, issued in September 2003, does not
address transportation as a component of DOL's programs. In a written
response to our recommendation, a DOL official stated that while the
department's strategic plan does not specifically address
transportation, it includes strategies for developing a competitive
workforce through establishing crosscutting strategic initiatives with
other government agencies. In a separate written response, an official
from DOL's Employment and Training Administration noted that the
administration plans to revisit its own strategic and annual
performance plans to address coordination after reauthorization of WIA-
-a key piece of legislation governing most of that administration's
programs that can be used to fund transportation services. An official
from Education had a similar response, saying that the department is
limited in its ability to respond to this recommendation until several
key pieces of legislation are reauthorized. However, DOT has included
several provisions that are intended to improve coordination of human
service transportation in the department's surface transportation
reauthorization proposal. These provisions include (1) requiring local
coordination plans for funds allocated through the Capital Assistance
Program for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities, New Freedom
program, and Job Access and Reverse Commute program; (2) the ability to
use other federal dollars for the required state/local match for these
programs; (3) an increase in the percentage of funds for these programs
that can be used for administrative, planning, and technical assistance
purposes; and (4) allowing mobility management to be an eligible
expense under the Urbanized Area Formula Program.
DOT and HHS officials active in Coordinating Council activities
estimate that the council's strategic and action plans will be updated
by the end of 2004. The officials said they plan to align the tasks of
the action plan with the Coordinating Council's long-term goals and
objectives and to include measurable annual performance goals for
coordination efforts.
Federal Departments Provide Web Links to the Coordinating Council:
The four federal departments have made progress in adding Web links to
the Coordinating Council's Web site (see table 3). In our June report,
we found that some state and local officials involved in providing
transportation services were unaware of the Coordinating Council or the
coordination information available on its Web site. Accordingly, we
recommended that DOT, HHS, DOL, and Education link the Web sites of
their agencies involved in providing services for the transportation-
disadvantaged to the Coordinating Council's Web site and advertise the
site in departmental correspondence and during conferences or other
outreach opportunities. As we noted in our June report, the FTA Web
site already contained a link to the Coordinating Council's Web site
prior to our recommendation.
Table 3: Federal Actions in Response to Recommendation to Provide Links
to Coordinating Council's Web Site:
Recommendation: Link departmental Web sites to the Web site of the
Coordinating Council and advertise the site in departmental
correspondence and other outreach opportunities;
Federal actions:
* HHS's Administration on Aging, DOL's Employment and Training
Administration, and Education's Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services provide links to the Coordinating Council's
Web site;
* Other agencies within HHS, DOL, and Education have not linked their
Web sites to the Coordinating Council.
Source: GAO.
[End of table]
An official from CMS in HHS said that CMS plans to include
transportation information and links to FTA and the Coordinating
Council on its Web site. This action is awaiting administrative review.
HHS's Administration on Aging's Web site contains transportation
information and a link to the Coordinating Council's Web site. There is
also a link to the Coordinating Council on HHS's Office of
Intergovernmental Affairs Staff Information page under the name of a
key member of the Coordinating Council. However, other HHS agencies
that fund transportation services for the transportation-
disadvantaged--Administration for Children and Families, Health
Resources and Services Administration, and Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration--do not provide such a link.
DOL's Employment and Training Administration has added a link to the
Coordinating Council in its Web page. Other DOL agencies involved in
transportation, such as the Veterans Employment and Training Service,
do not have links to the Coordinating Council. However, the Employment
and Training Administration administers the majority of DOL's programs
that can fund transportation services for the transportation-
disadvantaged.
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services administers
the bulk of Education's programs for the transportation-disadvantaged,
and that agency has added a link to the Coordinating Council on its Web
page. Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education and
Office of Innovation and Improvement do not provide links to the
Coordinating Council on their Web pages. According to Education's
written response to questions posed at the May hearing on coordination,
the department indicated that its response to this recommendation could
be accomplished through its participation as a member of the
Coordinating Council. In addition, the department stated that it plans
to cross-link Web-based resources with other departments and the Web
site of the Coordinating Council after the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act and the Rehabilitation Act are reauthorized.
The "United We Ride" Initiative Holds Promise to Improve State and
Local Coordination of Transportation Services:
A significant response to some of the other options identified in our
June report has been "United We Ride," a five-part transportation
coordination initiative--developed by DOT, HHS, DOL, and Education--
that was officially launched in December 2003. The options we
identified for improving coordination include developing improved
leadership and guidance and establishing interagency forums at the
federal, state, and local levels and providing financial incentives to
encourage state or local agencies to coordinate (see table 4).
Table 4: The Five Components of the "United We Ride" Initiative and
Their Relation to the Coordination Options in GAO's June 2003 Report:
Component: Framework for Action;
Description: A tool states and communities can use to assess their
coordination efforts and identify areas for improvement;
Related coordination options: Provides additional coordination
guidance to states and communities.
Component: State Leadership Awards;
Description: Awards to recognize 3-5 states that have made significant
progress in coordination; awards are to be presented at National
Leadership Forum;
Related coordination options: Recognizes successful state leadership
efforts and encourages other states to coordinate.
Component: National Leadership Forum on Human Services Transportation
Coordination;
Description: Transportation and human service teams from each state
have been invited to participate in this February 2004 conference to
highlight coordination successes, technical assistance programs, and
peer advice;
Related coordination options: Provides opportunities to demonstrate
federal and state leadership in coordination; Provides forum for
interagency communication.
Component: State Coordination Grants;
Description: Grants to address transportation coordination gaps and
needs identified through the Framework for Action; states
participating in the Forum are eligible to apply;
Related coordination options: Provides financial incentives to
encourage states to coordinate.
Component: Help Along the Way;
Description: Technical assistance program; federal departments and
national organizations are working to coordinate existing technical
assistance services and provide "hands-on" coordination assistance to
states and communities (e.g., the technical assistance "ambassadors");
Related coordination options: Provides additional coordination
guidance to states and communities.
Source: GAO analysis of information from DOT, HHS, DOL, Education,
AARP, Community Transportation Association of America, and National
Councils for Independent Living.
[End of table]
The initiative takes steps to improve federal leadership and commitment
to coordination by establishing coordination as a priority and
providing some dedicated financial support and proactive technical
assistance. According to FTA officials, states and local communities
will be encouraged to use the Framework for Action to identify gaps in
their coordination efforts and specific steps to address those gaps,
and FTA is holding itself accountable--through performance measures in
its strategic plan--for getting states to implement the Framework for
Action. To date, DOT has committed approximately $1 million for the
state coordination grants, which provides states with financial
resources for addressing the identified gaps. According to DOT
officials, other agencies have indicated that they plan to commit funds
to these grants as well.
The initiative also recognizes the importance of state leadership in
successful coordination. Similar to what was outlined in our report, an
expert panel[Footnote 10] advised DOT officials that strong leadership
at the state level is necessary for coordination to succeed;
subsequently the secretaries of all four departments invited the
governor of each state and territory to appoint state leadership teams
of transportation and human service officials to participate in an
interdepartmental coordination forum. All four secretaries are
scheduled to make presentations during this National Leadership Forum.
According to DOT officials, State Leadership Awards will be presented
to selected states that have implemented exemplary models of
coordination transportation, and representatives from those states will
be asked to share information on their successful coordination efforts.
In addition, technical assistance resources are scheduled to be
available at the National Leadership Forum to help states and
localities implement the Framework for Action, identify peers who can
coach them through coordination challenges, and provide other types of
coordination advice and assistance, according to officials from FTA.
The DOT officials also stated that FTA, the Federal Highway
Administration, and DOL's Office of Disability Employment Policy have
pledged financial support for the forum. In addition, DOL's Employment
and Training Administration is also considering financial contributions
in support of United We Ride activities, according to DOL officials.
"United We Ride" shows promise for improving coordination because it
addresses our recommendation for federal departments to provide
additional guidance on transportation coordination and it addresses
other options highlighted in our report. However, it is too soon to
comment on the effectiveness of this initiative because many of the
components are just being implemented. Also, with reauthorization of
key federal legislation pending and with growing federal and state
deficits, the future sustainability of funding for these activities is
uncertain. A long-term commitment of resources could make the success
of these ongoing actions more likely.
Agency Comments:
We provided the Departments of Transportation, Health and Human
Services, Labor, and Education with a draft of this report for review
and comment. All generally agreed with the findings in the report and
provided technical comments, which we have incorporated where
appropriate. The Department of Health and Human Services also provided
general comments, which are presented in enclosure I.
As agreed with your office, unless you announce the contents of this
report earlier, we plan no further distribution until 30 days after the
issue date. At that time, we will send copies of this report to the
appropriate congressional committees and to the Secretaries of the
Departments of Transportation, Health and Human Services, Labor, and
Education. Copies will also be available at no charge on GAO's Web site
at www.gao.gov. If you have any questions concerning this report,
please contact me at (202) 512-2834 or siggerudk@gao.gov, or Rita
Grieco at (202) 512-2834 or griecor@gao.gov. Jessica Lucas-Judy and
Andrew Von Ah also made key contributions to this report.
Sincerely yours,
Signed by:
Katherine Siggerud:
Director of Physical Infrastructure Issues:
Enclosure:
Enclosure:
Comments from the Department of Health & Human Services:
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Office of Inspector General:
Washington, D.C. 20201:
FEB 19 2004:
Ms. Katherine Siggerud:
Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues
United States General Accounting Office
Washington, D.C. 20548:
Dear Ms. Siggerud:
Enclosed are the Department's comments on your draft report entitled,
"Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations: Federal Agencies Are Taking
Steps to Assist States and Local Agencies in Coordinating
Transportation Services." The comments represent the tentative position
of the Department and are subject to reevaluation when the final
version of this report is received.
The Department provided several technical comments directly to your
staff.
The Department appreciates the opportunity to comment on this draft
report before its publication.
Sincerely,
Signed by:
Dara Corrigan:
Acting Principal Deputy Inspector General:
Enclosure:
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is transmitting the Department's
response to this draft report in our capacity as the Department's
designated focal point and coordinator for General Accounting Office
reports. OIG has not conducted an independent assessment of these
comments and therefore expresses no opinion on them.
Comments of the Department of Health and Human Services on the General
Accounting Office's Draft Report, "Transportation-Disadvantaged
Populations: Federal Agencies Are Taking Steps to Assist States and
Local Agencies in Coordinating Transportation Services" (GAO-04-420R):
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) appreciates the
opportunity to review and comment on the GAO's Draft Report 04-420R,
"Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations: Federal Agencies Are Taking
Steps to Assist States and Local Agencies in Coordinating
Transportation Services.":
In general, the report accurately reflects the current activities,
efforts and plans of the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility
(the Coordinating Council). Several HHS agencies are working to link
their websites with the Coordinating Council's website. The United We
Ride Initiative is the focus of much of the transportation energy and
interest within HHS, holding significant promise to stimulate State and
local coordination efforts.
HHS would like to note that the relatively short length of time from
the issuance of GAO's previous report on transportation coordination
(GAO-03-697 issued in June 2003) to the review for this update made it
difficult for the Departments participating in the Coordinating Council
to evidence much activity. Much of that time was consumed with
achieving the expansion of the Coordinating Council as recommended by
GAO in their previous report.
[End of section]
(542030):
FOOTNOTES
[1] U.S. General Accounting Office, Transportation-Disadvantaged
Populations: Some Coordination Efforts Among Programs Providing
Transportation Services, but Obstacles Persist, GAO-03-697
(Washington, D.C.: June 30, 2003).
[2] The Departments of Transportation and Health and Human Services
formally established the Coordinating Council on Human Services
Transportation in 1986, renamed the Coordinating Council on Access and
Mobility in 1998. The Secretaries of the two departments signed a
Memorandum of Understanding to create a forum where coordination of
transportation programs sponsored by the two departments could be
pursued to achieve the basic objective of improving mobility.
[3] Joint Hearing on Coordinating Human Services Transportation, House
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and House Committee on
Education and the Workforce; Washington, D.C.; May 1, 2003.
[4] CTAA is a national, professional membership association that
conducts research and provides technical assistance for community
transportation providers.
[5] Community Transportation Association of America, Building Mobility
Partnerships: Opportunities for Federal Investment (Washington, D.C.:
March 2002).
[6] In the summer of 1999, DOT and HHS issued a brochure on the results
of Medicaid bus-pass usage in six states. According to the Medical
Transportation Work Group, the new brochure will highlight several
communities and models that have implemented a transit-pass program.
[7] CTAA defines brokerage as a method of providing transportation
where riders are matched with appropriate transportation providers
through a central trip-request and administration facility. The
transportation broker may centralize vehicle dispatch, record keeping,
vehicle maintenance, and other functions under contractual arrangements
with agencies, municipalities, and other organizations. Actual trips
are provided by a number of different vendors.
[8] The National Consortium, composed of national professional
organizations and interest groups, is designed to provide coordination
information, support, and resources to those concerned with community
transportation.
[9] DOT and HHS each have 10 regional offices.
[10] In August 2003, FTA convened a panel of transportation and human
service experts--representing users, service providers, state
governments, urban and rural areas, and other groups--to identify the
elements of fully coordinated systems and the lessons that have been
learned about how communities make progress toward becoming fully
coordinated.
