POKAGON BAND OF POTAWATOMI INDIANS Transit Feasibility Study Improving Mobility for Tribal Citizens November 2012 2012 Southwest Michigan Planning Commission 185 E Main Street Benton Harbor Michigan Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 2 STUDY AREA .................................................................................................................... 2 3 COMMUNITY & DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS ....................................................... 5 Tribal Population ......................................................................................................................... 6 Elders ........................................................................................................................................... 9 Poverty ...................................................................................................................................... 10 People with Disabilities ............................................................................................................. 11 Youth ......................................................................................................................................... 12 Households with One Vehicle or Less ....................................................................................... 12 Trip Generators ......................................................................................................................... 13 4 EXISTING TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES .................................................................... 16 Public Transit ............................................................................................................................. 17 Allegan County ...................................................................................................................... 19 Berrien County ....................................................................................................................... 23 Cass County ........................................................................................................................... 29 Van Buren County .................................................................................................................. 32 St. Joseph County .................................................................................................................. 35 Intercity Bus Service .................................................................................................................. 40 Amtrak and Commuter Rail ....................................................................................................... 42 Private Transportation Providers .............................................................................................. 43 Senior Service Providers ............................................................................................................ 45 Allegan County ...................................................................................................................... 46 Berrien County ....................................................................................................................... 47 Cass County ........................................................................................................................... 49 Van Buren County .................................................................................................................. 50 St. Joseph County .................................................................................................................. 52 5 TRIBAL CITIZEN MOBILITY NEEDS .................................................................................. 54 6 FUNDING TRIBAL TRANSIT ............................................................................................ 60 Federal Transit Administration Programs and Funding ............................................................ 60 Michigan Transit Programs and Funding ................................................................................... 63 Funding Sustainability ............................................................................................................... 66 7 IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES ..................................................................................... 75 Strategy 1 – Improve Coordination ........................................................................................... 75 Project: 1.1 Form a Tribal Transportation/Mobility Coordinating Council .......................... 75 Project 1.2 Establish a Purchase of Service Agreement with Cass County Public Transit ..... 77 Project 1.3 Establish Other Purchase of Service Agreements ............................................... 78 Strategy 2 – Develop Tribal Transit Services ............................................................................. 80 Project 2.1 Develop tribal public transit to provide service between Dowagiac and destinations in Berrien, Van Buren and St. Joseph (IN) Counties. ........................................ 80 Preliminary Inter‐County Deviated Routes ........................................................................... 82 Strategy 3 – Mobility Management ........................................................................................... 85 Project 3.1 Hire a tribal mobility manager .......................................................................... 85 Project 3.2 Create and implement online tool that will provide Tribal citizens and department staff with information on transportation options within the ten county area . 87 Project 3.3 Establish a Call Center ........................................................................................ 89 Project 3.4 Establish a travel training program to educate Tribal citizens and department staff and on how to use available transportation options within and outside of their communities. ......................................................................................................................... 90 Endnotes ........................................................................................................................... 92 APPENDIX A ‐ Maps ........................................................................................................... 93 A‐1 American Indian Population ............................................................................................... 94 A‐2 Vehicles by Household ....................................................................................................... 99 A‐3 Transit Dependent by Age Groups ................................................................................... 104 APPENDIX B – Transportation Resources ....................................................................... 109 B–1 Public Transit Brochures/Schedules ................................................................................ 110 B‐2 Inter‐city Bus Brochures/Schedules ................................................................................. 127 B‐3 Amtrak and Commuter Rail Schedules ............................................................................ 130 APPENDIX C – Tribal Surveys ........................................................................................... 134 C‐1 Tribal Citizen Transportation Survey ................................................................................ 135 C‐2 Tribal Services Transportation Survey ............................................................................. 151 APPENDIX D – Implementation Resources ..................................................................... 163 D‐1 Memorandum of Understanding Template ..................................................................... 164 D‐2 Purchase of Service Contract Template ........................................................................... 166 D‐3 Transit Service Contract Checklist ................................................................................... 175 D‐4 Overview of Tribal Passenger Assistance Program .......................................................... 178 D‐5 Application Form for Tribal Passenger Assistance Program ............................................ 179 D‐6 Mobility Manager Job Descriptions ................................................................................. 182 D‐7 System to Track Trips ........................................................................................................ 186 D‐8 Technology – My Way There Brochure ............................................................................ 187 Transit Feasibility Study 2012 1 INTRODUCTION The need for the Pokagon Tribal Transit Study arose out of the Pokagon Band’s Long Range Transportation Plan development. The end product of this study will be a set of recommendations for future tribal transit service, based upon an analysis of such options as: entering into direct service cooperative agreements with an existing public transit service provider; investing in new Tribe‐specific transit service; or continuing with the current level of service provided by existing transit providers. The purpose of the Study was to prepare Tribal transit a feasibility study and needs assessment for the Michigan counties of Cass, Berrien, Van Buren and St. Joseph County in Indiana. Currently these counties offer a mix of public transit services including demand