Contracting Brochure

Seminar Topics & Materials

The training seminar format and supporting materials will be practical, easy to understand, and most importantly easy to use back at your business and in your communities. The training will help you identify beneficial opportunities for involvement in your local and statewide planning processes, provide real world examples (both success stories as well as unsuccessful efforts), and offer the chance for you to share your experiences and to draw information from other participants. We realize the time constraints you face on a daily basis, so through the training we hope to provide you with an appropriate understanding and working knowledge of the planning processes and organizations so that you can ask the pertinent questions and make more informed decisions regarding the level of involvement that is most valuable to you.

We will also discuss business opportunities and potential services that involve new or stronger partnerships with transportation planners, human service agencies, and others in the community, and review the issues and requirements that may hinder effective involvement in the planning processes and discuss possible ways to overcome these potential barriers. An important part of this discussion will be the role that you envision for your company in the planning processes, and how your involvement can be effective and consistent with where you want your company to be in the future. In addition, we'll discuss the situations where you may be able to inform local and statewide planning representatives regarding your interest in the process, let them know how your company and services fits with overall plans to improve transportation, and educate them on the transportation services and projects where delivery by private transportation operators is both effective and common sense.

Over the summer we will be developing the training materials, and presenting a draft to a TLPA technical working group to gain their input. While the agenda for the trainings will be finalized during this process, we anticipate covering the following key topics during the trainings:

• Advantages of private sector participation in transportation projects.
• SAFETEA-LU and the transportation programs available to the private sector and with potential for private provider partnership with grant recipients.
• Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plans required by SAFETEA-LU for funding through the Section 5310, JARC, and New Freedom Programs.
• Conveying your company's value to public entities, including MPO and other planning agencies.
• United We Ride, the federal initiative for developing coordinated human service delivery systems.
• Adapting your company to the different types of business opportunities that may become available through the planning process.

The seminars will include a reference manual that will include relevant MPO, statewide, and local planning information and resources. These materials will include federal requirements, potential roles for private transportation providers, what to watch for at the local level, and tips on getting in the planning process, and typical planning organizational structures at the local, regional, and state levels. Information in the manual will build upon the new section on the FTA Web site regarding private participation in the planning process. (http://www.fta.dot.gov/planning/programs/planning_environment_7013.html). In addition, sections in the manual will include checklists with relevant activities to help you participate in the planning process in your community after the training. Throughout the series of seminars, we will seek your feedback so that we can make any needed modifications to the training and update the materials in the manual to respond to specific and consistent issues that arise during the trainings.

Training Seminar Overview

The seminar will:

• Provide you with an overview and working knowledge of the transportation planning process
• Discuss how you participate in the planning process
• Review FTA and other transportation funding programs eligible for your participation
• Discuss how you can take advantage of the opportunities to participate in transportation projects
• Discuss how your organization can align with these business and contracting opportunities
• Provide you with a manual for use when you return home

The Training Team

The KFH Group and J.M. Rubino Consulting are thrilled to have been selected to develop and conduct these training seminars, recognizing the key role private transportation providers play in community transportation services and how your inclusion in the MPO, statewide, and local planning processes is critical to ensure the development of mobility options that are needed in your communities-and especially vital to older adults, people with disabilities, and people with lower incomes. We appreciate this opportunity to provide more information on the upcoming trainings and, if we haven't previously met, introduce our companies and ourselves.

The KFH Group and J.M. Rubino Consulting team that will be developing and delivering the seminars bring the varied and different abilities to conduct both informative and useful trainings. They have a very detailed knowledge of the MPO, Statewide, and local planning processes, experience working with private transportation providers, and the skills to conduct effective training sessions, with both the broad and detailed knowledge and abilities that will be necessary for developing and delivering the training seminars. Here's information on their companies and on the trainers:

KFH Group, Inc.
www.kfhgroup.com

The KFH Group provides transportation planning, management consulting, and policy analysis, with a major focus on providing assistance to local, state, and federal agencies and organizations to improve transportation services. Each of the firm's Principals has over 25 years experience in the transportation field, both in consulting and direct operation. This experience has involved work for clients at all levels of government and with a variety of companies, agencies, and organizations, and with transportation providers of all sizes. The KFH Group has extensive experience related to all aspects in the development and delivery of the training seminars that includes conducting a variety of training programs throughout the country, an extensive knowledge of federal funding programs, development of the coordinated public transit-human services transportation plans required by SAFETEA-LU, strong understanding of the MPO, Statewide, and local planning processes, and close work with the private sector.

Ken Hosen's background includes paratransit management and planning, human services transportation management and planning, development of RFPs for paratransit operation, project evaluation, technology research and procurement; and writing practical guidebooks for transit professionals. He has written and conducted training programs in over 20 states for almost 20 years and is a nationally recognized trainer. In addition he has also worked to coordinate human service and public transit for over 27 years. His work with private for hire operators is extensive as a former taxi driver in two cities includes driving a taxi in both New York and Boston, and working with many contracts using for hire operators.

Dan Dalton's background includes developing training curriculum, coordinating training events, conducting taxi service research, developing coordinated transportation plans, and administering federal funding programs. For Easter Seals Project ACTION (ESPA) he developed curriculum for training programs that included private transportation providers, coordinated and participated in national training events. Dan also represented ESPA at several TLPA conventions, provided input on several taxi-related resources, and coauthored Moving Forward Together: A Workbook for Initiating and Increasing Accessible Taxi Services in Your Community.

J. M. Rubino Consulting
www.jmrubinoconsulting.com

J.M. Rubino Consulting has expertise in all modes of transport involving both the public and private sector. Joe Rubino is familiar to many TLPA members, having made presentations at a number of TLPA meetings. His experience includes transportation brokering, call center operation, transportation marketing and sales programs, hospital and other medical outsourcing contracts, and driver recruitment, training, and retention programs, and he has authored orientation and training programs for drivers, dispatchers, routers, and customer service staff in both the taxicab and special needs transit industries. Joe is a member of the 1st Coast MPO in Jacksonville, Florida, and has a seat on his Long Range Transportation Plan Steering Committee.

Please click here to download the TLPA/FTA Planning Ahead Seminars registration form and agenda

Please click here to learn more about the training team, KFH