North King County Mobility Coalition
________________________________________________________________________
Life in Motion
Out and About in King County, Washington
The King County Mobility Coalition is launching the Life in Motion project to raise awareness about transportation options in King County and encourage people to get out and about. Please check out our new videos and let us know what you think!
http://www.youtube.com/user/KCMobilityCoalition
As part of this project, we also created a 20-page book which captures the stories of over a dozen King County residents. If you’d like to receive a copy, please email mobility@hope-link.org with your mailing address and the quantity you are requesting. You can also read and download this book from our website at: www.kingcounty.gov/mobilitycoalition/ (on the right side of the homepage).
Here’s to getting out and about in King County!
________________________________________________________________________
The North King County Mobility Coalition announces the publication of:
2011 North King County Mobility Coalition Needs Assessment
Please contact Michelle Zeidman, mzeidman@hope-link.org or George Smith, gsmith@shorelinewa.gov for further information about the survey or to become involved in transportation improvement projects.
The North King County Mobility Coalition visions a world-class transportation network that allows all people to move freely around North King County.
For more information, or to join the coalition, please download:
NKCMC Fact Sheet - June, 2011
Also available for download: North King County Transport Brochure
_________________________________________________________________________________
North King County Mobility Coalition
Meeting Notes
Thursday, June 23, 2011
10:30 to 12:00 PM
Location: Northshore Utility District’s Tolt room
6830 NE 185th Street, Kenmore
Attendees: Kumiko Huff (Metro Transit Advisory Board), Bev Sweet (Catholic Community Services) Ken Howe (special needs transportation advocate), Al Gil (private citizen), Michelle Zeidman (Hopelink Transportation, King County Mobility Coalition), Alina Aaron (Hopelink Transportation, Eastside Easy Rider Collaborative) and Melanie Morris (Realia Company).
Program Updates:
- Michelle Zeidman reported that Hopelink was awarded grant funding from the Puget Sound Regional Council to support existing mobility management programs including a coordinator position for the NKCMC. Alina Aaron, Hopelink Mobility Program Manager, is currently staffing the Eastside Easy Rider Collaborative and will begin staffing the NKCMC in August 2011.
- Bev Sweet announced that CCS – Volunteer Chore Services (CCS-VCS) has lost one (1) full time coordinator and one (1) intake coordinator due to budget shortfall. Majority of CCS-VCS funding comes from the Department of Health and Human Services and covers populations who don’t need personal care – just need assistance in the house. Additional funding fro the program comes from private donations. CCS- VCS is no longer accepting new clients, however expectations will be made for new clients who are seeking one time rides to doctor appointment/surgery. If volume in a specific area in the county increases then CCS-VCS will accept new clients in that specified area.
- Alina Aaron reported that the Eastside Easy Rider Collaborative (EERC) is in the process of hosting a Transportation Action Planning Workshop in east King County on Monday, August 15th in order to develop strategies that improve access to public transportation. In addition, EERC will be launching their new website, www.eastsideeasyrider.org, which features initiatives and projects the collaborative is currently working on and information related to transportation resources for individuals and organizations. Lastly, Hopelink continues to identify locations throughout King County who are interested in hosting the Getting Around Puget Sound program and/or seek to have staff or volunteers trained as Travel Ambassadors.
- Kumiko Huff stated that Shoreline residents and Metro TAC are interested in learning more about north end transportation options.
- Ken Howe stated that the Shoreline community is interested in learning more about accessible transportation options.
- Al Gil stated that he is interested in transportation options for seniors and persons with disabilities.
Needs Assessment Review & Preliminary Findings (Presented by Melanie Morris)
- “Universal need” for transportation services to medical/dental appointments.
-
- Members requested additional information on the following data:
- Write-in response for “other” destinations – by city (Bev),
- By city and age for prefer to get information online ( Bev & Ken),
- Detail on who needs help applying for services – language (Bev), and
- Fares/affordability – look at taxi vs. bus ridership (Bev).
- Increase awareness of Hyde Shuttle, volunteer transportation and Northshore Senior Center transportation services and make sure relative information is available on service provider’s website so individuals can easily access.
- Evaluate pick-up/drop-off locations.
- Need for assistance with applying for services.
- Need to make information more widely available.
- Increase affordable services.
- Kumiko Huff stated her concern about fare increases and how it’s affecting low-income individuals including older adults and persons with disabilities. The Regional Reduced Fare Permit cost has increased by 300% but nothing has changed over the last 10 years. Need for additional funds to purchase Human Services ticket books.
- Ken Howe asked if GAPS volunteer training includes information on Dementia/disability.
Follow-up Action
- Members will email Michelle Zeidman additional thoughts/ideas related to the needs assessment findings.
- Help identify locations in north King County were GAPS program could be housed (Kumiko)
Coalition Priorities and Next Steps
Project Ideas:
- GAPS sites in north King County
- Transportation service provider links on other community organization websites.
- Additional funds for Human Services ticket books or subsidy for low-income riders.
- Training for individuals on how to use the bus/lift ramp – King County Metro’s travel training. Could training be done in low-income housing scenarios? Need to get the word out.
- Identify particular populations/individuals who have specific needs.
-
Develop tip cards for individuals to give instructions to bus drivers – self advocacy.
- (a) Including bi-lingual cue cards in multiple languages. Members raised concern about the driver’s ability to accommodate this type of request and if we are asking too much of the drivers – need to balance efficiency of service
- (b) Color coded RRFP to identify if individual requires lift assistance.
- Ken has contact at transit union and will run the idea by before coalition moves forward.
- Increase information about how to use ORCA card – multi-county vs. one zone.
- Advocate to county council (e.g. presentations) regarding the service and funding needs. Also, present what we have done and future plans.
- Explore the possibility of vanpool service to medical appointments. Potential partnership with location hospitals to support service. Ken Howe has worked with Swedish and their shuttle service and thinks it would be a great opportunity to expand on existing services. Patients might be able to pay a lower fare for such a service.
- Explore the possibility of utilizing existing Northshore Senior Center transportation service to serve medical facilities.
NKCMC Potential Partners:
- King County Metro Transit
- Community Transit
- Swedish Hospital
- Northwest Hospital
- Evergreen Hospital
- Virginia Mason Hospital
Bev Sweet stated that once we have a better understanding of the service gaps and we can brainstorm options then we invite new partners to discuss possible community projects
Kumiko Huff asked if EERC has a relationship with Commissioner Julie Patterson. We need to connect survey results with the number of constitutes representing communities.
Next Meeting:
The next meeting of the Committee will be August 25, 2011 from 10:30 to Noon. Location TBD.
_________________________________________________________________________________
North King County Mobility Coalition
Meeting Notes
Tuesday March 15, 2011
10:30 to 12:00 PM
Location: Kenmore Senior Center
6910 NE 170th St, Kenmore 98028 (located in Rhodedendron Park)
Attendees: Kumiko Huff (Metro Transit Advisory Board), Bev Sweet (Catholic Community Services) Ken Howe (special needs transportation advocate), Oleg Muratov (St James ESL), Rosie Ochs (Refugee Elder Grant), Elna Orbeta (Northgate Resident), Ken Perron (Hopelink Housing), Michelle Zeidman (Hopelink Transportation, King County Mobility Coalition) George Smith (City of Shoreline and NUHSA).
Program Updates: Michelle Zeidman reported that funding for interpreter services for the Medicaid Transportation program has been secured until June, on a month-by-month basis.
Transportation Asset Map
- George Smith reported that corrections, changes and additions to the asset map have been sent by various members and have been incorporated into a revised draft and will be provided to members at the April meeting. He also passed out copies of a new brochure on transportation resources in North King County.
- Update on the ORCA Card and RRFP was deferred to the next meeting.
- Michelle Zeidman reported there are 30 dual-licensed (Seattle and King County) wheel chair accessible taxicabs: 26 for Yellow Cab and 4 for Far West. An additional 15 dual-licenses wheelchair accessible taxicab licenses are in the process of being issued. Drivers must give priority service to passengers in wheelchairs or using other mobility devices before any other passengers.
- Michelle Zeidman reported on Commuter Bonus Vouchers, used by people enrolled in job training programs such as WorkFirst. The new system apparently eliminates the paper voucher and loads the transportation funds onto an ORCA card.
- Elna Orbeta inquired about what to do when ACCESS does not respond to complaints. Bev Sweet provided the phone number for the Senior Rights Legal Assistance Program (206-448-5720).
Needs Assessment Survey
Michelle Zeidman briefed the committee on the North King County Transportation Needs Assessment Survey. The goal is to obtain 2000 paper responses and additional on-line responses. A consultant, Realia, is putting the survey together. The Committee reviewed the draft questionnaire and recommended several changes. The goal is to have the survey ready to distribute in April. The Committee brainstormed organizations, agencies and locations where the surveys could be distributed to consumers. A revised draft of the questionnaire will be sent to the Committee.
Briefings
Ken Howe reported on his research into use of school buses in Mason County for public transportation of non-students. Mason County Transit found itself short of buses because of the volume of out of area transport. To compensate the transit system developed an agreement with the school district whereby several school buses are made available to the transit system for use after students are bussed home. The school district provides the vehicles, fuel and maintenance and the transit system pays the drivers. Service is for only 2 hours in late afternoon. Ken reported that another similar program proposed for Key Peninsula in Pierce County was postponed due to lack of funding.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will be April 19th from 10:30 to Noon at Kenmore Senior Center.
Michelle will bring additional copies of the North King County Transportation Brochure to the meeting.
_________________________________________________________________________________
North King County Mobility Coalition
Meeting Notes
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Kenmore Senior Center
6910 NE 170th St, Kenmore 98028 (located in Rhododendron Park)
Attendees: Geoff Ethelston (Northshore Senior Center), Alfred Gil (Shoreline Resident), Ken Howe (Shoreline Resident), Gary Kingsbury (Northshore Senior Center), Oleg Muratov (St. James ESL), Rosie Ochs (Refugee Elder Grant), ElnaOrbeta (Northgate Resident), Ken Perron (Hopelink Housing), Tania Rzhondkovska (St. James ESL), George Smith (City of Shoreline), Bev Sweet (Catholic Community Services Volunteer Chore Services), Michelle Zeidman (Hopelink Transportation, King County Mobility Coalition), Cindy Zwart (Senior Services of King County).
Transportation Asset Map
George Smith presented his draft North King County Transportation Asset Map and the group discussed its contents. This Asset Map is a “perpetual inventory” which the group will continue to add to and update over time.
• Next Step: Find out more about the capacity of the existing services. How robust are they? Are they able to meet the existing need? Is there capacity for them to serve more individuals? Or are additional resources needed for them to continue?
• Action Item: Coalition members will send their feedback on the Asset Map to George Smith (gsmith@ci.shoreline.wa.us), and George will update.
• Action Item: Cindy Zwart will find out more about ORCA and RRFP, including using ORCA on Access Transportation, and report back to the group. Cindy will also see if a Metro representative can attend our next meeting to answer questions about ORCA.
• Action Item: Michelle Zeidman will find out more about the Commuter Bonus Voucher program and report back to the group.
Coalition Priorities & Activities
The Coalition decided that we need to know more about the capacity of existing services and what service providers and community members consider the most important transportation issues in North King County.
• Action Item: George Smith and Michelle Zeidman will draft a survey for service providers and community members and develop a proposal for implementing it to present at the next NKCMC meeting. This survey will be based on the KCMC’s fall 2009 survey.
• Action Item: The group also will learn more about whether ridership is increasing in North King County. Michelle Zeidman will send an html link for Metro’s new performance website (http://metro.kingcounty.gov/am/reports/monthly-measures/) and ridership data to the group (http://metro.kingcounty.gov/am/reports/reports.html).
The Coalition also agreed to get more information about two strategies for employing underutilized resources in other areas: (1) school bus programs and (2) agency vehicle sharing.
• Action Item: Ken Howe will find out more about use of school buses for community transportation in Mason County, Key Peninsula and the San Juans, and report back to the group.
• Action Item: Michelle Zeidman will find out more about agency vehicle sharing in Portland and other places in the USA, and report back to the group.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 15 from 10:30am – 12:00pm at the Kenmore Senior Center. Anyone is welcome to attend; RSVPs appreciated.
Interested individuals and agencies can contact Michelle Zeidman at 425-943-6737 or emailmzeidman@hope-link.org to be added to our email list.
Upcoming Events
2011 North King County Transportation Forum
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Registration: 6:00-6:30pm
Workshop: 6:30-8:30pm
Northshore Senior Center, 10201 E Riverside Drive, Bothell
Learn about AARP driver training programs, Northshore transportation services, Senior Services volunteer transportation, Catholic Community Services transportation, King County Metro Access and travel training, Medicaid transportation, Community Transit and North Sound 2-1-1.
RSVP: Michelle Zeidman (425-943-6737, mzeidman@hope-link.org)
_________________________________________________________________________________
North King County Mobility Coalition
Meeting Notes
November 10, 2010
Yesterday, the North King County Mobility Coalition had its first official meeting at the Kenmore Senior Center. This group of a dozen plus individuals and agencies has come together to work on making it easier for all people in North King County to get around. There is a special focus on “special needs” populations (seniors, youth, low-income individuals and families, and people with disabilities).
Below is the list of issues, activities, and potential strategies that the group has preliminarily agreed to look at:
- Developing an transportation asset map for North King County, including an overview of demand for service and unused capacity on existing services. (Lead: George Smith, City of Shoreline)
- Agency vehicle sharing, i.e., “pooling” all vehicles not in-service 24/7 public about options that they may need as they age.
- Addressing barriers to inter-county travel between North King County and South Snohomish County.
- Shopper Shuttles, similar to the Kent Shopper Shuttle, possibly with financial support from local retailers.
- Developing partnerships between nonprofits, governmental agencies and private companies to address transportation needs.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 18 from 10:30am – 12:00pm at the Kenmore Senior Center (located in Rhododendron Park). Anyone is welcome to attend; RSVPs appreciated.
Currently we have participants from:
- City of Shoreline
- Northshore/Kenmore and Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Senior Centers
- Senior Services of King County
- SNOTRAC
- Catholic Community Services;
- KCHA
- SHAG
- Shoreline residents/activists
We would like to expand to include more agencies in North King County.
Interested individuals and agencies can contact Michelle Zeidman at mzeidman@hope-link.org
or 425.943.6737 to be added to our email list
September 28: Transportation flyer
_________________________________________________________________________________
