S-1033.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5739

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senators Gardner, Rasmussen, Eide, Sheahan, Horn and Kohl‑Welles

Read first time 02/01/2001.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.

Addressing transportation needs of persons with special transportation needs.

    AN ACT Relating to the Program for Agency Coordinated Transportation; and amending RCW 47.06B.015.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 47.06B.015 and 1999 c 385 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

The legislature recognizes that the state has a responsibility to address transportation needs of persons with special transportation needs.  Therefore, in order to increase efficiency, to reduce waste and duplication, to enable people to access social and health services, to provide a basic level of mobility, and to extend and improve transportation services to people with special transportation needs, the state shall implement the Program for Agency Coordinated Transportation.  The program will improve transportation efficiency and effectiveness to maximize the use of community resources so that more people can be served within available funding levels.

    The Program for Agency Coordinated Transportation will facilitate a statewide approach to coordination and will support the development of community-based coordinated transportation systems that exhibit the following characteristics:

    (1) Organizations serving persons with special transportation needs share responsibility for ensuring that customers can access services.

    (2) There is a single entry process for customers to use to have trips arranged and scheduled, so the customer does not have to contact different locations based on which sponsoring agency or program is paying for the trip.

    (3) A process is in place so that when decisions are made by service organizations on facility siting or program policy implementation, the costs of client transportation and the potential effects on the client transportation costs of other agencies or programs are considered.  Affected agencies are given an opportunity to influence the decision if the potential impact is negative.

    (4) Open local market mechanisms give all providers who meet minimum standards an opportunity to participate in the program, and, in addition, allow for cost comparisons so that purchasers can select the least expensive trip most appropriate to the customer's needs.

    (5) There is flexibility in using the available vehicles in a community so that the ability to transport people is not restricted by categorical claims to vehicles.

    (6) There is maximum sharing of operating facilities and administrative services, to avoid duplication of costly program elements.

    (7) Trip sponsors and service providers have agreed on a process for allocating costs and billing when they share use of vehicles.

    (8) Minimum standards exist for at least safety, driver training, maintenance, vehicles, and technology to eliminate barriers that may prevent sponsors from using each other's vehicles or serving each other's clients.

    (9) The system is user friendly.  The fact that the system is supported by a multitude of programs and agencies with different eligibility, contracting, service delivery, payment, and funding structures does not negatively affect the customer's ability to access service.

    (10) Support is provided for research, technology improvements, and sharing of best practices from other communities, so that the system can be continually improved.

    (11) There are performance goals and an evaluation process that leads to continuous system improvement.

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