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| Volume 16, Issue 3 | Fall 2004 |
Driver Changes with Arrow Transit
Nola Dietz (pictured) served Arrow as a part-time/split shift employee for five years. The opportunity to take Eileen's full-time position was welcomed by Nola and the riders are in good hands once again. Nola and her husband, Bob, are parents of four grown daughters, and are presently taking care of a three year old grandson while his mom is serving in Iraq. With Nola leaving the split-shift, we were happy to be able to bring Pam Ploog on board. Pam's position involves transporting school kids, Head Start children, nutrition meals, providing noon-hour relief on a regular day, driving Sunday mornings and for our five regular out-of-town trips, as well as for any extra events that come up. We have three employees who rotate these shifts. The other two are Al Colgrove and Richard Pearson. Pam is married with two girls and two boys. There are also drivers for the limited services in Bison and Faith. They are Teddi Carlson and Richard Collins. Arrow Transit is proud of our drivers and the work they do for us. Cutting Edge Transit Gary HeglandSURTC The transit managers' job can become easier if some decisions can be based on research done by others. This report is brought to you with that thought in mind. Are you struggling with the question: what is the appropriate software for my transit operation in terms of cost and capacity? You may also have questions about implementing new computer software. If you go to the website www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/html/mpc-04-161/ you will find a Mountain-Plains Consortium report on low-cost software for rural paratransit agencies. The authors have done a great job assessing the computer software needs of small rural transit agencies. Their conclusion is that all agencies ranging in size from 700 to 17,000 trips per month can benefit from purchasing and installing computer software systems. If you would like a copy of the report please let someone at UGPTI or SURTC know and one will be mailed out to you. I don't know how many of you function with a board of directors. Many nonprofit organizations in the state do. If you function with a board, how effective is it and when was the last time it conducted a self assessment? Transportation Cooperation Research Report # 104 entitled, "Public Transportation Board Effectiveness: A Self-Assessment Handbook" available at http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/tcrp/tcrp_rpt_104.pdf may just be the right solution. This is a transit board self-evaluation guide designed to help the board regularly examine its goals and objectives. It is written primarily for administrators who have been asked to help a transit board assess its effectiveness, or by board members who want to conduct a self-assessment survey of their board. It discusses how to implement board assessment and gives three levels of assessment depending on how detailed the desired results. The General Accounting Office (GOA) has written still another report on the transportation of seniors. This one is entitled, "Transportation-Disadvantaged Seniors Efforts to Enhance Senior Mobility Could Benefit from Additional Guidance and Information" available at www.gao.gov/new.items/d04971.pdf . This report says there are five federal departments that administer 15 programs key to addressing the mobility of seniors. It is written for the Honorable Larry E. Craig, Chairman, Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Senate. The report indicated that transportation service providers have done some things on their own such as increasing service efficiency, improving customer services, and leveraging available funds to enhance senior mobility. However, it also noted, that sometimes these practices are impeded by multiple reporting requirements and limited federal guidance. Check this report for the four recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Look for vendor commercials
in the next newsletter!
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In this issue...
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After 11 years as a driver with Arrow Transit, Eileen Schackow has moved with her family to Mandan, ND. Eileen was the in-town driver for Arrow's service. The community knew Eileen and her vehicle, and she knew their schedule, needs, families, etc. Eileen was a very reliable employee; she knew the system and her bus well. We wish the Schackows the best in their new home.