Results from Transportation Survey

Twin Cities Metro Area(Area 3)

Respondents

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Respondents

TransitProviders

CountyHumanServices

ManagedCare

Other

What Function Do You Perform?

71.8%• Of providers in the Metro region provide

regular transportation to passengers that are "eligible" for reimbursement

• 2% above the state average

But, How many of those passengers are being

reimbursed?

• Wide range• 10% - 100%• Unknowns (5)

Percent Number of Respondents

10 1

15 2

20-30 3

50-60 4

65 1

75 1

100 6

Possible Sources of Funding• State and County Human Services• County Social Services• Grants• Pay-per-ride• Donations• Veteran Services• United Way• Hospital/Clinic Funds• School• Health Insurance Providers• Counties• Adult Day Care• CADI• Insurance/Insurance Brokers Black

Diamond• Safe Ride hospitality associations• Mnet

• Medical Assistance• Medical Assistance Waiver Funding• Met Council General

Transportation• Mn/Dot• CSA (County)• ADA• U Care MN• County Tax Levy• Title III Funds through Older

Americans Act• Metro Mobility• Minneapolis Public Housing

Authority• PMAP• Medica• DHS

Do you currently have contracts with agencies that reimburse

you for the client rides that you provide?

How many respondents do?

86.7% = Metro80.8% = State

* 7 respondents skipped this question

Which Agencies?• Blue Ride• Ucare• Medica• Mnet• Health Partners• County Human Services• Red Cross• Metro Mobility• Met Council• DHS• Ucare of Minnesota• Metro Mobility ADA

Transportation• MAAA• Cities

• Minnesota Department of Human Services

• Hospitals• Health Partners• Blue Plus• WACOSA• Counties• Access to Jobs• Rise Inc.• County Family Services• County Social Service Agencies• Families Moving Forward• Winnetka Learning Center• Grants• United Way

If you knew that some of your passengers were eligible for

transportation subsidy, would you be interested in participating in a software

“billing system” to recoup that available funding?

69.4%

* 1 respondents skipped this question

Interest in software by region

• Area 3: 69.4%• Area 4: 68.8%• Area 2: 53.8%• Area 1: 50.0%

South and Metro areas show the most interest

What features would you like to see included?

• Flexibility (different contracts/different rates)• Easy to use• Customized reports • Cost effective (with great ROI)• Flexibility (volunteer, non-profits, medical, etc.)• Web-based• Five-year Forecasting• Configurable fields• Overall improvement over current process• Basic information fields (I.e. rider info, date and time of

rides, etc.)

Reasons for not recouping funding• Not necessary at this time. Contracts are already in place and passengers needs have

already been identified.

• Upgrade of existing accounting systems have included a number of new Accounts Payable items that could easily be updated to include cost reimbursement.

• Billing system already set up.

• “We have current processes we must follow for reimbursement.”

• “I do not think our clients are eligible for any subsidy, but if they were we would love to know how to get paid for the work we are providing. Our clients are private pay but they do not pay enough for us to break even on the program.”

• “We get federal, state, and local funding along with fare collection.”

• Time Factor

• Involved Paperwork

In your current contracts, is there uniformity in the amount

reimbursed PER MILE?

71.9% say NO!

Current rates for those that answered “yes"

• $12 per day• $1.75 per ride• Determined by DHS• Varies

• $0.14 per mile• $0.16 per mile• $0.20 per mile• $0.24 per mile• $0.96 per mile• $1.50 per mile• $1.75 per mile

How was this rate determined?

• “It is fairly universal across the State of Minnesota. We have a Volunteer Driver Network that [meet] periodically in the State. This group discuss current issue and recommends mileage reimbursement.”

• “Federal mileage rate plus an administrative allowance per mile. Rate determined by the County.”

• “There is a different rate based on the agency. One uses the federal rate plus a pre-determined trip fee and the other uses another rate with a lower trip fee and does not reimburse ‘dead’ miles (mileage to and from the rider's home, for example).”

• “One contract uses the federal rate determined by the IRS. For this contract we also receive a "Trip Charge" to help defray the administrative costs of the program. The other does not pay the half cent per mile and includes a monthly administrative fee.”

• Negotiated individually with each agency. • Cost of maintenance and repair.

How was this rate determined?• Varies with the agency source

• “Rate is determined by the trip type, per trip by the funder and a general grant based on previous service provided for performance based general transit.”

• The current IRS rate plus administrative fees

• “All of our clients pay $5.00 per one way ride. If it is over 20 miles they pay an additional $5.00”

• “DTH rate Rate set by ride to/from work. It's a full or half day rate.”

• “We charge $20 per load trip plus &1.75/mile. Compared rates of existing long term transportation companies and decided on what we needed to charge to make it worth the effort and still be affordable for our clients.”

• “It was determined by the funder.”

• “Set by provider, set by payer, negotiated.”

What mileage rate would you need in order to cover your full costs (please provide amount

needed PER MILE)?

Rate Number of Responses

$0.14 - $0.41 4

$0.58 - $0.98 4

$1.00 - $1.50 3

$2.25 - $2.35 2

$3.30 1

$17.00 1

Depends on subsidy for ride

1

Variable ($11 - $20)

1

Variable (by type of trip)

1

Variable (for bus and volunteer drivers)

1

Unsure 1

Actual cost of a BUS ride per mile

$2.02 $3.20 $3.58 $6.67

34 responses statewideRate Number of Responses

$0 - $0.50 4

$0.82 1

$1.73 - $2.45 7

$2.71 - $3.58 7

$4.00 - $4.38 2

$5.86 1

$6.67 1

Unknown or N/A 10

Variable 1

Administrative Expense Per Mile

• Only 20 responses statewide!• Only 2 responses in area 3!• Low response count.• What does this mean?

Response #1

Response #2

$0.58 $3.33

Statewide Administrative Expense Per MileRate Quantity of Responses

$0.00 - $0.26 4

$0.30 – $0.50 3

$0.50 - $0.55* 2

$1.12 - $1.20 2

$3.33* 1

Unknown 2

Included in Per Mile

* = area 3 responses

1

Minimum Needed to Cover Cost Per Mile

• Some responded per trip• Some responded with average trip length• One responses per mile• $0.24 - $3.58

Comparison with state

• 20 responses statewide• Wide range

Minimum needed Number of responses

$0 - $0.89 4

$1.80 - $2.35 5

$3.50 - $4.41 5

$5.86 1

$10 - $22 3

$50 1

Unknown 1

Actual Cost of A VOLUNTEER Driver Per Mile

Rate Number of Responses

$0.14 1

$0.50 1

$0.54 3

$0.58 – $0.59 2

$0.61 1

$0.85 1

$0.96 1

Cost of a VOLUNTEER Driver Per Mile statewide

Rate Number of Responses

$0.50 7

$0.53- $0.59 14

$0.61 1

$0.85 - $0.96 3

$1.00 1

$10.50 1

IRS Rate 2

Unknown, N/A 12

Administrative Expense Per Mile

• 6 responses in area 3!

Rate

$0.22

$0.39

$0.41

$0.75

$1.40

$16.46

Statewide Administrative Expenses Per Mile

Rate Number of Responses

$0.00 - $0.25 13

$0.39 - $0.51 4

$0.62 - $0.75 2

$1.40 - $1.55 1

$10.15 1

$16.46 1

N/A 1

Unknown 3

Minimum Needed to Cover Cost Per Mile

Rate Number of Responses

$0.75 1

$0.83 1

$0.92 1

$0.96 1

$1.98 1

$17.00 1

Comparison with State

Rate Number of Responses

$0.00 - $0.50 4

$0.55 - $0.75 9

$0.80 - $0.98 6

$1.17 1

$1.99 1

$2.08 1

$17.00 1

$25.00 1

Actual Cost of a WHEEL CHAIR LIFT VEHCILE Ride Per Mile

• 3 numeric responses in area 3

• One essay response: “Same as bus.”

$0.96 $2.02 $6.67

Statewide ResponsesRate Responses

$0.00 1

$0.34 1

$1.73 1

$1.96 1

$2.02 2

$2.30 1

$3.58 1

$4.38 1

$6.67 1

Administrative Expenses Per Mile

• Only 11 responses statewide!• Only 2 responses in area 3!• Low response count.• What does this mean?

$0.53 $3.33

Statewide

Rate Number of responses

$0.00 2

$0.17 1

$0.26 1

$0.30 1

$0.53* 1

$0.55 1

$3.33* 1

N/A 1

Unknown 2

Minimum Need to Cover Cost Per Mile

2 responses:

• $0.24 – 3.58• $10.00

11 Statewide Responses!

Rates

$0.00

$0.89

$1.90

$1.96

$2.02

$2.30

$4.38

$10.00

$18.02

$0.24 - $3.58

N/A

Unknown

Actual Cost of a NON-WHEELCHAIR accessible ride Per

Mile

• 4 responses from area 3

$0.50 $0.96 $2.02 $6.67

Statewide ResponsesCost Number of

Responses

$0 1

$0.34 1

$0.50 1

$0.96 1

$2.02 1

$2.30 1

$3.48 1

$4.38 1

$6.67 1

Unknown or N/A 8

Varies or Non 2

Administrative Expenses Per Mile

• 3 responses from area 3!

$0.41 $0.48 $3.33

11 Responses Statewide!Expenses Number of Responses

$0.00 1

$0.28 1

$0.30 1

$0.41* 1

$0.48* 1

$0.55 1

$3.33* 1

N/A 2

Unknown 2

Minimum Needed to Cover Cost Per Mile

• 3 responses from area 3!

$0.96 $0.98 $10.00

StatewideNeeded Number of Responses

$0.00 1

$0.89 1

$0.96 1

$0.98 1

$2.30 1

$3.48 1

$4.38 1

$10.00 1

$18.02 1

N/A 2

Unknown 1

Actual cost of an ambulatory ride per mile?

• 4 total responses!

$0.50 $0.58 $2.02 $6.67

Statewide ResponsesCost Number of

Responses

$0.00 1

$0.34 1

$0.50 1

$0.58 1

$2.02 2

$2.30 1

$4.38 1

$6.67 1

Unknown/NA 16

Administrative Expenses Per Mile

State Area 3Expense Number of

Responses

$0.48 1

$1.00 1

$3.33 1

Expense Number of Responses

$0.00 1

$0.30 1

$0.48* 1

$0.55 1

$1.00* 1

$3.33* 1

N/A 1

Unknown 3

Minimum Needed to Cover Cost Per Mile

State Area 3Cost Needed No. Responses

$0.00 1

$0.89 1

$0.98 1

$1.58 1

$4.38 1

$10.00 1

N/A 1

Unknown 3

Cost Needed No. Responses

$0.98 1

$1.58 1

$10.00 1

Other Rides Provided

• Accompanied Service to doctor appointments & grocery shopping

Other Rides Statewide

• Senior Rides• Commuters• Public Transit with a designated project

area• Non-Public funded trips to locations

outside MnDot project area• Non-Medica volunteer driver program to

visit spouses in nursing homes

Costs of “Other” Ride Per Mile

• Zero responses in area 3• Statewide:

– “no cost, this is a bonus”– $50/hr. for bus service operating outside

transit hours– $0.55– $0.34– $1.02