2009 Mobility Planning Services Institutes

Where disability, senior services, and transportation leaders meet
to forge strong community partnerships

Senior Transportation Institute sponsored by the National Center on Senior Transportation June 15-18 Westin Washington DC City Center Washington, D.C.

Accessible Community Transportation Institute July 12-15 Renaissance Washington Hotel Washington, D.C.

Announcing: Team Selections

This year's application process closed April 3. Here are the teams chosen for the institutes:

Accessible Transportation Institute: Chelan Douglas Mobility Council (Washington State); Cobb/Douglas/Fulton Counties/Metro Atlanta (Georgia); Delaware County Mobility Management (Pennsylvania); Greeley/Weld County Mobility Messeng (Colorado); Houston METRO and MHMRA (Texas); Ada and Canyon Counties (Idaho); Johnson County (Iowa); Lextran/Lexington (Kentucky); North Dakota Souris Basin Transportation; Nezperce/Latah/Lewis/Clearwater (Idaho); Northern Arizona Transportation; Oshkosh (Wisconsin).; Southeast Tennessee Accessibility Connection; Shiawassee County Community Transportation (Michigan); and Sussex County (New Jersey).

Senior Transportation Institute:Allegany County, N.Y., Durham, N.C., Huron, S.D., Kansas City, Kan., Marin County, Calif., Miami, Fla., Nashville, Tenn., Navajo Nation, Ariz., San Antonio, Texas, and Sonoma County, Calif.

About the Easter Seals 2009 Mobility Planning Services Institutes 

Disability advocates, older adult and human services providers, and transportation providers agree: reliable, accessible transportation is key to a full life in the community. Regardless of age and ability, residents need to get around within their communities to take advantage of important services, shop for necessities, visit with
friends and family, and participate in community and social life.

Although nearly all service providers agree about the need for accessible, reliable transportation, they do not always agree on a formula for removing barriers and successfully meeting the need.

Easter Seals' MPS Institutes literally "bring to the table" community leaders willing to work together to tackle local transportation issues (e.g., funding, service gaps, service coordination), remove barriers, and find solutions. Following a nationwide announcement last fall, communities organized teams of between three and five members, then applied online for the opportunity to be brought to Washington. Travel expenses are paid by Project ACTION and the NCST.

Announcement of the Institutes

Brochures that announced and provided details about the experience, including qualifying and application how-to's, remain available online for future consideration of this event.

Download the 2009 MPSI brochure in PDF format | Download the 2009 MPSI brochure in plain text

What happens at a Mobility Planning Services Institute?

Teams are seated together to hear from experts, discuss and plan on their own, and consult with faculty members nationally recognized for their expertise. Separately, team members also attend breakout sessions on special topics. Past topics have included funding, marketing, effective advocacy, service coordination, rural systems, improving fixed-route ridership, and many other community-based issues.

As the three days progress, teams write their plans and describe them to the group in a closing session. The overall atmosphere of the institutes is relaxed, with plenty of support for sensitive problem-solving, plus refreshment breaks, nourishing meals, and fun team-building exercises.

After the institute, support for the teams' action plans continues for 12 months with the technical assistance of institute faculty members and staff of Easter Seals Project ACTION and the National Center on Senior Transportation.  

What are the travel and lodging arrangements for the institutes?

Each participant will be reimbursed for allowable travel expenses when specific instructions are followed. These instructions are given to each participant in advance. Allowable travel expenses include air and ground transportation, lodging, and meals that are not included in scheduled activities.

At the conclusion of the event, each team member is given an expense report form with specific instructions on how to complete it. Reimbursements are made to each team member after completed expense reports have been processed. Each team member is responsible for attaching all original receipts for all allowable expenses.

Air and ground transportation

Coach class airfare, ground transportation, tolls and parking are considered allowable expenses. Rental cars for transportation will need pre-approval from ESPA or NCST to be eligible for reimbursement, and should not exceed the cost of air travel. If a participant is not able to make his or her own air travel arrangements, ESPA or NCST will make such arrangements through the organizations’ travel desk.

Lodging

A block of rooms is reserved for team members at the institute’s hotel. Members of the selected teams are responsible for making their own reservations. At the conclusion of the institutes, each team member will be placed on the ESPA or NCST master bill, and will, therefore, not be charged for their room. A personal credit card is required to make reservations and to cover additional expenses.

Meals outside the event

Meals will be served during scheduled events and arrangements will be made to accommodate dietary and special requests. Meals purchased outside event times will be considered allowable expenses when itemized receipts are included.

Personal attendants

Team members needing services from personal attendants may choose to bring someone or request that one be hired in Washington, D.C. All costs for personal attendants, including travel, lodging, meals and wages, are reimbursable expenses. Personal attendants are not counted in the team total membership of three to five members for the Accessible Community Transportation Institute and four members for the Senior Transportation Institute.

Additional instructions are provided after teams are selected. Each team member is given a list of allowable expenses. Items/services desired but not on the list must be requested in advance by email or phone call in order to be considered for approval.

For further information

If you have questions about the 2009 Accessible Transportation Institute or would like to talk with past institute participants, contact Penny Everline at (800)659-6428 or peverline@easterseals.com.

If you have questions about the 2009 Senior Transportation Institute, contact Lisa Tucker at (866)528-6278 or ltucker@easterseals.com.