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Transportation to Support Rural Healthcare – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Transportation to Support Rural Healthcare.

Rural Transit Fact Book 2022
Features national-, state-, and county-level information on rural transit in the United States. Includes rural and urban comparisons on demographics and transportation. Provides information for agencies receiving section 5311 funding and includes a section on tribal transit.
Author(s): Jeremy Mattson, Dilip Mistry
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
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Tribal Transportation: Issues and Successful Models
Discusses issues related to transportation in tribal areas and how lack of transportation options causes forgone medical care, community disengagement, and employment difficulties. Provides information on tribal sovereignty, funding, coordination, and economic development as related to transportation systems. Includes case studies of successful transit programs in tribal areas.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Transit Assistance Program
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Intraregional Tribal Transportation Strategy
Report highlights a strategy for connecting rural tribal lands with access to transit in the San Diego region of California. Details the project's collaboration with local transit agencies and tribal governments.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: San Diego Association of Governments, Southern California Tribal Chairman's Association
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Public Transportation's Role in Rural Healthcare Access with Carol Wright Kenderdine
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Carol Wright Kenderdine. Discusses transportation needs and challenges faced by rural older adults and people with disabilities. Explains the role of rural public transit agencies, national resources available to support transit, and how COVID-19 has spurred innovation in rural transportation.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Travel Behavior of Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations: Trends and Geographic Disparities
Analyzes travel behavior and mobility of the elderly, people with disabilities, low-income households, and those living in rural areas. Utilizes data from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) to analyze driving behaviors, transportation modes, trip purpose, and use of smartphones, with information broken down by demographic variables, including urban, suburban, second city, small town, or rural location.
Author(s): Jeremy Mattson, Antonio Molina
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
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Case Studies of Communities of Less Than 10,000 People with Bicycle & Pedestrian Infrastructure
Examines the availability of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in rural communities in the U.S. based on a sample of 5 states that represent the different regions of the U.S.: Northeast, North Central, South-Gulf, South-Atlantic, and the West. Discusses the health and community benefits of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, issues of maintaining infrastructure, and ways to engage communities in planning based on survey and interview data.
Author(s): Natalie Villwock-Witte, Karalyn Clouser
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Western Transportation Institute
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2021 FTA Section 5310 Compendium
Provides an overview of the Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program, which is designed to support the specialized transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities. Discusses the role of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) using Section 5310 funding to develop and manage accessible transportation programs. Includes case studies and examples of how AAAs used Section 5310 funding, including programs serving rural residents.
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
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Livable Communities: Transit Services and Infrastructure that Promote Livability
Discusses the characteristics of a livable community, offers examples to improve transportation services, and suggests ways to implement a successful livability initiative in rural contexts.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Transit Assistance Program
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Going to the Doctor: Rideshare as Nonemergency Medical Transportation
Discusses the role of rideshare-based non-emergency medical transportation (RB-NEMT) in serving the transportation needs across the country, including in rural areas. Details the different types of RB-NEMT services, such as door-to-door, curb-to-curb, hand-to-hand, and area-to-area. Breaks down the different groups that benefit from RB-NEMT by transportation limitations, age, and insurance type, among other factors. Discusses RB-NEMT's efficacy for rural areas, medical and logistical barriers, and makes policy recommendations.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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ADA Toolkit
Provides information and resources for local and rural transit managers. Identifies requirements under ADA regulations based on the type of transit service and best practices. Includes information on considerations for riders with disabilities related to COVID-19.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Transit Assistance Program
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Last Updated: 3/14/2024