Section 2: Start-Up

Volunteer Drivers

“Our volunteer drivers are in two categories. They’re mostly a friend or family member that might have taken them anyway. That way, the rider has a little more autonomy and is not feeling like a burden or dependent because at least they know the driver is getting some money. Then, there are volunteer drivers who are willing to drive for people other than their family or friends.” – CIL staff member

Volunteers are an important component of any voucher program because they often play an important role in providing rides in rural areas. Voucher programs help offset volunteers’ costs by reimbursing them for mileage. Drivers can be family or friends of a specific rider, or a collective pool of volunteers who provide rides on request. Many consumers already have friends or family who give them rides, and the vouchers simply make this situation more beneficial for both riders and drivers. In some cases, volunteers may also be willing to drive for other consumers they don’t know, but this is typically less common.

Volunteer drivers are usually reimbursed on a mileage basis, typically at or below the federal reimbursement rate. When volunteers are reimbursed below the maximum rate, the difference may be considered an “in-kind” contribution on behalf of the volunteer driver and could count toward a funding match requirement, if applicable (See more on in-kind donations in “Section 4: Funding Opportunities”). However, if volunteers are reimbursed at a higher rate, they are seen as earning a profit, and the volunteer arrangement shifts into employment, which makes voucher programs much more complex to operate. For example, the volunteer would need specialized insurance, licenses, and permits. Most volunteer drivers do not want to deal with these additional regulations and are satisfied with the mileage reimbursement rate.

Finding a balance between reimbursing volunteers at a level that attracts and retains drivers while also ensuring the overall viability of the program is an important consideration. For a simple voucher program, we recommend not exceeding the federal reimbursement rate to ensure that volunteer drivers are not classified as employees.

More information about insurance and liability issues can be found in “Section 5: Tips & Special Considerations.”

Public and Private Providers

Voucher programs are flexible and intended to fit into existing transportation services where they already exist. Compared to volunteer drivers, establishing relationships with other transportation providers can be challenging. The CIL must now negotiate voucher rates, navigate a more complicated relationship, and ensure its internal procedures work well with the provider’s procedures. You may want to consider starting with a volunteer driver program, then expanding it to larger transportation providers once your program has been tested and is running smoothly. Whether you partner with transportation providers from the start or recruit them later, they are an integral part of a voucher program. 

Before you can recruit transportation providers, you must first identify the ones in your area. Some providers are obvious, such as a public bus system or a private taxicab company. However, there are some options that can be overlooked. For example, social services, such as area councils on aging or faith-based organizations, may be willing to collaborate with vehicles they own. Inventive solutions can be arranged, such as an employer with a company providing an employee with transportation. The National Center for Mobility Management manages a Community Transportation Provider Map of local transit agencies and their approximate locations, which can be used to find known providers in your area.

Once you have identified potential providers, the next step is to begin outreach and recruitment. The transportation coordinator can use the Transportation Interest Network (TIN) to help in this effort. The methods used to recruit TIN members also apply to transportation providers. To make your message clear and compelling, you can write out talking points in advance and practice with a coworker. While a strong explanation can establish a relationship, time and persistence may be needed to successfully recruit a provider. Reaching out more than once, visiting in person, and showing a genuine interest in their work help develop the relationship. Even if a transportation provider doesn’t join right away, this effort may lead to future collaboration. Throughout your outreach efforts, it’s important to frame your voucher program as supplementary to existing services rather than competitive.

When a provider agrees to participate, the transportation coordinator will need to negotiate the terms of the partnership. In this process, the transportation coordinator should try to maximize the number and flexibility of voucher trips. The bookkeeper should be involved in discussions about trip tracking, invoicing, or reimbursement. Keep in mind that for providers, additional riders may not increase operational costs and could even be a desirable source of ridership and revenue. Providers may also like that vouchers align with their mission and values, or that participation could produce charitable tax write-offs.

This negotiation process is an opportunity to build a strong collaborative relationship with transportation providers. Flexibility in this process is advised. For example, each provider will have their own preferences for trip tracking, how rides are arranged, or invoicing and reimbursement. The CIL should be prepared to accommodate these systems, rather than impose its own. These early efforts to accommodate can later encourage the provider to adjust their services to better support riders or streamline coordination with CIL staff.

What if there are no transportation providers in a sponsoring agency's service area? This puts caps on the potential size and reach of a voucher program. However, this can only be addressed by dedicating much more time to volunteer driver recruitment. This can also be addressed by utilizing the volunteer driver “pool” system, where a pool of drivers who take any rider on a trip is recruited, rather than drivers who are attached to specific riders. 

Coordination

“15 years ago, and early on, I would have put a lot more effort into coordinating with the public transit providers that took years to build… Eventually, when we got to that point is when the program really took off.” – CIL staff member

Most federal transportation funds either encourage or require some level of coordination among local transportation services. In fact, a “Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan” is required for any project that receives funding from the Enhanced Mobility for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310) program. These coordinated plans identify the transportation needs of individuals with disabilities, older adults, and people with low incomes, provide strategies for meeting these needs, and prioritize transportation services for funding and implementation. A coordinated plan may already exist for your community if a local agency already operates transportation services with 5310 funds.

Some agencies may be under the impression that they can only provide rides to participants in their own programs because they used federal funds to purchase their vehicles. However, this is usually based on a misconception of federal policies. Information, training, direct technical assistance, and other resources regarding transportation coordination are available through the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility Technical Assistance Center (CCAM-TAC).