If you don’t drive, and you live outside the service area for Sun Tran, it can be a challenge to discover which agencies serve your home or your destination. Pima Association of Governments’ transit coordinating responsibilities include bringing together the agencies that provide these services throughout the region to solve gaps in service and other issues.
PAG achieves this mission through quarterly coordination meetings of service providers for older adults and persons with disabilities, and through its Public Transit-Human Services Coordinated Transportation Plan. PAG’s Regional Council adopted the Coordinated Transportation Plan for fiscal years 2023 through 2026 at its Jan. 27 meeting.
The plan helps identify coordination priorities to increase accessibility and therefore enhances economic opportunities and livability throughout the Pima County region. By increasing the availability of reliable transportation options for individuals with physical, cognitive and/or financial limitations, the most vulnerable members of our community can access employment, education and social activities.
The plan was developed with public input from PAG’s Mobility Coordination Group, surveys of service providers and public comments. It includes service area maps of 49 service providers to help PAG and the providers discover gaps in service and guide agencies that may be able to coordinate with one another. The plan includes profiles of the transportation providers that serve elderly, disabled and low-income residents.
To support coordination efforts and contribute to planning, PAG also hosts the Pima Find-A-Ride website for public use.
Federal grants provide annual funding support for coordinated transportation services including the 5310 program, which typically provides formula grants to assist nonprofit agencies in acquiring vehicles to transport older adults and physically impaired clients. The 5310 funds can be used to assist agencies with both capital and operating expenses.
