Implementation of Service Routes in the United States.

The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
signified a new era of mobility for elderly and disabled passengers.
There have been many debates about fixed-route versus door-todoor
demand-responsive services. While the United States has
been discussing the issue, Sweden has been experimenting since
1983 with a concept called service routes. Madison Metro (in
Wiscon_sin) is very close (April 1992) to implementing the first
two service routes in the United States. The planning activities
leading up to implementation and, subject to availability, preliminary
results are discussed. The service-route concept and the
unique planning consideration necessary to design successful routes
is reviewed, as are the process used in defining desirable origins
and destinations, the public participation process, the development
of alternatives, the refinement of alternatives, and the selection
of routing details. In addition, the discussion will include
detailing of operating guidelines (i.e., driver selection/training
and fares), the integration with other Metro service including
Metro+ Plus, the estimation of demand, the development of costs
and revenues, and finally the establishment of a monitoring and
evaluation plan. This concept when applied to small cities or
selected small communities within a larger urban area has the
potential to satisfy ADA requirements with a small capital investment
and potentially lower operating costs. The addition of
minivans with low floors and ramps could provide the door-todoor
service needed by a minority of users. Most important, this
design can provide significantly better mobility and flexibility for
the transportation-disadvantaged residents of our communities.