In
1995, the Victoria County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) commissioned
a Transit Feasibility Study for the City of Victoria. The study was designed to
identify the need for transit service in the city of Victoria and surrounding
Victoria County, investigate service alternatives, and develop an efficient and
effective operations plan.
The
Transit Feasibility Study was conducted in three phases, with decision points at
the end of each phase. In Phase I,
transit need was identified using feedback from focus group meetings,
stakeholder interviews, target market surveys, and existing demographic data.
The results of Phase I indicated that the general population as well as
seniors and the disabled have a need for transit, and transit need is highest in
the central and southern portion of the city of Victoria.
Transit
alternatives were analyzed in Phase II. Several
service strategies were recommended, including the coordination of existing
services designed to meet the specialized needs of seniors and the disabled, and
flexible-route service for the general public.
In Phase III, the cost-effectiveness and financial feasibility of the
recommended service strategies were evaluated.
Financial feasibility was identified based on the ability to fund the
proposed transportation services with a mix of federal, state, and local
sources.
The
study was concluded in July 1997 when the Victoria City Council authorized the
Planning Department to submit a grant application for funding of transportation
services. The findings of the study
are being used in the decision-making process of planning and implementing
transportation services in Victoria.
By
resolution, the City of Victoria has designated Golden Crescent Regional
Planning Commission (GCRPC) as the Urban Transit District for Victoria and has
entered into an Interlocal Agreement with GCRPC to administer and operate a
Small-Urban Transit Program in the city of Victoria.
As stated above, one of the service strategies identified and recommended
was a coordination effort among the existing transit providers.
GCRPC is an existing provider and has been administering a Rural
Transportation program for over 11 years. GCRPC implemented Victoria
Transit
on
January 4, 1999, providing demand response curb-to-curb services Monday through
Friday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm for all residents regardless of age living in
Victoria. A
24-hour notice is required when scheduling a ride.
In
March 2002 Victoria Transit began it's fixed route system for the City of
Victoria.
HISTORY
The
Golden Crescent Regional Planning Commission’s RTRANSIT
program
is one of 42 rural transit systems in the State of Texas.
Texas has the largest rural population in the nation and the largest
rural general public transportation program.
The Golden Crescent Region is also predominantly rural.
According to the 1990 Census, over two-thirds of the region’s
population reside in what is considered to be rural.
Since
many of the rural communities in the Golden Crescent Region do not have access
to medical care in their communities, they must depend on the health care
facilities located in other non-urban cities in their county or rely on the
medical facilities located in the city of Victoria for their health care needs.
This need for medical transportation prompted the coordination of a
comprehensive transportation program.
GCRPC
has been providing Rural Transportation Services known as RTRANSIT
since
November 1986, over the years RTRANSIT
has
grown from providing services with only a hand full of vehicles to a fleet of 28
vehicles throughout the region.
RTRANSIT
provides
curb-to-curb transportation service for the rural residents in Calhoun, Dewitt,
Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Lavaca, and Victoria Counties. Residents access the
system by calling
RTRANSIT
in their county a day in advance to schedule a ride.
The
transit system offers residents transportation within their county and
transportation to neighboring counties.
In order to provide efficient transportation services in the over 6,000
square mile region, the Planning Commission contracts with six local providers.
Major funding for this program is provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) under the Section 5311 Grant Program. In addition, funding provided from the Texas Department on Aging, Texas Department of Health, Cities and Counties, as well as fare revenues help support the program.
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