TJPB Service Design Explained

The Trailblazer Joint Powers Board is the legal name of the organization that operates Trailblazer Transit, a 5311 public transportation system funded with federal, state, and local county dollars.  5311 refers to the language used by the Federal government to identify a specific type of transportation program and related funding.  The Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Transit is responsible for allocating Minnesota's share of the federal funds to all the 5311 transportation providers in the state.

To obtain 5311 Public Transportation Assistance Program funds, the Trailblazer Joint Powers Board is required to submit an annual application to MnDOT for funds.  Although referred to generically as a grant application, the program is not a grant as it the 5311 program is intended to operate in perpetuity.  As part of the application process, the Trailblazer Joint Powers Board creates a service plan that specifically identifies the type and level of service that Trailblazer Transit provides.  The service plan then becomes part of an annual contract for service between the Trailblazer Joint Powers Board and the State of Minnesota.  Consequently, the Trailblazer Transit program has limitations in terms of where, when, and how it can operate.

Due to the restrictions of the service plan, the Trailblazer Joint Powers Board decided to supplement the 5311 program with another service called SMART, which is an acronym for Sibley McLeod Auxiliary Regional Transit.  The SMART program is essentially all the transportation service provided by the Trailblazer Joint Powers Board that does not meet the criteria of Trailblazer's 5311 Service Plan.  SMART is essentially a volunteer driver service funded entirely with local county dollars that

1) allows people to go places where the 5311 program does not, and/or
2) allows people to be transported at times when the 5311 program does not, including times of the day and days of the week

Trailblazer Transit provides general public transportation with a bus system and a volunteer driver program within Sibley and McLeod Counties and up to one mile beyond the county borders.  Transportation is also provided to five external service points including Mankato Rehabilitation Center Incorporated (MRCI) in New Ulm, the Medical Center in New Ulm, the Medical Campus in Waconia, Immanuel-St. Josephs Hospital in Mankato, and the Veterans Administration Hospital in Minneapolis.  Service is available to almost anyone for almost any reason on weekdays between 6:30am and 5:30pm except on New Years Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and December 25th. 

The two types of public transportation provided are demand response, or dial-a-ride service, and contract service.  Trailblazer does not provide route, flexible route, subscription, package delivery, or charter service.  However, within the scope of demand response service, Trailblazer provides all customers the opportunity to make standing order requests and the ability to pay for their rides through a billing system.  Trailblazer is not a Special Transportation Service (STS) provider and does not provide transportation for medical emergencies.

Trailblazer Transit- 5311 Service Area
Download this in PDF format to see a larger version.

Parameters for Demand Response Service:

A. Customers must schedule rides with a dispatcher.
B. Bus ride requests will not be accepted more than seven days in advance, and volunteer driver ride requests will not be accepted more than 30 days in advance.  Same day requests are accepted for both services.
C. Rides are provided subject to the availability of resources including employees, volunteers, vehicles, and finances.  Resources are shared among all those wanting to access the service.
D. Resources are distributed based on the criteria listed below in order of priority: 

1. Number of One-way Rides
2. Ride Efficiency, such as:
a) One-way rides per service hour c) Cost per one-way ride
b) Service miles per one-way ride d) Cost per service mile
3. Order of Request

E. Trailblazer may reschedule or cancel previously scheduled rides to achieve better system performance provided that advance notification is made to the affected customers within a reasonable time period.  Reasonable notice shall not be less than 24 hours, unless shorter notice is acceptable to the customers inconvenienced by any changes.  Performance can be measured over varying time periods up to one year in length including hours, days, weeks, or months.
F. Customers may submit standing order ride requests, but such requests do not guarantee service.  Standing orders are subject to the same criteria for distributing resources as standard requests.
G. Bus customers may pay when boarding the bus or by means of a billing system.  However, all volunteer driver customers must pay using the billing system.  The billing system is available to the general public without the need for credit checks or contracts.
H. Customers must comply with general operating policies and procedures including cancellations, passenger assistance, behavior, ability to communicate, and payment for rides.  Failure to adhere to such procedures may result in the denial of service.

Parameters for Contract Service:

A. MnDOT and the Trailblazer Joint Powers Board must approve contracts prior to execution.
B. Only open-door contract service is permitted.  Although times and locations for pickups and drop-offs may be guaranteed, the buses shall remain open for the general public or customers from other contracts on a space available basis.
C. Contract customers must comply with all standard operating policies and procedures with the exception of the policies outlined below.
D. The operating policies that may be waived or modified for contract service include the requirement to schedule bus rides with a dispatcher, the seven-day limitation on scheduling bus rides, the pickup window, cancellations, and no-shows.  If any of these policies are not specifically addressed by the approved contract, then the standard operating policy shall apply.
E. Fares for contract service are generally higher than general public fares and may be customized to meet the needs of the customer or the transit system.  Fares may vary between contracts.
F. All contract fares must be billed.
G. In general, contract service shall take precedence over demand response service.  In the event there is a shortage of resources, such as buses or drivers, Trailblazer shall reallocate its resources, within reason, to insure the continued operation of contract service.
H. Trailblazer makes no guarantee to the availability of contract service in the event of extraordinary or emergency circumstances.

Trailblazer Joint Powers Board Service Design
Download this in PDF format to see a larger version.