The Atlanta Regional Commission Board has adopted a Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan for the Atlanta Region, which is designed to improve mobility options for individuals with disabilities, older adults, and people with low incomes.

The plan, which was last updated in 2017, identifies mobility needs of these populations, updates strategies to improve regional coordination and service delivery, and identifies projects and planning efforts for funding and implementation.

The plan includes three key strategic recommendations:

• Develop regional mobility hubs that integrate multiple transportation modes and improve safety.
• Implement an integrated regional trip planner and mobile application that incorporates demand response services and consolidates cross-jurisdictional travel options into a single, user-friendly platform.
• Adopt a regional fare payment system to simplify travel for riders and reduce administrative costs for service providers

“ARC’s updated Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan provides a roadmap to provide quality transportation options to all of our residents, no matter their age, income, or ability,” said Gwo-Wei Torng, Senior Managing Director of Transportation Planning at ARC. “Mobility means so much more than just getting from point A to point B. It’s about staying connected to loved ones, accessing critical medical care, and being able to fully participate in society.”

Human Service Transportation options available in metro Atlanta include public transit (bus and rail), on-demand systems that provide “curb-to-curb” service, networks of volunteer drivers who use their own vehicles to provide transportation, and ride-hailing services such as taxis, Uber, and Lyft.

The plan was developed with a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process that included rider surveys, meetings with technical and advisory committees, collaborative sessions with region transit providers, and a regional summit to bring stakeholders together.