Section 1 Overview
Introduction
The purpose of the study was to develop a strategic plan to provide comprehensive, coordinated, efficient, sustainable, and affordable transportation for seniors with mobility problems in Cuyahoga County. Specifically, the plan was designed to:

• Increase the quantity of transportation services available to seniors;
• Increase the quality of transportation available to seniors;
• Recommend a management plan to coordinate the delivery of these services;
• Identify the activities that should be undertaken by Cuyahoga County to achieve these.

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Section 2 Overview
Development of Community Standards for Senior Transportation
A one-day seminar was held with the Senior Transportation Working Group on February 6, 2002 to establish community standards for senior transportation that will govern subsequent study work.

The following issues/topics represent the most important objectives identified by the Senior Transportation Working Group (scored on a scale of 1 – 10):
• Low Income Seniors (9.79)
• Full County Accessibility (9.50)
• Seamless Transit (9.46)
• Senior Customer Orientation (9.29)
• Frail Seniors (9.14)
• Countywide Trip Brokerage (9.14)
• Proactive Driver Information/Training (9.07)

Study Issue: Increase the Quality of Transportation Available to Seniors
• Incorporate mobility management concepts to better coordinate user trip needs and available transportation resources in the community.
• Ensure, taking population, population density, and the location of trip generators into account, that appropriate levels of transit and paratransit services are available to seniors throughout Cuyahoga County.

Study Issue: Increase the Quality of Transportation Available to Seniors
• Embrace the “family of services” concept in order to address the mobility needs of Cuyahoga County seniors with diverse socio-economic and demographic characteristics.
• Address transit options that provide alternatives to independent trip-making by seniors who, either by necessity or by choice, have given up use of their personal automobile.
• Include actions that increase the range of eligible trip purposes to enhance the level of personal, social, and recreational trips made by seniors in order to improve quality of life.
• Facilitate ease of use by adopting a curb-to-curb passenger assistance model for senior Services in Cuyahoga County.
• Adopt a standardized approach to driver training that emphasizes the special needs of senior should be promoted for all transit organizations providing transit services to the elderly.
• Adopt design specifications so that vehicles used for senior transportation contain user amenities and features with the older passenger in mind. Vehicles should be manufactured with low floors, minimal step heights, wide aisles, and with sufficient stanchions and handrails.

Study Issue: Transit Services for Senior Should be Coordinated
• The strategic plan for senior transportation should incorporate the necessary management strategies to ensure that new services for seniors are integrated with and do not duplicate existing transit services.
• The strategic plan should incorporate provisions that permit seamless transportation for seniors between transit services in Cuyahoga County and adjacent counties, building on successful examples typified by GCRTA and Laketran.

Study Issue: Senior Transportation Services Should be Provided in as Efficient Manner as Possible
• Identify and incorporate those transit technologies that can result in more efficient and effective transit service provision for seniors.
• Plan senior transit services predicated on identifiable demand consistent with consumer needs.

Study Issue: Senior Transit Services Must be Affordable and Sustainable
• Incorporate concepts such as a universal fare or debit card to facilitate ease of use transit services by seniors.
• Incorporate funding strategies and mechanisms that will result in continuous and sustainable service provision.

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