Human Services Transportation Plan

Background

Development of a Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan (CPT-HSTP) was first required by the 2005 federal transportation act, SAFETEA-LU, with the intent of identifying transportation needs and solutions and thereby improving transportation services for people with disabilities, seniors, youth, individuals with lower incomes and those in rural locations who cannot provide transportation for themselves.

The region’s first HSTP for Clark, Skamania and Klickitat Counties was adopted in January 2007 and subsequent updates were adopted in December 2010, December 2014 and November 2018. The current HSTP was adopted by the RTC Board of Directors on November 1, 2022.

Development of a CPT-HSTP can help to ensure communities coordinate transportation resources provided through multiple federal and state programs. A coordinated plan can help to enhance transportation access, minimize duplication of services, and encourage the most cost-effective transportation possible.

The HSTP development process brings together service providers, agencies that distribute funds, service users, and the community at-large to improve special needs transportation throughout the region.

HSTP and Funding Programs

Development of a HSTP is a condition for receiving funding through WSDOT's competitive Consolidated Public Transportation Grant program. This application process combines applications for state and federal public transportation grants. Applicants for WSDOT’s public transportation grant program are required to participate in the HSTP planning process with their local RTPO. Through the consolidated program, WSDOT distributes a variety of state and federal grants to support public transportation programs. These grant programs include:

Federal Transit Administration:
- Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities,
- Section 5311 Rural,
- Section 5339 Capital Funding for Bus and Bus Facilities
State Rural Mobility Competitive
State Paratransit / Special Needs Competitive for non-profit agencies.

RTC, as the MPO for the Clark County region and RTPO for the three-county region of Clark, Skamania and Klickitat, works with local stakeholders and human service transportation providers to develop the CPT-HSTP for the region and to identify project rankings. Development of the CPT-HSTP is coordinated through stakeholder groups in each county, and through the Klickitat County Transportation Policy Committee, Skamania County Transportation Policy Committee and the Regional Transportation Advisory Committee in Clark County. Project rankings are decided by the Accessible Transportation Coalition Initiative (ATCI) and endorsed by the RTC Board of Directors.