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New North Transportation Alliance

Background

The New North area in Northeast Tampa, Florida is the third largest employer district in the state. The area is home to University of South Florida, Busch Gardens, University Hospital, James Haley Veteran's Administration Hospital, small and large businesses, and residential neighborhoods. Over the past decade, New North has grown rapidly. In 1999, the number of single and multifamily dwellings doubled in five years [51]. In 2000, the number employed in the district was 48,000. That figure is expected to grow to 71,000 in 2025 [51].

Public transportation in New North is limited to buses, which services approximately half of the area [52]. In 1994, increasing transportation problems led to the formation of the New North Transportation Alliance (NNTA), comprised of employers and government agencies. The transportation management organization took the lead and began implementing and promoting transportation demand management (TDM) strategies. NNTA:

• prints and distributes transportation brochures
• sponsors and/or holds transportation information events, including the USF Transportation Fair, Bicycle Safety Rodeo, worksite Transportation Days, and the Transportation Forum at Busch Gardens
• works with employers to distribute transportation information
• advocates for pedestrian/bicycle infrastructure improvements
• helps employees and employers on implementing vanpooling and alternative work schedules at their worksites
• operates a Commuter Information Center.

As a result of their efforts, the NNTA sold 3,408 bus passes and had 7,560 requests for information.

Lesson Learned

NNTA's focus is on conducting outreach, rather than providing alternative transportation services. The organization is recognized as an information center, a place where both the community and employers can go to receive transportation information. NNTA is also a "cheerleader" for the local ridesharing agency and the transit agency. The organization does not try to "take over" the services of these agencies. Instead, NNTA promotes and supports these services. NNTA educates the public on carpooling and and promotes the Bay Area Ridesharing Database through their website and brochures. NNTA also supports the transit agency by disseminating transit information through their materials and the website. The organization also previously sold transit passes at their Commuter Information Center, helping the transit agency increase their ridership.

NNTA shows how a transportation management association does not have to be service-oriented. It can be education oriented. NNTA's education strategies have proven to be very succcessful. An estimated 67,488 vehicle trips were reduced during 2001[52].

Express Travel already offers several transportation services in Providence, such as the Guaranteed Ride Home and carpool matching service. A TMA in Providence could support these services, in a similar fashion as the New North Alliance. The Providence TMA could serve as a "cheerleader" for Express Travel, providing the resources and materials needed to promote and educate the public on their services.