Transportation Tuesday recap: Human Services Transportation Plan Update

September 12, 2025

The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is beginning an update to its Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP), the region’s roadmap for improving mobility for older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income residents. The first webinar of the RTA's 2025 Transportation Tuesday series focused on the HSTP Update and was held on September 9, 2025. The webinar, moderated by Robert Morris, RTA Principal Analyst, Local Planning and Program Management, featured a review of the progress made since the 2021 HSTP and breakout sessions to aid in development of the 2026 update.

Why the Plan Matters

The RTA administers federal Section 5310 funding, which supports dial-a-ride and other specialized transportation services. Federal law requires that projects funded under this program be included in an HSTP developed with public input. Because the last plan was adopted in 2021, the RTA will complete a full update by summer 2026. The planning process will also provide an opportunity to evaluate the long-term potential for coordinated demand response transit options across the six counties for rider consistency and efficient delivery of services.

Progress since 2021 HSTP

RTA’s current HSTP identifies nine goals. Progress has been made on implementing all nine, and the HSTP update underway now will consider challenges and lessons learned from each.

Goal 1: Establish mobility management and travel training networks

This goal aimed to create a coordinated, regional network of full-time mobility managers and travel trainers at both the county and regional levels. These professionals help connect people with available transportation resources, while also offering education on how to use public and specialized transit options.

In 2022, RTA expanded its Mobility Outreach Program by hiring three mobility outreach coordinators and a supervisor. RTA also employs four travel trainers available to provide one-on-one instruction on how to ride Metra, Pace, and the CTA. And the RTA implemented new scoring criteria for the 2023 Section 5310 Call for Projects to incentivize applicants to apply for mobility management funding to employ a mobility manager. As a result, two new mobility management projects have been awarded (CTF Illinois and McHenry County). Several counties have established or expanded mobility management positions since 2021 as well. Ride in Kane, Kendall Area Transit, MCRide, and Access Will County are all Section 5310-funded county dial-a-ride programs that currently employ a Mobility Manager.

Goal 2: Expand service areas and hours

This goal focused on increasing access to transportation by expanding service coverage across geographic areas and extending operating hours. Many existing services were limited to specific boundaries or restricted to traditional weekday hours, creating barriers for individuals needing evening, weekend, or cross-county travel.

Since 2021, McHenry County, Ride in Kane, Ride Lake County, and Will County have expanded their service area, hours, or both.

Goal 3: Coordinate fare media and implement capped fares for certain trips

This goal aimed to streamline and simplify fare payment across the region by coordinating fare media among providers and introducing fare caps to reduce costs for frequent or eligible riders.

Some regional coordination has occurred through shared fare platforms like Ventra, which enables riders to use a single payment method across multiple services in the Chicago metro area. Pace has led payment integration with the use of Ventra for Section 5310 sponsored projects, including Ride Lake County. But the continued lack of a centralized fare policy among various dial-a-ride services creates inconsistency in pricing, eligibility for discounts, and how capped fares could be implemented region-wide.

Goal 4: Coordinate volunteer driver support programs

This goal emphasized developing a coordinated, regional framework for recruiting, training, and scheduling volunteer drivers. The objective was to maximize existing resources, improve efficiency, and reduce service gaps by sharing volunteers across agencies and counties where feasible.

Collaborative efforts between transit providers and human services agencies have helped meet demand in areas where paid services are unavailable or too costly. Ray Graham’s Planning Study resulted in the collaboration of multiple human services agencies to set up volunteer driver programs. This effort has been met with challenges, primarily related to insurance and liability.

Goal 5: Improve access to suburban jobs

This goal recognized the geographic and transportation barriers faced by low-income residents in reaching employment opportunities, especially those located in suburban or exurban areas. Many of these job centers are not served by fixed-route transit, and existing service hours may not align with shift work schedules. The goal called for a multi-pronged approach, including improved infrastructure, enhanced coordination with employers, and the exploration of first/last mile solutions such as micromobility, demand-response transit, and equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD).

The RTA has continued to execute small-scale infrastructure improvements through the Access to Transit program, and the agency’s Community Planning program executes plans and studies to make areas more transit friendly. In 2025, RTA completed the Transit Friendly Communities Guide, a document that helps municipal planners, engineers, and elected officials to understand and implement transit-friendly policy and design in their communities. Challenges remain in inconsistent collaboration between transit agencies and private employers, low-density suburban land use patterns, and micromobility adoption.

Goal 6: Expand consolidated vehicle procurement type options

This goal focused on diversifying and modernizing the types of vehicles available through consolidated procurement programs. Traditionally, procurement options have been limited to standard vehicle types. The aim was to allow agencies to acquire more “right-sized” vehicles—smaller, more fuel-efficient, or wheelchair-accessible options—that better match service demands and promote operational flexibility.

Some service providers have successfully procured non-traditional vehicles through alternative channels or coordination with other agencies, and Pace’s Rideshare Access Program (RAP) launched to provide subsidized Uber and UZURV rides to ADA Paratransit-certified riders. Still, the centralized vehicle procurement process remains limited in scope, with long lead times and constrained vendor options.

Goal 7: Explore collaboration/consolidation of similar services

This goal encouraged exploration of opportunities to coordinate or consolidate similar services across agencies and jurisdictions. The intent was to improve efficiency, reduce duplication, share administrative and operational costs, and create a more seamless experience for riders who frequently interact with multiple service providers.

Examples of consolidation and coordination include Ride Lake County, Access Will County, and Clearbrook and CTF. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) sponsored a coordination study for Northwest Cook County to investigate the best ways for townships that are operating transportation services to further coordinate. And DuPage County has been selected into the RTA’s 2025 Community Planning program to conduct a county-wide Dial-a-Ride Coordination Study. The new plan will focus further on advancing consolidated paratransit and/or demand-response services across six counties.

Goal 8: Establish a regional 1-call/1-click service

This goal proposed creating a centralized platform—either web-based, phone-based, or a combination of both—to help residents easily access information about available transportation services. The envisioned “1 Call/1 Click” system would provide up-to-date listings of providers, trip planning tools, eligibility guidance, and in some cases, booking or payment functionality.

Pace has led a pilot project to create a one-stop-shop for finding and planning fixed-route, On Demand, and VanGo trips through the Transit App, but challenges in achieving a true 1 call/1-click service remain. Fragmentation in service coverage, eligibility requirements, and trip booking systems makes integration complex. And developing and maintaining a comprehensive and user-friendly tool requires significant investment in both technology and ongoing staffing.

Goal 9: Create an accessibility infrastructure database

This goal aimed to develop a regional database to catalog infrastructure features relevant to accessibility, like sidewalk conditions, curb ramps, crosswalks, transit stop amenities, and elevator availability. Ideally, the platform would incorporate both official agency data and crowdsourced input from riders.

While data collection is resource-intensive, progress has been made. The CMAP Sidewalk Inventory provides a region-wide online interactive map showing sidewalk conditions. CMAP has completed over a dozen ADA Transition Plans with communities across the region through their Technical Assistance Program. And Project Sidewalk, a tool developed by University of Illinois–Chicago, allows users to input crowdsourced information about the condition and accessibility of sidewalks and other pedestrian amenities throughout the Chicagoland region.

Feedback from Transportation Tuesday attendees

In breakout groups, Transportation Tuesday attendees had the opportunity to share personal experiences, raise concerns, and provide insight on ways to further improve transit accessibility.

Participants said programs like the Rideshare Access Program (RAP) and Taxi Access Program (TAP), which allows ADA Paratransit-certified riders to use taxis and ride hail apps for a subsidized rate, are essential for independence and freedom, allowing older adults and people with disabilities to get to work, appointments, or anywhere else they need to go. Many stressed the need for full-service coverage in Cook County and expanded service in more rural areas. Riders called for clearer, regional eligibility processes to reduce barriers that make it difficult to apply for or use such programs. Participants emphasized the importance of service continuity and recommended improved travel times comparable to driving, as well as smaller rider-to-driver ratios for more individualized support. Participants stated that going forward, they want more transparency on the current budget process and when to expect potential service cuts as a result of the regional transit system’s fiscal cliff.

Next steps for the 2026 HSTP

The update to the HSTP will be completed in summer 2026. The updated plan will aim to address ongoing service gaps, improve coordination, and identify new strategies to meet the mobility needs of older adults, individuals with disabilities, and low-income residents across the region.

Key phases include stakeholder engagement, data collection and analysis, existing service and gaps analysis, strategic projects identification and prioritization, and final plan production. Stakeholder and general public input will play a central role throughout the process to ensure the resulting plan is actionable, equitable, and responsive to regional needs. A public survey is available now.

The HSTP update presents an important opportunity to build on progress, renew commitments to regional collaboration, and create a stronger foundation for funding, innovation, and service delivery in the years ahead.