Implementation of Community-Based Transport Service in New York Showed an Estimated Software Cost of $2 per Completed Trip.

Limited availability of personal transportation presents a significant challenge for older adults, particularly those living in rural areas. A coordinated volunteer transportation system has been proposed for Erie, Niagara, and Genesee Counties in Western New York to provide reliable and sustainable transportation for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and low-income residents. The program connects individuals to essential services and destinations by leveraging volunteer drivers using personal vehicles. The system uses a software app to track trips and ensure compliance with billing regulations. It collaborates with local organizations and Medicaid transportation brokers to establish a reliable network. Once financially sustainable, supported initially by state or federal grants or private sources and later through Medicaid reimbursement, the program transitions to county management for ongoing operation. This system was implemented in Erie and Genesee counties in New York in 2020. The system initially operated as a shared service but transitioned to transporting passengers individually due to COVID-related concerns. This study assessed the need and financial feasibility of expanding the program to Niagara County, New York, and documented its unit costs.

This study estimated that the implementation of the volunteer-based transportation service would entail the following cost items:

• Staffing: Three to five staff members initially
  • Program Coordinator: Full time at $35,000-40,000 annually
  • Dispatcher: Full time at (37.5 hours per week) $28,000-35,000 annually
  • Finance: Part time at (20 hours per week) $15,000 annually
• Hardware/software:
  • Purchase three computers with two monitors for staff at $3000
  • Purchase 12-24 tablets at $1500-2000
  • Software at $2 per completed trip leg
• Driver Reimbursement: $0.56 per mile
• Advertising/Recruitment: $2,500-3,000 annually

Based on the above information, the total capital cost of the system ranges from $21,000 to $51,000, depending on the number and cost of required tablets. The annual operational cost varies based on the number of trips and their average length. For instance, the operational cost is estimated to be approximately $101,700 for a system handling 2,000 trips annually, with an average trip length of 10 miles.