A Message from the CATA Board of Directors

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2 A Message from the CATA Board of Directors The board of the Centre Area Transportation Authority is pleased to present this executive summary in support of CATA s ten-year strategic plan. CATA has grown tremendously over the last ten years. In that time we have become the third-largest transit system in the state by ridership, and have expanded our fleet from 53 in 2005 to a fleet of 71 line-service buses today. Our vanpool program, now with 45 active vans, didn t exist back then. We ve developed programs to serve the needs of our growing community which resulted in our highest level of ridership ever in With Penn State University serving as a major economic driver for the area, the Centre Region has seen and is expected to continue to see population growth and commercial development. Taking all of this into consideration, it seemed that now was the time to develop a framework to guide staff in addressing CATA s future. Therefore, in 2013, with the assistance of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO), CATA embarked on an update to its strategic plan. In the process, CATA engaged the community through rider and non-rider surveys, multiple stakeholder interviews, and involvement of community members in an external project team. We poured through demographic statistics and peer reviews, all to gain a perspective of the opportunities and challenges in the Centre Region and their potential impact on CATA. From this effort, CATA s board of directors and management staff determined five areas of strategic focus for the authority. Encapsulated here is an executive summary of those areas of focus, as well as a timeline for completion. We also included a short synopsis of CATA s service area and services as they exist today. To access the full document, along with information on the research and decision-making process, please visit CATA s website at Core Themes 1. Address Growth Prudently 2. Advance Technology 3. Plan for Succession 4. Build Reserves 5. Enhance the Use of Metrics CATA Mission Statement To deliver safe, reliable, accessible and affordable transportation, provided in a courteous and environmentally, fiscally and socially responsible manner. CATA Strategic Plan - Executive Summary 1

3 The Centre Area Transportation Authority CATA Customer Commitment It is our goal that every customer of CATA, whether they are a transit rider, an institutional partner, a member of the general public, or one of our own employees, is treated with care, respect, sensitivity and integrity, and we will do our best to be knowledgeable, professional and courteous in meeting their needs and requests. CATA Board of Directors John C. Spychalski, Chairman, Ferguson Township Joseph Davidson, Vice-Chairman, College Township Richard Kipp, Treasurer, Harris Township Tom Kurtz, Patton Township Tammy Gentzel, State College Borough Service Area The CATA service area includes the Authority s five member municipalities: the Borough of State College and the townships of College, Ferguson, Harris and Patton, along with Bellefonte Borough and Benner, Halfmoon and Spring Townships, which contract with the Authority for CATABUS and CATARIDE service. Services CATABUS Fixed-route community bus system, consisting of twentyone routes, connecting all participating municipalities with downtown State College and the Penn State University Park Campus, complemented by fare-free downtown/campus circulator LOOP and cross-campus LINK service. CATARIDE Dial-a-ride service primarily for persons age 65 and over and persons whose disabilities prevent their use of the CATABUS system. CATACOMMUTE Family of transportation services that includes carpool matching, vanpools and the Emergency Ride Home program, as well as other services designed to meet the needs of long-distance commuters traveling into or out of the CATA service area. Service Area: 135 square miles CATA also serves the remainder of Centre County and approximately a dozen additional counties throughout Central Pennsylvania through the CATACOMMUTE program. 2 CATA Strategic Plan - Executive Summary

4 STRATEGY 1: Address Growth Prudently Develop service planning processes that include an examination of fleet, personnel, and funding to assure service continuity. Examine all of CATA s currently independent programs under one business plan in order to plan for long-term sustainability: Fares Contract rates Contract modeling Years 1 4 CATA is reaching a cross roads. On the verge of categorization as mid-size system, the pressures of meeting the needs of a growing, thriving university community in an era of tight financial resources force it to examine how it will meet community need. CATA will develop holistic processes to meet the needs of a growing community and increasing demand for service in the face of financial and equipment challenges. Shift from reactivity to responsiveness, while staying nimble enough to meet emerging needs. Determine and set priorities in order to determine proper balance of university-based and communitybased needs. Focus on learning best practices from peer communities and agencies and where possible implement alternate service models for serving lower-density areas. CATA Strategic Plan - Executive Summary 3

5 STRATEGY 2: Advance Technology Years 2 8 CATA has been ahead of the curve for many years in its focus on customer-based technologies. While this is crucial for serving a university community, internal processes are still largely done with pencil on paper and impact efficiency and productivity. CATA will use both internal and customer-focused technologies to improve management, operations, and customer relations. Update and implement a technology plan, as well as a capital improvement plan to provide a funding approach for technology changes. Emphasize internal business processes to automate and enhance these from pen-andpaper basis. Keep up with necessary developing customer-focused technologies. Maintain foundation of both internal and external technologies that have already been implemented, and plan for the resources necessary to keep systems operating optimally. 4 CATA Strategic Plan - Executive Summary

6 STRATEGY 3: Plan for Succession Evaluate to determine areas where upcoming retirements will have greatest impact. Develop training programs with a particular focus on replacing front line employees this may include external training and apprenticeship programs. Develop timelines and plan for recruitment, training, advancement and succession. Cultivate cross-training processes beneficial to building skills needed to be the most flexible and responsive to personnel changes. Years 2 10 Over the last ten years CATA has focused on succession in a number of top management positions. Looking forward to the next ten years the emphasis will move to the front line and in having the skill sets available to fill needs. CATA will prepare to replace skilled, trained, employees as they move up through the organization, or retire. CATA Strategic Plan - Executive Summary 5

7 STRATEGY 4: Build Reserves Years 2 10 CATA s growth rate has made it necessary to funnel funds into operating, and pursue grant funding to fulfill capital needs. Changes in funding, particularly at the Federal level, make this approach doubtful for the future. CATA will build capital and operating reserves to buffer against funding uncertainties and programmatic changes at the federal, state, and local levels. Decide at what level CATA will flex federal capital funds to fund operating. Analyze the level of reserves necessary to meet organizational goals, and survey the level of reserves suggested by similar agencies. Develop a plan and an implementation process to build to necessary level of reserves, and set policies for use of these reserves. STRATEGY 5: Enhance the Use of Metrics Cull existing data to determine what metrics can be used to enhance performance and decision-making processes within the agency. Integrate guidance provided from FTA and FHWA (as regulation increases), measures adopted by the CCMPO, and metrics used by similar agencies Years 3 10 Direction from the Federal and State level call for required setting and reporting on meeting of performance metrics as a management tool. CATA will identify and track performance measures and other key indicators to make management, planning, and operational decisions. Distinguish between management- and policy-level indicators. 6 CATA Strategic Plan - Executive Summary

8 (AlA Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) 2081 W. Whitehall Road, State College, PA (814) 238-CATA(2282) CATA Strategic Plan - Executive Summary 7