Community Transport & Third Sector

Community Transport

Community transport is a key component in improving social inclusion through transport. It can offer effective intervention where there are problems of access, accessibility, social deprivation, scale and community coherence. Whilst its physical operations can be similar to those of mainstream passenger transport providers, the sector’s structure, its resource base, the motivation of its people and the legal environment within which it operates are unique. For agencies to interact effectively with the CT sector, a good understanding of these issues is required – which TAS in buckets. TAS staff have been involved with CT since the late 1970s and have worked directly for urban and rural CTs in operation, management, support, development and advice roles, as well as on a consultancy basis. We work on the full range of services that come within the CT remit, including:

• Social / Neighbourhood / Community / Hospital Car schemes
• Dial-a-rides & Dial-a-bus
• Brokerage
• Van Pools
• Travel Training

The wide range of topics and experience covers:

• Developing community transport strategies at local and national level
• Community Transport in the Welsh Transport Network
• Sustainability and business planning
• Detailed analysis of nearly 200 CT groups’ annual reports

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Training

TAS was responsible for developing MiDAS and PATS. We continue to have an interest in frontline training on all modes and have a working relationship with Driver Training Services.

• Advising the sector on all aspects of legislation and technical issues
• Operating contracts under Section 19 Permits
• Obligations of charitable trustees
• Maximising contributions from VAT refunds and BSOG
• Risk assessment techniques for particular passenger groups
• Local authority duties

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Performance Benchmarking

Community Transport and Dial-a-Ride services tend to be small-to-medium scale intensive operations involving substantial financial support from funding authorities. Although some of these services are procured by tender, the operators are generally not commercial bodies, and there is little perceivable competitive market. This makes any assessment of value for money difficult to apply (without a market rate), and consequently local authorities struggle to establish any means of ascertaining whether their money is being well spent. Our systems are individually calibrated to take account of a range of determining factors such as predicted demand in area, urban/rural mix, delivery mode, fare-box contributions, concessions availability, and scale of volunteer input. [/intense_tab] [/intense_tabs]