CHIP: Transportation

Transportation and the social determinants of health

A 2017 report by the American Hospital Association estimated that more than 3.6 million people do not obtain medical care each year due to transportation issues. A 2019 Kaiser Permanente report found that, beyond providing healthcare access, reliable transportation fills a social need that, if unmet, threatens to deteriorate mental and physical health.

Thus, transportation improvements for the 2023 CHIP focus mainly on transit services and their ability to provide District residents, both urban and rural, with reliable, efficient, and accessible accommodations to healthcare providers and everyday activity centers.

Workgroup Partners: Albemarle Board of Supervisors, Charlottesville Area Alliance, CAT, Jaunt Piedmont Mobility Alliance, Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, University Transit Service.

CHIP Goals + Objectives | 2023-2025 CHIP Report (PDF)

GOAL Objective Convener Contributors Target Date Indicator Target Status
1. Improve all public transit infrastructure 1.0 Obtain approved contract to allow installation of mobility accessible, age-friendly bus shelters where needed Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT)
  • Board of Supervisors of Albemarle County
  • Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
 12/31/2025 # MOUs approved for new bus shelter design by 12/31/2025 2 10% – DRPT guidance provided to CAT.

HRB285 allowing shelters under 256 sq.feet on state property to be exempt from General Services inspection. In Senate Appropriations Committee.
1.1 Produce a governance study for a mechanism
to increase funding for regional transit and manage those funds		 Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC)
  • Regional Transit Partnership (RTP)
  • Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson Counties
  • City of Charlottesville
 12/31/2023 # final governance study documents published by 12/31/2023 1 100% complete. 4 preliminary studies presented as of 12/15/23.

Presented to RTP 02/22/2024 for next steps.
1.2 Improve infrastructure for getting patients to
and from health system hospitals and providers		 Blue Ridge Health District Jaunt 12/31/2025 # people using improved on-demand transport baseline + 10% 25% complete as of 07/31/31. Discovery phase begun with UVA E.D. to measure ride demand and barriers to on-demand rides. As of 09/26/2023, ride demand captured to share with transit providers.
1.3 Improve scheduling service for Jaunt Jaunt N/A 12/31/2023 # people using improved scheduling service to book transportation baseline + 10% Software buildout begun as of 07/31/2023.
1.4 Jaunt locality service is sufficient for residents’ needs Jaunt N/A 12/31/2025 % Jaunt locality service users who give a positive rating to the the service [based on rider survey] 75% Asset mapping begun as of 07/31/2023. Kickoff of Rural Needs Assessment with Community Partners – 09/12/2023; 12/12/2023.
1.5 Expand GPS tracking app availability for riders Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT)
  • Jaunt
  • University Transit Service (UTS)
 12/31/2025 # GPS apps developed by 12/31/2024
# GPS apps implemented (put in service) by 11/01/2025		 1 Continued work with VDRPT/VDOT and beginning design plans.
1.6 Initiate a sustainable mechanism for including community voices in transit decision-making Charlottesville Area Alliance (CAA) Representatives from:

  • Albemarle County Planning
  • City of Charlottesville Transit
  • Community Climate Collaborative
  • Piedmont Housing Alliance
  • Piedmont Mobility Alliance
  • Riders from Charlottesville, Albemarle, and Louisa
  • TJPDC
  • University Transit Service
  • VDOT
 12/31/2025 # participants in Group or mechanism that sustains community voices in transit decisionmaking 20 40% complete as of 10/15/2023.
Grant from AARP to host facilitated workgroups with community partner agencies awarded 06/2023. mpact mobility
facilitated 2 x 2-hour worksessions completed 09/28/2023.
Presented to RTP 02/22/24
1.7 Implement microtransit pilot Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) N/A 12/31/2025 # micro-transit vehicles in service by 12/31/2025;
# rides taken in micro-transit vehicles during 2025		 6;
600 rides per week		 20% Complete as of 10/15/2023.
Microtransit vendor via  assigned. Microtransit launch 10/23/2023. 6 vehicles in service. As of 12/26/2023; ~364 rides per week.
2. Develop a robust rideshare network for patients and
clients		 2.0 Develop a Mobility Management Program to include a one-click-one-call information and referral center Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC)
  • Charlottesville Area Alliance (CAA)
  • Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA)
  • Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission (RRRC)
  • Virginia Department of Rail and Transportation (DRPT)
 12/31/2025 # annual users of Mobility Management System 500 30% complete.
Mobility Management Program launch January 2024. JABA awarded call-center management operations. Marketing Consultants and Mobility Manager position

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