@article{Peterson:208218,
      recid = {208218},
      author = {Peterson, Del and Ulmer, Dustin and Hough, Jill},
      title = {MEETING SMALL URBAN TRANSIT NEEDS IN NORTH DAKOTA: A CASE  STUDY PERSPECTIVE},
      address = {2005-03},
      number = {1426-2016-118499},
      pages = {23},
      year = {2005},
      abstract = {Mobility and the connectivity it provides are important  elements in our economy and society.
They are essential for  the economic success and social integration of the  individual. Yet, these
elements are sometimes minimal or  absent in small urban and rural settings. Many of  the
Northern Plains states’ (North Dakota, South Dakota,  Montana, Wyoming, and parts of Iowa and
Minnesota) elderly,  disabled and low income residents rely on public  transportation services. In
some cases, these services are  very limited. The lack of funds forces transit managers to  make
difficult choices to the point of reducing or  eliminating services. Within North Dakota, many
transit  systems offer primarily paratransit (on demand response)  services. The James River
Transit system is an example of a  system that is exclusively paratransit in nature.
James  River Transit is a paratransit system serving the Jamestown  community. It provided
50,180 one-way rides in 2000 and  45,100 one-way rides in 2001 while traveling 130,476  miles
and 129,118 miles for those two calendar years,  respectively. The system operates seven days
per week, and  its ridership may warrant some form of fixed-route  system.
Fixed-route service may help Jamestown adapt to the  emerging trends of the state which suggest
that providing  transit service in the future will become even more  challenging. One trend is the
increasing age of North  Dakota’s rural population. In 1970, roughly 10 percent of  the U.S.
population was older than 65. In 2020, an  estimated 17 percent of the U.S. population will be
older  than 65. Many of these people are unwilling to leave their  small urban and rural
communities for more urbanized areas  offering a greater range of services. Census data from
2000  reveals that Jamestown’s population was 15,571 in 1990 and  15,527 in 2000, a decrease of
only 44 people, while the  population of residents 65 and older went from 2,633 in  1990 to 2,806
in 2000, a 6.2 percent increase.
The James  River Transit survey was distributed to current transit  users. The questionnaire was
divided into two main parts.  The first part dealt with the existing paratransit service  provided by
James River Transit as well as feelings towards  potential fixed-route service. The second part
identified  demographic characteristics of James River Transit riders.  Numerous computer
simulations were also performed to  develop the most effective fixed-route for Jamestown  with
many routes being considered for implementation. The  cost-effectiveness of the Jamestown
fixed-route system was  analyzed. The evaluation included discussion on a proposed  fare
structure and general calculations to determine  necessary subsidies for James River Transit.
A primary goal  of the James River study is to provide a useful tool for  other transit agencies to
utilize in determining whether or  not a fixed-route bus system is feasible in their  communities.
Comparisons between Jamestown and other  communities can provide insight into what options
are  available to transit agencies in small towns in addition to  standard paratransit services.
Ultimately, the goal of this  research is to provide a stepping stone to the  modernization of transit
agencies throughout North Dakota  and the entire country.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/208218},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.208218},
}