TY  - CPAPER 
AB  - 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.
AU  - Peterson, Del
AU  - Ulmer, Dustin
AU  - Hough, Jill
DA  - 2005-03
DA  - 2005-03
DO  - 10.22004/ag.econ.208218
DO  - doi
ID  - 208218
KW  - Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies
KW  - Research Methods/ Statistical Methods
L1  - https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/208218/files/2005_TransitNeeds_paper.pdf
L2  - https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/208218/files/2005_TransitNeeds_paper.pdf
L4  - https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/208218/files/2005_TransitNeeds_paper.pdf
LA  - eng
LK  - https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/208218/files/2005_TransitNeeds_paper.pdf
N2  - 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.
PY  - 2005-03
PY  - 2005-03
T1  - MEETING SMALL URBAN TRANSIT NEEDS IN NORTH DAKOTA: A CASE STUDY PERSPECTIVE
TI  - MEETING SMALL URBAN TRANSIT NEEDS IN NORTH DAKOTA: A CASE STUDY PERSPECTIVE
UR  - https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/208218/files/2005_TransitNeeds_paper.pdf
Y1  - 2005-03
ER  -