Dakota County Human Services Research and Transportation Planning: Strategic Action Plan

Transportation is essential to a full life: providing access to jobs, school, medical care, recreation, and other basic needs. Those who can afford and are able to use personal vehicles do not experience significant barriers to getting where they need to go. For those who cannot drive a personal vehicle, the story is very different. Dakota County engaged a team from the University of Minnesota, led by the Center for Transportation Studies, to conduct collaborative stakeholder engagement, data collection and analysis, emerging practices research, and strategic planning in order to assist County government with identifying strategic opportunities to facilitate improved transit and client transportation services in Dakota County. The work was conducted from October 2013 through February 2014. This report summarizes the results of the research and engagement activities, and outlines seven recommendations for the County to improve the coordination, availability, accessibility, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and safety of human service transportation.