RTA adopts Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP) to improve transportation access for all

At their May meeting, the RTA Board of Directors adopted the 2026 Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP), a federally required document that identifies transportation needs for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and people with low incomes and recommends goals and strategies to address those needs. The RTA must develop the HSTP every five years to continue receiving Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program funding, for which the agency is the co-designated recipient in northeast Illinois. This program distributes federal funds to nonprofits, local governments, and transit agencies who apply for projects to improve mobility for older adults and people with disabilities in accordance with the goals and strategies of the HSTP.

Unmet needs

Throughout the planning process, unmet needs emerged through a combination of technical analysis and extensive public engagement. These include limited operating hours and days, creating barriers to using transportation particularly on nights and weekends; geographic boundaries that create fragmented trips; complicated information and lack of navigation assistance; inconsistent and cost-prohibitive fares; and the need for planning trips in advance due to providers’ limited capacity.

Goals to meet needs

In response to these findings, the HSTP establishes six goals to meet these needs. The goals focus on expanding coverage, improving coordination, modernizing systems, and making it easier for riders to access essential services.

Goal 1: Ensure countywide coverage

The first goal is to ensure countywide service coverage by focusing on closing geographic gaps in service at the county level. This goal emphasizes working with counties and local partners to move toward more coordinated, countywide service models that provide more seamless coverage across jurisdictions. County-led coordinated services are operated in all counties except for Cook County, and the RTA is currently working with DuPage on a coordination study.

Goal 2: Conduct a regional Dial-A-Ride study

The second goal is to conduct a regional Dial-A-Ride study, which is also aligned with requirements in the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act. This study will evaluate existing services and develop recommendations for greater coordination, including more consistent policies, service levels, and funding approaches across the region. Work on this study will begin later this year.

Goal 3: Improve subsidy programs for paratransit

The third goal focuses on strengthening subsidy programs that support paratransit services. Currently, these programs can be fragmented and difficult to navigate. The HSTP recommends coordination of similar programs at the county level, developing and monitoring performance metrics, and implementing the ADA Action Plan 2.

Goal 4: Modernize scheduling and vehicle location software

The fourth goal focuses on modernizing scheduling and vehicle location software. This includes improving backend scheduling and coordination as well as advancing a more unified, customer-facing platform for trip planning and real-time information, in line with NITA Act requirements. Together, these improvements are intended to make the system more efficient and easier to use.

Goal 5: Expand access to suburban jobs, health and wellness

The fifth goal recognizes that access to suburban jobs, healthcare, and other essential services remains a key challenge. Strategies include expanding service hours, improving pedestrian and bicycle access to transit, supporting equitable transit-oriented development, and developing a regionally coordinated transit service plan, as required by the NITA Act.

Goal 6: Enhance travel training and education

The sixth and final goal focuses on making the system easier to understand and navigate by enhancing travel training and education through stronger partnerships and better communication so riders can confidently choose the best option for their needs.

Next steps

Now that the HSTP has been adopted, the next step is to distribute the plan and provide presentations to impacted groups and agencies. Near-term efforts include advancing the regional Dial-A-Ride study this fall, preparing for the next Section 5310 Call for Projects in spring 2027, and continuing coordination across agencies.