Responding to Varying Conditions & Still Meeting the Needs of Vulnerable Populations
Session Description:
Join us and our panel of Rural Arizona transit managers for a discussion on how transit agencies are responding to a range of emergency situations including the current COVID-19 pandemic. This discussion will identify some ways transit agencies are addressing their current rider needs, what they have learned thus far and how they are planning for the future.
Moderators:
Aubree Perry, Transit Grant Program, Section 5311 Program Manager
Lindsay Post, Transit Program Manager - 5310, Multimodal Planning Division, ADOT
Panelists:
Cathy Hutton, Owner, Ajo Transportation
Darla Tilly, Director, Parker Senior Center
Ernie Wright, Transit Manager, Hualapai Tribe
Erik Heet, Transit Manager, City of Coolidge
Cathy Hutton is the owner of Ajo Transportation, a private transit provider in Ajo, Arizona which is about 43 miles north of the Sonoran border. Ajo Transportation is a contracted provider for urban regional transit systems in Tucson and Phoenix. Cathy has over 20 years of experience providing public transit in the area. She provides a unique perspective on public transit in Arizona as a very rural contractor serving very urban locations.
Darla Tilly is the director of the Parker Senior Center in Parker, Arizona which is located on the Colorado River just over the border from California. Parker Senior Center provides day programs for 450+ area seniors including those who are homebound or non-ambulatory. Darla offers insight into how our most vulnerable populations are impacted by the current crisis and how she addresses the needs of her clients.
Ernie Wright is the Transit Manager for Hualapai Tribe in Peach Springs, Arizona located in Northwestern Arizona. Ernie has been working for Hualapai Tribe since August 2016 and has a background in Secondary Education. Ernie has a true love for the impact transit has in the Hualapai community demonstrated by his over 40 years providing quality services to his neighbors. He provides a perspective of how coordination is key in an emergency crisis in a rural tribal community.
Erik Heet is the Transit Manager for the City of Coolidge in Coolidge, Arizona is located 56 miles southeast of Phoenix. Erik has been working for the City of Coolidge for 3 years with 1.5 years in his current position. Like most of us in this industry, Erik has no prior Transit experience beyond being a transit rider in Coolidge and Tucson. He finds pride in being able to give back to his hometown of Coolidge and provides a perspective on how emergency situations impact a rural community and their future planning.