Under TCRP Project A-21, “Innovations to Improve the Productivity, Efficiency, and Quality of Public Transportation in Rural and Small Urban Areas,” the research team of KFH Group, Inc., in association with A-M-M-A, prepared a guidebook. TCRP Report 70, Guidebook for Change and Innovation at Rural and Small Urban Transit Systems, is divided in two parts: Part I addresses the culture for change and innovation and Part II presents more than 40 initiatives and innovations implemented by an array of organizations, including public and nonprofit transit systems, regional planning agencies, state transit associations, and state departments of transportation. Part I, Change and Innovation. Requirements for this project called for identifi-cation and compilation of initiatives and innovations that improve transit service in rural and small urban communities, focusing on productivity, efficiency, and quality. Completed research efforts went beyond these requirements, adding an investigation of the culture of innovation to assess how certain transit systems try new things and change. This investigation established the cornerstone for Part I, Change and Innovation. After a review of general management theory on innovation, the researchers selected and examined seven rural and small urban transit systems as case studies. Through the case study examination and review of management theory on innovation, eight elements were identified as influencing change and innovation in rural and small urban transit systems. These elements include quality service, focus on the mission, dynamic leadership, organizational support, community involvement and communication, staff development and motivation, building resources, and seizing opportunity/serendipity. Part I of the guidebook also addresses common barriers and constraints identified as hindering change and innovation for rural and small urban transit systems, with examples of how transit systems have overcome them. Part II, Initiatives and Innovations. This part of the guidebook presents more than 40 successful, creative strategies implemented in rural and small urban communities across the country to improve public transportation systems operating in such areas. The initiatives and innovations are grouped into the following six categories: productivity, efficiency, quality, funding, training, and marketing. The categorization is not clear-cut; some initiatives with multiple objectives defy simple grouping and could be placed into several of the categories. The report includes three technical appendixes. Appendix A provides the results of the case studies that focused on the culture of change and innovation in seven rural and small urban areas. Each case study follows a similar format, with discussion in the following categories: setting, transit services provided, elements significant to the system’s culture, and evidence of a culture of innovation. Appendix B presents other resources, including website addresses with information relevant to this project. Appendix C is a listing of the more than 70 initiatives identified in the first phase of this research project. More than 40 of these initiatives were subsequently examined in greater depth during this research project and are presented in Part II of the guidebook. (A)
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