Transit Consulting

We have a flexible contract with a team of consultants to provide transit agencies with technical and professional support. The consultant team is led by DRB Consulting. Current projects are supported by AECOM Technical Services, Inc.; Jill Brown PR; and RLS & Associates, Inc. Two other firms will engage, depending on the scope and requirement for the project: Anderson Engineering and Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. (SEH).

What to expect, the process start to finish

1. Request assistance

Inform MnDOT of the kind of help you need.

2. Begin discovery

Interview agencies to build scope of work and decide timing for work.

3. Schedule and prioritize

Align workflows of consultant team to maximize impact and efficiency.

4. Build task orders

Develop and submit Task Orders with scope, schedule, and budget to Consultant Services, defining define expectations for both consultants and clients (each agency).

5. Launch work

Schedule kick off meeting to plan project work and discuss information needed.

6. Communicate, coordinate, and collaborate

Work continues with ongoing communication between the consulting team, the transit agency, TPMs (Transit Project Managers), and Subject Matter Experts for draft and final deliverables.

7. Deliver value

Mid and final deliverables for review and discussion to make sure results are customized to transit agency needs.

Core services consultants are prepared to provide

Services offered

Determine appropriate facility locations.
Draft a conceptual plan for the facility and site, including a cost estimate with contingency for unknowns.

Who we're working with

Cedar Valley Services, Inc. / SMART (Austin)
Cedar Valley Services, Inc. / SMART (Waseca)
Prairie Five CAC, Inc. / Prairie Five RIDES (Benson)
Bois Forte (federal grant)

Progress

This planning work for the three facilities is complete. Two agencies received final concept plans, cost estimates and site selection analysis to complete their respective facilities applications.

We are coordinating with the Tribal Transit agency with required environmental documentation to support their FTA Categorical Exclusion.

Services offered

Consultants are working management, TPMs, and agencies to refine the scope of work. This includes a meeting of “requesting systems” and then a survey to all systems to gather information on cooperative contracting. Findings have been presented to management.

Who we're working with

Agencies to be announced after discovery and agreement on task scope is complete.

Progress

Further discovery is ongoing for priority commodity procurement needs across all agencies. Once known, an approach will be identified for priority cooperative procurements.

Services offered

Planning support to understand market trends (your riders, new technologies, new policy priorities) to develop new ideas for how to respond to these opportunities for innovation.
Integrated service analysis and review
Feasibility review (such as new technology integration)

Who we're working with

No requests for assistance yet.

Progress

None

Services offered

Analyze current marketing and outreach performance and practices.
Document opportunities for enhancing marketing and outreach efforts within an agency marketing plan.

Who we're working with

Cedar Valley Services, Inc. / SMART Transit
Three Rivers Community Action, Inc. / Hiawathaland Transit
United Community Action Partnership, Inc. / Community Transit

Progress

Consultants are provided a final report to SMART Transit, while Three Rivers and UCAP have asked a less demanding pace. They are at 30% complete.

Services offered

Assessing opportunities for multiple transit agencies to collaborate
How to establish funding partnerships between Transit and other state agencies
These can be a range of assistance from getting new ideas to improve regional coordination required by federal law between DHS and Transit to totally new initiatives such as strategies for new public and private partnerships to build Thriving Communities or design for a Moving Minnesota Forward pilot, etc.

Who we're working with

No requests for assistance yet.

Progress

None

Services offered

Analyze the performance of existing services, and local/regional travel patterns. Identify community’s transit needs with survey and engagement.
Draft service design modification options.
Provide short and long-term recommendations.

Who we're working with

City of City of Brainerd / Brainerd & Crow Wing Public Transit
City of Hibbing / Hibbing Area Transit
City of Winona / Winona Transit Service (Operated by Transport 3)
Paul Bunyan Transit
Productive Alternatives, Inc. / Transit Alternatives
Rainbow Rider Transit
Tri-County Action Program, Inc. / Tri-CAP Public Transit
United Community Action Partnership, Inc. / Community Transit

Progress

For most of the agencies, Consultants are concluding research and developing drafts to prepare for a service adjustment discussion. A couple agencies paused on service planning to focus on assessing technology, as these needs often go together. A couple agencies are under new leadership since the request was submitted and needed time to adjust. A few of the agencies are new requestors and have started the discovery process.

Services offered

Labor Market Analysis
Agency operating policy manual review and updating
Planning support to adopt and use resources available
Operational | Organizational structure analysis and review
Grant application training and support (FTA Discretionary Grants)

Who we're working with

Policies
- Brown County / Brown County Heartland Express
- Faribault-Martin County Transit Board / Prairie Lakes Transit
Financial Planning
- City of Brainerd / Brainerd & Crow Wing Public Transit
- City of Winona / Winona Transit Service (Operated by Transport 3)
- Semcac / Rolling Hills Transit
Labor Market Analysis
- Cedar Valley Services, Inc. / SMART Transit
- Central Community Transit
- Faribault-Martin County Transit Board / Prairie Lakes Transit
- Rainbow Rider Transit
- Tri-County Action Program, Inc. / Tri-Cap Public Transit
- United Community Action Partnership, Inc. / Community Transit

Progress

On Policies projects

One agency is reviewing policy recommendations. Policy review has started with a second agency.

On Financial Planning projects

Most agencies did not want to begin work on this until operating grants were completed, each agency is at a different stage in the process — between 5 and 50% complete. Some agencies also want delay due to scheduled comprehensive reviews.

On Labor Market Analysis projects

Research documentation supporting grant applications was complete for all agencies for the December 2023 deadline. Many agencies are reviewing draft reports with, with some agencies already adjusting their final reports and recommendations. Progress ranges from 40 to 95% complete.

Services offered

Research challenges and gaps regarding software within the agency, current IT infrastructure and equipment supported for transit services software (computers, life-cycle policy, internet access, internet costs),
Find vendors with solutions for the agency’s technology request
Research vendor’s capabilities and interview them to understand how/if they could meet agency’s requirements; if the vendor could be a good fit, conduct an interview with another transit agency that uses the technology.
Draft a technology plan based on the above assessments and analysis.

Who we're working with

Technology Planning
- City of City of Brainerd / Brainerd & Crow Wing Public Transit
- City of Winona / Winona Transit Service (Operated by Transport 3)
- Prairie Five CAC, Inc. / Prairie Five RIDES
- Rainbow Rider
Research for Technology Funding Application
- Brown County / Brown County Heartland Express
- Three Rivers Community Action, Inc. / Hiawathaland Transit
- Tri-County Action Program, Inc. / Tri-CAP Public Transit
- Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. / Tri-Valley Transportation

Progress

The team conducted discovery with agencies for technology planning and with Technology Applicants to learn about their needs. Research documentation supporting grant applications was complete for the agencies who submitted a technology grant application.

Services offered

Planning and research to consider potential technologies, assistance with Independent Cost Estimate (ICE) development, assistance defining technology functional requirements.

Who we're working with

Cedar Valley Services, Inc. / SMART
Faribault-Martin County Transit Board / Prairie Lakes Transit
Prairie Five CAC, Inc. / Prairie Five RIDES

Progress

Discovery meetings were conducted to understand needs, workflow and timing expectations.

Services offered

Evaluate existing conditions — services, fleet, facilities, grid capacity (if electric) and fleet decarbonization goals.
Identify factors affecting future needs.

Who we're working with

Three Rivers Community Action, Inc. / Hiawathaland Transit

Progress

Consultants began research to support their 2024 federal application for new Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEB).

Ask for assistance

Please use our form to request assistance as often as you want.

Any information that you provide is considered public data under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13. This means that if someone, including the news media, requests this information we are obligated to provide it to them under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. See disclaimer.