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Metrolina Out of County Medical Transportation Program~ "Partnering with your neighbors" Mecklenburg County, lredell County, Gaston County, Cabarrus County, North Carolina The four county transportation systems represent the largest systems in the Metrolina Region. These systems provide over 885,000 one way trips for residents throughout the region and the state. Mecklenburg County is the medical facility hub for the Metrolina Region ns well as for many statewide medical patients. Many residents throughout the region require critical medical services only available in Mecklenburg County. Mobility management planning and collaboration between the regional transportation system partners resulted in the development of the Metrolina Out of County Medical Transportation Program. In January 2002, the commitment to providing viable, cost effective solutions to regional transportation issues resulted in various meetings between the transportation directors and their authorized officials of the organizations listed below. They are: Mecklenburg Transportation System (MTS) Gaston County Transportation Service (ACCESS) Cabarrus County Transportation Service (CCTS) Iredell County Area Transportation Service (ICATS) The NCDOT Out-Of-County Medical Transportation Task Force North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) In March 2002, the Transportation Directors finalized a Transportation Memorandum of Understanding. This reciprocal agreement outlined service provisions, expectations, cost and other key components for the delivery of service for all clients throughout the four county service areas. The TMOU's were sent out to Authorized Officials of each county for review and signature approval. In August 2002 all counties had approved the TMOU agreements for service. In September 2002, transportation systems began the task of planning coordination. The systems outside Mecklenburg County studied travel patterns of their residents needing services into Mecklenburg County and worked with other inter-county agencies to begin coordinating days of medical travel into Mecklenburg County. Mecklenburg Transportation System began to work with its own internal agencies to identify times with existing resources and personnel to coordinate with neighboring systems. In April 200;3, Mecklenburg Transportation systems began coordinated meet points and times with IredeH, Gnston and Cabarrus transportation services. Transportation trip requests are forwarded via fax or the Out of County Medical website (www.cctransit.org) to the MTS dispatch, 24 hours in advance by each system. Dispatchers from each system begin to coordinate resources and meet times the same day of the request. This allowed for nny service adjustments or client contact that needs to occur in order to meet on time service delivery the following day. MTS meets all systems at a designated meet point, which is usually at a county border, point for the two systems. System trips provided by one county for another are recorded and billed to the respective county based on the (TMOU). Trips are provided at system cost which has been substantially lower than private vendor pricing. In addition, MTS is able to purchase bus passes at a 25% discount from Charlotte Area Transit (CATS) and pass these on to county systems at cost, which is under $2.00 per trip. CATS Urban System provides limited regional bus services into each of these counties. Regional medical residents whose trip origin and return times are similar to the CATS regional service receive a pass to ride the service. This further allows cost savings by avoiding system vehicle meets, additional mileage and driver resources. Regional residents are provided seamless on time transportation to their medical destinations.