Coordinated Public Transit–Human Service Transportation Plan

Public transportation is most efficient and effective in densely populated areas. The region’s population density was 103 persons per square mile in 2022, lower than the statewide average of 290 persons per square mile. Northumberland County had the highest population density (about 200 persons per square mile) and Clinton County had the lowest (about 43 persons per square mile). The population densities of the remaining counties in the region were higher than the regional average except for Juniata and Lycoming counties (60 and 93 persons per square mile, respectively). The rather large land areas and considerable state forest/open space districts in several counties contribute to lower countywide population densities. Nevertheless, density can be an important factor for establishing public or human service transportation and/or determining the types of services to offer. As would be expected, the highest population densities are in or surrounding the region’s cities and boroughs.

Persons 65 years of age and older are typically more reliant on public transportation compared to other age groups. It is also more common for these individuals to have limited income and experience challenges that limit their ability to operate a vehicle. Seniors accounted for 20.3 percent of the region’s total population in 2022, indicating a slightly older composition than the statewide figure of 18.74 percent.

Over the past decade, the region experienced a 15.6 percent increase in its senior population. During the same time period, Snyder County experienced the highest percent increase of seniors in the region at 25 percent. This figure trends similarly with the state’s percent change of 21.4 percent.

Individuals with low incomes tend to rely more heavily on public transportation, because they may not be able to afford an automobile, or they may decide not to use their limited income for costly automobile ownership expenses. The 2022 ACS indicated that 56,368 residents in the region were living below the poverty level, which represents 12.5 percent of the total population for whom poverty status is determined. The largest percentage of low-income residents was in Mifflin County at 16.7 percent; the smallest was in Snyder County at 8.4 percent.

As part of the ACS, a person is counted as having a disability if they report any of the six following disability types: hearing difficulty, vision difficulty, cognitive difficulty, ambulatory difficulty, self-care difficulty, or independent living difficulty. Persons with these disabilities could be less likely to drive and therefore more likely to be dependent on public transportation than the general population; they could also be eligible for discounted transit fares. Although the ACS disability designation does not automatically mean that the disability impacts an individual’s mobility, it serves as an indicator of populations that may need additional transportation assistance.

In 2022, there were 71,006 individuals with disabilities living in the region—15.3 percent of the region’s total civilian non-institutionalized population. Northumberland County had the highest proportion of individuals with a disability at 16.7 percent, and Juniata County had the lowest at 13.3 percent.

Owning or having access to a vehicle directly relates to an individual’s mobility choices. Households without at least one personal vehicle are more likely to depend on the mobility offered by public transit. People without access to a vehicle may rely on family, friends, or public transportation for trips that cannot be made on foot or by bicycle. Areas with significant urban populations often have a greater share of households without access to a vehicle than rural areas due to the availability of goods and services within walking distance and/or the availability of transit service.

While not owning a personal vehicle can be a lifestyle choice for residents of more urban areas, it can also be due to limiting factors such as low income or a disability. Especially in non-urban areas, carless households can be correlated with low-income households. Also, the SEDA-COG/WATS MPO area is home to significant Plain Sect populations, including Plain Sect, Old Order Mennonites, and other religious groups that do not own motorized vehicles. These groups are not documented directly in Census counts but are typically reflected in data on households without vehicle access.

The table below lists the number of households by county without a vehicle available, as reported for the 2022 ACS. On average, 9 percent of the region’s households had no vehicle available.

Montour County had the highest percentage of households with no vehicle available (10.3 percent). Further, Geisinger Hospital, a major employer, is at a walkable location in the urban core of the Borough of Danville, and Montour County has undertaken Walk/Bike to Work marketing efforts as part of their “Live Where You Work” Initiative discussed in the County’s Comprehensive Plan.

The accompanying map presents data on females heading a household with no husband present, and with at least one child under 18 years of age who is a son or daughter by birth, a stepchild, or an adopted child of the householder residing in the home. This factor was chosen for inclusion in this plan because there is a correlation between this characteristic and transit dependency. Lycoming County had the highest percentage in the region of female householders with no husband present and a child less than 18 years old (9.8 percent).

Executive Order 13166 on Limited English Proficiency (LEP) requires all federally funded agencies to make services more accessible to eligible persons who are not proficient in the English language. LEP persons are those individuals who do not speak English as their primary language, and who also have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English. These language barriers affect a person’s ability to obtain information about transportation services, navigate public transportation systems, understand signage, obtain a driver’s license, and communicate their transportation needs to policymakers.

According to 2022 Census data, the region’s LEP population percentage is 1.7 percent , compared to the statewide level of 4.5 percent. Lycoming County had the region’s highest overall number of LEP persons (1,243).

As expected, some more urban tracts have among the highest percentages. However, several rural, large land area tracts also pop out with the highest LEP percentages. This is likely influenced by the Plain Sect communities, and higher incidences of German and Other West Germanic languages primarily spoken at home by these residents. Also, the margins of error are considerably high for the language data. The presence of the Lewisburg/Allenwood Federal Prisons in Union County represents special cases that likely skew the percentages for the Census tracts containing these correctional facilities.

USDOT Order 5610.2(a) on Environmental Justice sets forth steps to prevent disproportionately high and adverse effects upon minority or low-income populations. In the order, “minority” means a person who is:

1. Black: a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa;
2. Hispanic or Latino: a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race;
3. Asian American: a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent;
4. American Indian and Alaska Native: a person having origins in any of the original people of North America, South America (including Central America), and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition; or
5. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

The region’s non-Hispanic minority population percentage was 5.9 percent, much lower than the statewide figure of 17.4 percent. Lycoming County had the region’s highest overall number of non-Hispanic minority residents (10,202) and both Lycoming and Union County had the highest proportions (8.9 percent).

 As expected, the urban Williamsport area tracts have among the highest percentages. The presence of the Lewisburg/Allenwood Federal Prisons in Union County and the Coal Township State Prison in Northumberland County represent special cases that likely skew the percentages for the Census tracts containing these correctional facilities.

As noted previously, the USDOT considers Hispanic or Latino to be a minority population, whereas the U.S. Census Bureau recognizes that Hispanic or Latino is technically an ethnicity, with persons of Hispanic origin possibly being of any race. Statistics associated with Hispanic-origin populations are used in numerous social justice programs and are vital in making policy decisions. There can be a correlation between Hispanic origin and transit dependency. In addition, Hispanic migrant or seasonal workers that sometimes reside in the area could be reliant on public transportation.

The region’s Hispanic minority population percentage was 3.1 percent, compared to the statewide level of 8.1 percent. Northumberland County had the region’s highest overall number of Hispanic residents (3,879), while Union County had the highest percentage of Hispanic residents (5.6 percent).

As would be expected, the more urban tracts have among the highest percentages of Hispanic residents. The presence of United States Penitentiaries at Lewisburg and Allenwood in Union County, and the State Correctional Institution at Coal Township in Northumberland County, represent special cases that likely skew the percentages for the Census tracts containing these correctional facilities.

Driving to work alone is, by far, the most common method of commuting for the region’s workers, as it is for most Pennsylvanians. As of 2022, about 78 percent of the region’s workforce (those workers 16 years and over) drove alone to work, and 71 percent of Pennsylvanians commuted via single-occupant vehicles. The region’s carpooling and walk to work means also corresponded with the statewide percentages. However, only 0.5 percent of the region’s workers used public transportation for traveling to work, while 4.3 percent of Pennsylvanians used public transportation for commuting. Just over 7 percent of the region’s workforce worked from home with no commute, trailing behind Pennsylvania’s average of 11.8 percent.

RVTA provides fixed-route transit service in the Greater Williamsport area, including the City of Williamsport; the boroughs of Duboistown, Hughesville, Jersey Shore, Montgomery, Montoursville, Muncy, and South Williamsport; and the townships of Loyalsock, Old Lycoming, Piatt, and Woodward. RVTA was originally an office of the City of Williamsport but is now a municipal transportation authority. It is funded from state and federal grants with local matching funds and passenger revenue.

The RVTA system consists of 19 routes, which include several variations in terms of operations, ridership, revenue, and performance. In 2022, RVTA provided nearly 1.3 million total passenger trips; senior citizen ridership totaled more than 200,000 passenger trips. The RVTA system operates Monday through Saturday from 5:30 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. However, most bus service ends by 7:00 p.m., with a “Super Nightline” route comprised of two buses serving an east and west alignment that operate between 7:00 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. RVTA does not operate Sunday service.

The base cash fare to ride an RVTA fixed-route bus is $2.00; children aged five and under ride for free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult. Transfers are issued free of charge for the next available bus and are valid for one hour from the time the transfer is issued. All RVTA transit vehicles have electronic validating fareboxes that count passengers as they board and pay fares, thus assisting RVTA in providing more detailed analysis on the performance of each route. A variety of discounted fare programs and multi-ride options are available which lower the cost per ride. These programs include discounted tokens (four tokens for $5.00), $1.00 for youths under the age of 17, and free transportation for riders 60 or older. Discounted fare programs for students, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens are predicated on the rider meeting certain eligibility conditions and showing proper identification. Persons with disabilities ride RVTA for $1.00 on weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and ride for free on Saturdays and designated holidays. Senior citizens (60+) ride RVTA for free any time of the day. Fares for riders aged 65 and older are covered under the Lottery-funded Free Transit Program for Senior Citizens, and fares for riders ages 60 to 64 are sponsored by the Bi-County Office of the Aging. In addition, students, faculty, and staff from Lycoming College and the Pennsylvania College of Technology ride RVTA for free any time of the day under a contractual arrangement between RVTA and the colleges.

ADA complementary paratransit service is provided by River Valley Transit Plus, which is operated by STEP Transportation under contract to RVTA and in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This service is available to individuals who are unable to use accessible fixed-route transportation because of a disability. Rides are available during the same operating hours as the fixed-route service, with comparable fares. Service must be provided to locations within ¾ of a mile of the RVTA routes. RVTA certifies clients as eligible for the paratransit service. STEP Transportation is responsible for accepting reservations and providing transportation. The ADA paratransit service fare is twice the RVTA base fare. 

Learn more about RVTA by visiting their website or reading the 2024 Ride Guide:

LATS operates ADA-accessible, fixed-route bus service over three routes in the lower Northumberland County area in and between the City of Shamokin, Coal Township, and the boroughs of Kulpmont, Marion Heights, and Mount Carmel. The system is operated and managed by the Borough of Mount Carmel. It is funded mainly by state and federal grants and local matching funds. Revenue is also generated by passenger fares. In 2022, LATS provided more than 20,000 total passenger trips; senior citizen ridership totaled almost 9,000 passenger trips.

The LATS service operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Saturday service runs between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Recently, LATS has worked with its bus operator (Catawese Coach) to establish a new service route to Knoebel’s Amusement Park that runs mostly during the week and on some weekends during park operations. During the spring and fall, LATS also operates a Saturday route to the Susquehanna Valley Mall in Selinsgrove and the Monroe Marketplace in Shamokin Dam. In late 2023, LATS expanded its fleet with plans to create a Sunbury Route bringing passengers from Mount Carmel and Shamokin into Sunbury.

The base cash fare to ride a LATS fixed-route bus depends on the origin and destination (i.e., zone or distance-based), with fares starting at $1.00. Discounted fare programs are available for senior citizens (65+) and persons with disabilities by meeting certain eligibility conditions and showing proper identification. Senior citizens ride LATS for free with the trips paid for through the Lottery-funded Free Transit Program for Senior Citizens. Children up to the age of four ride free; children between the ages of five and ten ride for $0.50 per trip (all children must be accompanied by a fare-paying adult passenger). LATS also offers frequent-rider passes and monthly passes for a discounted rate. ADA complementary paratransit service in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is available to individuals who are unable to use the LATS accessible fixed-route buses because of a disability. Rides are available during the same operating hours as the fixed-route service with comparable fares. Service is available within ¾ of a mile of the LATS routes. Responsibility for service delivery has been contracted to rabbittransit, which is the shared-ride provider serving Northumberland County.

Learn more about LATS by visiting their website:

Each shared-ride operator provides service for any trip purpose (e.g., medical, shopping, senior centers, etc.). Most of the trips provided by the systems are subsidized or are provided at no charge to program clients. Shared-ride services are open to the general public; however the full general public fare is relatively high, which discourages use by unsubsidized passengers. Various levels of coordination are occurring among the demand-responsive systems in the plan area, with each of the systems coordinating cross-county trips with at least one other provider. Coordination among the systems typically involves transferring passengers at county borders, or at specific areas or major destination points.

CARS is a private, non-profit organization that provides door to-door demand-responsive transit services to any resident of Mifflin County or Juniata County. Program services cover Senior Shared-Ride, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), Area Agency on Aging, Medical Assistance Transportation (MATP), and the general public. Regularly served destinations are senior centers, hospitals, dialysis clinics, grocery stores, employment locations, and social service agencies. Service hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., although CARS recently started offering some evening and Saturday services for dialysis patients. Passenger fares are distance-based, with discounted or free fares provided to program clients, and the full fare charged to the general public. In 2024 CARS will provide on average more than 3,000 trips per month.

Learn more about CARS by visiting their website:

The Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority (SRTA) is known locally as rabbittransit and provides shared ride services for an 11-county area in central Pennsylvania that includes Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York Counties. In the SEDA-COG MPO region, the Commissioners of Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union Counties appointed rabbittransit as their Shared Ride Coordinator to reduce costs, streamline operations, reduce artificial county line barriers, and take advantage of technological advancements.

Origin-to-destination demand responsive transit service is provided by rabbittransit to any resident of Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, or Union Counties. Program services cover Senior Shared Ride, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), Area Agency on Aging, Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP), Mental Health/Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (MH/IDD), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA and PwD), Veterans Transportation and the general public. Registration through an application process is required. rabbittransit uses subcontractors for some trips if necessary.

Regularly served destinations include Geisinger Medical Center and other area hospitals, dialysis centers, VA medical centers, grocery stores and food banks, Walmarts, social service agencies, senior centers, shopping centers, and employers. Passenger fares are distance based, with discounted or no-cost-to-rider fares provided under various programs to eligible individuals. Full fare rates apply to those individuals who are not sponsored by a program.

In FY2023 rabbittransit provided nearly 154,000 total passenger trips within the 5-county area; senior citizen ridership totaled more than 63,000 passenger trips.

Beyond its regular shared ride service, rabbittransit launched a transportation pilot brokerage project in 2018 with funding from Geisinger to assist patients who face transportation challenges in attending medical appointments. This pilot has since matured into a comprehensive value-added service program covering a 50-mile radius around Geisinger’s Danville hospital, and a 25-mile radius around Geisinger’s Scranton hospital.

Since April 2018, rabbittransit has been providing origin-to-destination transportation for patients that come through a referral process initiated by community health assistants, social workers, patient navigators, etc. Approximately 66% of total trips were focused on medical necessity. Recently, there has been a notable increase in demand, with 34% of trips now including requests for food access and social services.

Trips suitable for other shared ride providers within the program's scope of service are overseen by rabbittransit’s Mobility Management (4Ride) team, with subcontractors brought in as required. The transportation data gathered aids in expanding necessary services and optimizing the efficiency of the public transit system.

Learn more about rabbittransit by visiting their website or reading their Paratransit/Shared Ride guide:

rabbittransit’s Stop Hopper service is an app-driven, on-demand, origin-to-destination shuttle service that operates in 3 zones in the SEDA-COG area: Bloomsburg to Danville, Lewisburg to Milton, and Selinsgrove to Sunbury. This microtransit service allows users to request and schedule rides within a specific zone using the StopHopper smartphone app. The app provides an estimated pick-up time, tracks rides in real-time, and provides an alert for vehicle arrival. In FY2023, Stop Hopper provided nearly 31,000 trips. Planning efforts for future expansion and addition of more microtransit zones in identified areas are underway.

Learn more about rabbittransit's Stop Hopper by visiting their website:

Ms. A uses shared-ride to go to doctor appointments and Stop Hopper to return home rather than wait a long time for a return trip. She also uses shared-ride for travel to longer-distance destinations. Stop Hopper takes her to the grocery store, Walmart, and other in-town destinations. She appreciates the Stop Hopper driver helping her with groceries.

Ms. A finds making reservations usually easy and quick. She appreciates the calls in advance of the vehicle's arrival. She likes the drivers, appreciates their assistance, and feels safe with them. Ms. A likes having an account from which her shared-ride fares are drawn rather than paying on the vehicle. Shared-ride normally gets her to doctor appointments on time. She likes the fact that Stop Hopper allows her to make doctor's appointments later in the day.