First Mile Last Mile

About the Program

Category: Transportation (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

St. Lawrence County’s First Mile Last Mile program helps passengers access public bus routes in portions of the county that are not served by St. Lawrence County Public Transit. This innovative pilot program utilizes volunteer drivers to connect riders who are ¾ of a mile or more from a designated bus stop. The program relies on Section 5311 Operating Assistance, which is used to pay volunteer drivers’ mileage, an administrative fee to a third-party agency for scheduling, coordinating drug and alcohol testing of drivers, and marketing the program. First Mile Last Mile leverages volunteer driver hours as the local match for Federal funding, and increases access to public transportation at no additional cost to the passenger. The program allows the County to identify who is utilizing public transit, and their reasons/need for travel. In 2019, 8.2% of St. Lawrence County Public Transit’s riders utilized First Mile Last Mile to access its public transit system. Two-thirds of First Mile Last Mile passengers relied on the program to travel to and from employment, and another 16% utilized public transit to access institutions of higher learning.