Serving Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee and Sarasota Counties Since 1973
1926 Victoria Ave Fort Myers FL 33901 Phone: 239.338.2550 Fax: 239.338.2560
Transportation Disadvantaged

The overall mission of Florida's transportation disadvantaged program is to ensure the availability of safe, efficient, cost-effective and quality transportation services for the transportation disadvantaged. The transportation disadvantaged include individuals who because of physical or mental disability, income status or age, are unable to transport themselves or to purchase transportation and therefore are dependant upon others to obtain access to health care, employment, education, shopping, social activities, or other life-sustaining activities. Services are also extended to include the disabled, high-risk or at-risk children.


Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged
Florida's transportation disadvantaged program was created in 1979 and reenacted in 1989. The 1989 act created the Florida Transportation Disadvantaged Commission (currently the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged) www.dot.state.fl.us/ctd and enhanced local participation in the planning and delivery of coordinated transportation services through creation of local coordinating boards (LCBs) and community transportation coordinators (CTCs). The Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged meets quarterly at various locations throughout Florida. Contact the CTD at (800) 983-2435 for information.

Designated Official Planning Agencies
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) or designated official planning agencies (DOPAs) perform long-range planning and assist the Commission and LCBs in implementing the transportation disadvantaged program in designated service areas.

The Charlotte MPO is the designated official planning agency for Charlotte County, the Collier MPO is the designated official planning agency for Collier County and the Lee County MPO is the designated official planning agency for Lee County. The Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council is the designated official planning agency for Glades and Hendry counties, and the Sarasota/Manatee MPO is the designated official planning agency for Sarasota and Manatee Counties.

Activities of the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council include providing staff support to the Glades and Hendry joint LCB, providing technical assistance to the CTCs serving the two counties, ensuring that the LCBs conduct annual evaluations of the CTC performance, and preparing a three-year transportation disadvantaged service plan for each county.

Local Coordinating Boards
There is a Local Coordinating Board in each County in Florida. The Local Coordinating Board (LCB) is an advisory board [meaning it is composed of appointed members, rather than elected members] which provides information, advise, and direction to the Community Transportation Coordinator regarding coordinated transportation. The Community Transportation Coordinator is responsible for arranging transportation for people who are elderly, or low-income, or, who have a disability.

Each Local Coordinating Board meets at least quarterly. Its committees meet when necessary to conduct an annual evaluation of the Community Transportation Coordinator; write annual updates, including goals and objectives and policies for a long range plan; and review grievances which may be brought to it regarding transportation services.

You may become a member of a Local Coordinating Board through several processes:
  1. If you are an elected official in a county, you may be appointed as a chairperson of an LCB.
  2. If you work for certain state agencies, or certain departments of local government (like schools and transit systems,) your agency may recommend that you serve on a Local Coordinating Board, as part of your job function. The agency may use the application form to make recommendations for its representatives, or it can write a letter to do so. Agencies should also appoint alternates.
  3. There are also positions on the Local Coordinating Board for citizens who use the coordinated transportation system, are elderly or have a disability which impairs their mobility. These positions also have alternates. You may use the application form below to apply for a position on any Local Coordinating Board.

Community Transportation Coordinators
The Community Transportation Coordinators are businesses or county departments that are responsible for the arrangement of the delivery of transportation services to the transportation disadvantaged. The Coordinator may provide those trips itself, as a sole source, or the Coordinator may provide some trips, and subcontract some (partial brokerage) or, the CTC may subcontract out all the trips to approved operators, as a complete brokerage.

The person(s) listed below are the day-to-day managers of administration and or operations. Contact them if you have questions about services, or need to file a complaint.

County Type of System Contact
  • Glades

  • Hendry

  • The CTC is a private company, Good Wheels. Good Wheels provides its overall management and most of the trips. Good Wheels subcontracts some trips out to private companies. Gary Bryant, President,
    Good Wheels
    (239) 768-6187



    RESOURCES
    Application to Serve on the Lee County Local Coordinating Board for the Transportation Disadvantaged
    Application to Serve on the Glades-Hendry County Joint Local Coordinating Board for the Transportation Disadvantaged
    Glades and Hendry County Local Coordinating Board Members
    Lee County MPO
    CONTACT INFORMATION
    Debbie Kooi, Planning Technician
    dkooi@swfrpc.org
    (239)338-2550 ext 210

    ©2008 Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, All rights reserved.