Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), unique collaborations between the public and private sector, have been helping communities deliver transportation option that benefit commuters and employers for over 30 years.  With over 100 TMAs operating in dense urban cores, suburban job centers, highway corridors, and residential neighborhoods, the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT), believes TMAs play an important role in how communities large and small work to achieve their transportation, sustainability, and economic development goals.

ACT’s newest paper, ‘A better way: Spotlight on Transportation Management Associations’, released recently, digs into the varying reasons for a TMAs establishment and what the community was attempting to achieve through the organization.

The paper features insights from public officials and private sector leaders representing TMAs from across the country and informs us how Austin, TX supported the launch of Movability Austin to address the impacts of rapid growth. “The idea was that we can’t build our way out of our traffic problems and heavily trafficked areas”, said Jim Pledger, Board Chair of Movability Austin.

The paper presents why leaders in the northern Denver suburbs established the Smart Commute Metro North TMO to help spur economic development in an area battling worsening congestion. We hear from the mayor of Salem, Mass., about how the North Shore TMA plays a critical role in spurring broad thinking about sustainability and growth, how North Natomas TMA in Sacramento uses its unique position to foster lasting relationships that improve transportations options, and how GVF (Pennsylvania) leverages its diverse board to be a statewide model for transportation analysis.

“TMAs and TMOs offer unique opportunities for public private partnerships, aggregating the delivery of valuable transportation programs and services that reduce costs for businesses and increase mobility for commuters” said David Straus, Executive Director for ACT.  “We encourage communities around the country to look at TMAs as an impactful strategy for addressing their transportation challenges.

ACT’s TMA Council provides a platform for existing TMAs and individuals and organizations interested in establishing a TMA in their community to share best practices and learn from others that have helped establish TMAs as strong public private partnerships. Read the full paper at: http://actweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/TMA-Spotlights-Final-October-2017.pdf

• ACT shines spotlight on Transportation Management Associations in new publication.