Dover, NH: COAST, the nonprofit provider of public transit services on the Seacoast, recently published a summary of the financial contributions being made by the communities that are connected by their services.
Each year, COAST asks its member communities to make contributions towards their $7.5-8.5 million budget. These contributions are based on the COAST board-vetted and approved municipal funding formula, which uses a blended and rolling three-year average, by community, of four separate factors that measure the supply and demand of their fixed route and demand response ADA paratransit services in each member community. The factors include: weekly demand response (DR) services miles; DR ridership; weekly fixed-route (FR) service miles; and FR ridership.
The COAST board, although not entirely, is primarily made up of appointed representatives of the communities served.
"It's important to highlight that when communities make a financial investment in COAST, it serves as a stimulus for the local economy and has a significant impact," said Rad Nichols, Executive Director of COAST. "Every dollar of local community investment leverages around $1.20 of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding that COAST can then expend to support our operations."
The timeline of the funding requests, and communities' subsequent review and approval, is dependent on whether the city or town follows the State's July-June budget year or whether they follow a calendar year budgeting cycle.
For FY24 and the coming FY25, COAST asked its member communities to increase their contributions for the coming fiscal year. These increases were driven by several factors including resuming temporarily suspended services; meeting increased demand for their demand response services within the region (targeted generally for older adults and individuals living with disabilities); maintaining competitive, or even attractive, pay rates for their most challenging-to-fill positions (vehicle operators); persistently high rates of inflation, particularly in the transportation sector; an older overall fleet, and; a shifting landscape of federal funding, resulting in a lower overall reimbursement rate by the FTA, combined with the expected sunset of several one-time federal grants.
According to the economic impact study conducted by the Strafford Regional and Rockingham Planning Commissions in 2021, every $1 spent on COAST, whether by riders at the farebox, or by the towns that COAST serves, generates approximately $4.08 of activity in the local economy. This figure includes COAST's direct, indirect, and induces effects on spending, as well as the economic impact of access provided by COAST's services. For FY24, member communities' financial contributions equate to $6,128,074 in stimulated economic activity.
Member communities in New Hampshire include, Dover, Exeter, Farmington, Newington, Newmarket, Portsmouth, Rochester, and Somersworth; and in Maine, Berwick and Kittery. Contributions for FY25 range from $26,000 from Newmarket to $778,958 in Portsmouth.
In 2023, the last year this data is available, it was estimated that the average percentage of any residential tax assessment that went toward COAST in these member communities was 0.36%, or a total of just over $32, per residence.
"In a region where housing, services, and economic opportunities are spread out geographically, it's vital that we continue to build and invest in a public transportation system that connects people of all ages and abilities to the opportunities they need to succeed and contribute," said Nichols. "COAST recognizes and appreciates each of the communities' commitment to financially investing in transportation services on the Seacoast and we are proud that these investment help to build a stronger economy for all of us."
Since 1982, COAST has provided over 16 million rides to people in the Greater Seacoast region, linking them to work, school, doctor appointment, shopping, and social events. This year, COAST is projected to provide over 365,000 rides (+25% over last year) within the Greater Seacoast area, connecting 11 communities with 13 bus routes. In addition to fixed bus routes, COAST also operated and advance-reservation service that provides curb-to-curb transportation for individuals who qualify based on age or disability.
COAST was recently named the 2024 Nonprofit of the Year by the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce, and was recognized as the 2023 Champion of the Year by the Community Action Partnership of Strafford County.