THAP Group (United States)

ublic-private partnerships that address localized transportation issues operate under a variety of organizational structures, depending upon the nature and duration of the problems addressed, the selected mission, the members involved and the sources of funding.These organizations can vary in legal formality, including ad hoc task forces, committees within other agencies and private nonprofit organizations.Sometimes an informal committee evolves into a private nonprofit organization.This TMA Handbook discusses the formation, operation and ongoing development of formally structured TMAs-those that have incorporated as private nonprofit organizations.The reason for the emphasis upon private nonprofit TMAs is because the majority of TMAs that responded to the 1998 ACT TMA Council Operational Survey identified themselves as 501(c) organizations.The TMA Handbook strives to address the more complex organizational issues experienced by legally incorporated TMAs; however, the comprehensive information contained in this Handbook is also useful and relevant to TMAs of other organizational types.In 1989, Commuter Transportation Services, Inc. (CTS) produced the first edition of the TMA Handbook, designed to provide information to assist groups that were considering forming, or had begun the process of creating a Transportation Management Association (TMA).The original handbook, targeting the development of new TMAs, was well received and widely distributed to TMAs throughout the nation.The second version of the TMA Handbook was published in 1994 with the purpose of providing information needed at various stages in a TMA's life cycle, including exploring TMA feasibility, TMA formation and ongoing TMA operations.The second version was produced by Commuter Transportation Services, Inc. in coordination with many contributors.This newest update of the TMA Handbook incorporates the recognition that in the future, more updates will follow, due to the continually changing environment in which TMAs operate.As a result, the three-ring binder format of the Handbook is intended to enable the reader to add updated notes and case studies.Specific data that describe current operational characteristics of TMAs, as gathered from the 1998 ACT Survey, have been placed in the Appendix for easy referral and later updates.The TMA Handbook preserves the practical "how-to" tone that was established in the previous editions.Some transportation professionals seek a tidy definition of the term, "TMA," to determine funding eligibility and for other purposes.TMAs appear to defy such a neat definition but perhaps the most defining characteristics of TMAs are their diversity and flexibility.The updated TMA Handbook contains a discussion of TMAs, relative to differences in institutional organization, purpose, funding, membership and location, recognizing that all have equal legitimacy.It is argued that the value of TMAs partly stems from this degree of flexibility through which a public-private partnership is empowered to meet its particular needs. Broker or Provider of ServicesMany TMAs are brokers, coordinating delivery of services to customers through employers, developers, or local governments.Other TMAs are direct providers of services to TMA Goals TMA Roles TMA Handbook 2001 1-15 selected markets. ConsultantMany TMAs act as consultants to provide transportation advice and technical support for programs that can be implemented collectively or by individual businesses.