Volunteer Driver Program Resources
Mileage Reimbursement Guidance
- Volunteer Mileage Reimbursement Fact Sheet (PDF)
- Volunteer Driver Program tri-fold brochure (PDF)
- Minnesota Department of Revenue Volunteer Mileage Reimbursement website
RTCC and TCAP Volunteer Driver Recruitment and Marketing Resources
Research
- 2018 Volunteer Driver Program Forum summary (PDF)
- Cost-Benefit Analysis of Volunteer Driver Programs: Minnesota Case Studies (PDF, 2017)
- Volunteer Driver Programs in Minnesota: Benefits and Barriers (PDF, 2017)
2022-2023 Volunteer Driver Forum Series
- July 27 Transit-focused Mobility-as-a-Service pilot projects recording (48 minutes)
Introduction to MnDOT’s regional Mobility-as-a-Service pilot, what the project has accomplished to date, planned new features, and how volunteer driver programs might fit into this technology. - May 25 scheduling software recording (55 minutes)
Panel discussion on scheduling software for volunteer driver programs - March 21, 2023 Forum recording (40 minutes)
About RideSheet, an open-source Google Sheets-based web application that enables small demand-responsive transportation providers to manage internal operations. - February 16, 2023 Forum recording (1 hour and 50 minutes)
Includes presentations on ways to attract and support volunteer drivers, innovative pilot programs to supplement volunteer driver programs, and the Lyft program in Dakota County. - October 6, 2022 Forum recording (1 hour and 45 minutes)
Includes guidance on recent state legislative changes and proposed federal legislation and the Hop Scott program in Scott County
2020-2021 Volunteer Driver Forum Series
Policy and Legislation
- Current State and a Look into the Future of Volunteer Drivers (Nov. 2020)
- Policy Issues and Real-Life Stories (Dec. 2020)
Nuts and Bolts of Volunteer Driver Programs
- Volunteer Driver Recruitment and Promotion (Jan. 2021)
- How to Start a Volunteer Driver Program (Feb. 2021)
Disability and Diversity Training
- Person-centered Practices and Disability Etiquette for Volunteer Drivers (March 2021)
- Cultural Diversity and Equity Training (March 2021)
- Trauma-Informed Care Training (April 2021)
- Providing Community Education About People Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (April 2021)
Best Practices Training for Volunteer Drivers
- Module 1 – Safety & Security (May 2021)
- Module 2 – Emergency Preparedness (May 2021)
- Module 3 – Passenger Assistance & Safety (May 2021)
- Module 4 – Dealing with Difficult Customers and Self Care (June 2021)
- Module 5 – Ethics and Boundaries (June 2021)
- Module 6 – Best Practices & Summary (June 2021)
MCOTA News
- Mid-Minnesota RTCC expands volunteer driver recruitment strategies, October 2022
- MCOTA members endorse federal mileage reimbursement legislation, June 2022
- Region Five RTCC: Promoting the value of volunteer drivers and regional transportation connections, February 2022
- Demand for volunteer drivers in rural Minnesota in the news, February 2022
- New state legislation reduces barriers to volunteer driving, December 2021
- Mid-Minnesota driver recruitment campaign garners attention, June 2021
- Expert offers tips for recruiting volunteer drivers, March 2021
- Lessons in starting a volunteer-driver program, March 2021
- Constituent stories critical to passage of 2021 bills supporting volunteer drivers, December 2020