The eight counties that ran the Rural Transportation For Persons With Disabilities Program's pilot program have found that the program works for people who want to work.

Richard Viglione, planning director for Area Transportation Authority of North Central Pennsylvania, Johnsonburg, said more than half of the PWD trips in Elk, Jefferson and Clearfield counties are work-related, which is consistent with statistics from other counties.

The figures show that disabled people who do not work have opportunities to be employed, if they can get to the place of employment, Viglione said.

About 15 percent each of trips are for shopping and medical appointments, 7 percent for education and 5 percent for recreation, Viglione said.

The pilot program ran from Jan. 1, 2001, to June 30, and PennDOT is offering expansion grants.

ATA registered 450 eligible riders and made 13,000 one-way trips, Viglione said.

"We felt it made a very positive impact for them and on us as a transit authority," he said.

Most of the people who use the service are on fixed incomes.

"Only those who need it the most are coming forward," Viglione said.

The service also is available to people with temporary disabilities, such as those recovering from surgery or an injury.

ATA spent $240,000 to buy three minivans -- it also used its existing vehicles -- hire a staff person, upgrade restraints in existing vehicles, buy a computer and software and market and run the program.

Staff training, also paid under the grant, was essential because drivers are helping people who do not move well on their own, and have to make sure they are properly secured by the restraint system, and staff people are taking calls from people with diminished cognitive abilities and communication skills, he said.

PennDOT required the transit agencies to track denials of requests for service -- such as because someone wanted a ride beyond normal operating hours or to an area that is not served -- and that information was eventually used to revise hours and routes for all of ATA's transit activities, Viglione said.

"It gave the potential rider the chance to log their wishes," he said.

ATA plans to apply to the state to expand the program to the other three counties it serves -- Potter, Cameron and Jefferson -- and Viglione estimated that would cost less than $100,000.