Published Thursday, January 9, 2003
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Herald Staff Writer
Mercer County Community Transit officials are banking on agencies and advocacy groups to promote a new program for people with disabilities.
But one of the agencies that has signed on as an adviser in running the program is not sure the local transit system is up to the task.
The program is funded by a $159,250 PennDOT grant. It will allow people with disabilities to ride Transit buses and pay only 15 percent of the fare. With an average ride of about $11, the disabled rider would pay $1.65.
Transit will start accepting applications Feb. 1 and plans to allow disabled people to ride for lower fares starting March 1, said manager Bill Jones.
Cheryl O'Connell, executive director of Mercer County Disabilities Coalition, said she doesn't think Jones is putting enough emphasis on rural routes.
Initially, the program will follow Transit's normal hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Shenango Valley and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in other parts of Mercer County, Jones said. Potential riders must call by 2 p.m. the day before to schedule a ride.
At an advisory committee meeting Wednesday, Jones talked in general terms about the problems of transportation in Mercer County, but did not specifically address the problems of serving rural communities, Ms. O'Connell said.
She said Jones is looking at the program as an extension of the regular Transit service, while she believes it should be viewed as a separate program to serve a specific set of riders.
She also said Jones has not paid enough attention to serving people who need transportation to their jobs; they make up the majority of disabled riders in other counties.
"I'm not sure Bill Jones understands what the Shared Ride program is to do," Ms. O'Connell said.
Jones said he needs to implement the program slowly and does not want it to jeopardize other Transit programs. He said he would like to expand services to meet the needs of disabled riders, whom he acknowledged are not the focus of the Transit system, but noted that past expansion efforts have not succeeded.
Ms. O'Connell said she will "fine tooth" the packet of information Jones handed out Wednesday and would seek advice from people in other parts of the state who are familiar with the program and the intentions of the law that created it.
Jones said he is relying on agencies and advocacy groups to spread the word about the new program because other counties that have started the Rural Transportation Program for Persons With Disabilities have found that advertising and other forms of promotion were not as effective as word of mouth.
"This is a tough group to get to," he said. "They tend to be isolated."
While Transit will accept applications and its employees will fill them out for people who cannot do it themselves, forms also will be given to public agencies and advocacy groups to sign up their members.
Riders also will need to verify their disability.
Other counties have found that potential riders have not wanted to give all the information asked of them, particularly their income, Jones said.
"The state has said if they don't answer every question, they don't get the services," he said.
The answers are important locally because Transit must show the service is needed in order to secure additional funding.
Jones noted that the state is running a deficit this year.
"If you want to keep this program, you better give the state good data," he said.
The majority of the grant, about $100,000, will go toward the purchase of two buses. Bids will be opened today.
The advisory committee will next meet at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 5 at the Transit office in the Mercer County Regional Council of Governments building on Highland Road in Hermitage.