8B Consent 2009 0420 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Measure B Paratransit Application FY 2009-10 2 Apri19, 2009 3. Eliminate service on holidays 4. Salary savings by reducing the hours of the part-time Paratransit Coordinator 5. Eliminate Group Trips BACKGROUND Analysis Description of Service Funded with Measure B Paxatransit funds, FLEX provides several different types of service. The Shuttle service is available to residents who are at least 60 years old and allows passengers to access the Shuttle at stops throughout the city. The Curb-to-Curb service is available to residents who are at least 75 years old and allows riders to make a reservation for transportation service within the City limits. Both services are available to disabled adults (18+). Measure B funds also provide interim transportation for people that have not yet received approval for East Bay Paratransit. Through the Out-of--Town Medical service, we offer reservation based trips for medical purposes within Alameda County. We currently offer Group Trips for seniors and people with disabilities, although this service will be eliminated in 2009-10. Budget Deficit For the last several years, staff has provided a heads up to Council that the Measure B paratransit grant does not fully cover the cast of the service. We have been operating the program using the annual grant and accumulated carryover funds. Last year, we projected that in 2009-10 the carryover funds would be exhausted and we would need to seek additional funding or reduce service levels. The following table summarizes the program costs. Grants Measure B Grant $ 257,089 Minimum Service Level Grant 75,000 Total Grant Funds 332,089 Pro ram Costs Total Pro am Cost Without Cuts 411,182 Program Deficit Without Cuts $ - 79,093 Public Input In order to plan for next year, staff gathered public input through two paratransit focus group meetings, the annual paratransit survey and trip/rider pattern analysis. Following is a summary of the input and findings: 1. The majority of the trips are for medical appointments, shopping and banking. 2. Riders' greatest concern is that the Curb-to-Curb and Out-of--Town Medical service is full and they cannot get the ride that they need. 3. Riders indicated that they prefer a fare increase over service reduction.