Minutes Transit Bd 9 30 04
MINUTES
DUBUQUE TRANSIT TRUSTEE BOARD
PUBLIC MEETING TO CONSIDER MINIBUS FARE INCREASE
DATE:
Thursday September 30, 2004
TIME:
2:30 P.M.
PLACE:
Carnegie Stout Public Library Auditorium, 11111 & Bluff
Streets, Dubuque, Iowa
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Bemis, Stedman, Lightcap, Enderson, Sand
MEMBERS ABSENT:
None
OTHERS PRESENT:
Mark Munson, Transit Manager
At 2:30 p.m. Transit Board Chair Harry Bemis called the public meeting to order
and asked Transit Manager Mark Munson to present a staff presentation
explaining the purpose of the meeting and the reasons for the fare increases
being considered by the board.
Munson provided a Power Point presentation explaining the purpose of the
meeting, the ADA requirements for public transportation, the City's current ADA
transit service, the reasons for the capacity constraints and the available options
and recommendations to address the constraint issues. At the conclusion of the
presentation Munson read a summary of public comments he had received over
the phone from consumers in the two weeks prior to the public meeting. Munson
Also provided Transit Board copies of written comments he had also received at
KeyLine prior to the meeting.
Public Comments received bv phone prior to public meetinQ:
Deb Ostrander
$1.50 fare doesn't begin to cover cost; very supportive of service improvements
especially improvements in return ride times and late day service. Expressed
some confusion as to applicability of $3.00 fare for Age-only eligible riders.
Mrs. Fullbriaht
Use to ride Green Line when it traveled on Rosemont but needed to switch to
minibus dl,Je to distance and hills she would need to walk to get to nearest bus
route on Pennsylvania. She is 84 years old and has difficulty breathing when
walking that distance and on hills. She also has concerns she would be subject
to $3.00 fare because she doesn't have a disability, just age.
Caller unknown
Caller is over age 65 and volunteers at Mercy Hospital. Uses fixed route
wherever possible but not always able to use fixed route due to weather. If fare
increased to $3.00 per ride she would not be able to afford to volunteer at Mercy
Hospital.
Dorothv Grant
Expressed concern and confusion over who is subject to which fare increase.
Has a health problem that prevents her from using fixed route but thought she
may be subject to Age-only fare of $3.00.
The board invited public comment from the approximately 35 people in
attendance for the public meeting.
Public Comments received at the public meetina:
Geri Rea. Stonehill Adult Davcare
Expressed confusion about how the board and the minibus service will define
eligibility especially as it relates to ADA eligible versus Age-only eligible riders.
Reminded board how most of their riders are on fixed incomes.
Munson explained how eligibility is currently determined by answers to questions
asked in the ADA Eligibility Certification application all minibus riders are required
to complete. Application asks questions about how a person's mental or physical
disability prevents them from accessing any part of the fixed route. Application
also has a release of information section for those applications where additional
information from a physician or counselor is necessary to make an eligibility
determination. With respect to affordability, explained how the City of Dubuque
would still have one of the lowest ADA fares in the state even if the fare was
increased to $1.50.
Marian Williams
Wanted to know where there was a problem with capacity because she notice
there was always available seating on the minibuses when she was riding. Asked
several questions about whether the drivers were employed by the City or Project
Concern, whether the service still provided transportation to Head Start students,
and what was meant by stricter eligibility requirements? Noted seeing some
passengers waiting 2 y:, hours for a return ride. Wondered if trolley service could
assist minibus and wanted to know how to qualify for ADA eligibility.
Munson explained how the incident Ms. Williams was referring to when she saw
a passenger waiting 2 y:, hours for a return ride was an example of capacity
constraint. Explained how the City owned the equipment, employed most of the
drivers and managed the service since the service was brought in house from
Project Concern two years ago. Explained there were no Head Start children
riding on the minibus but that if any child was ADA eligible they would be eligible
for the service. Referred to earlier explanation on eligibility given to Geri Rea and
noted that the trolley, though accessible, was part of the fixed route system and
not the minibus service.
Beth Houseloa. Sunnvcrest Manor
Wanted to know if expanded hours meant more hours of service during the day
or if it meant the service would go beyond 6:00 p.m.
Munson explained how the expanded hours would be within the current times of
day mandated by the ADA for the minibus service. Those hours of service are
based upon the current fixed route schedules of 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday
through Friday and from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday.
Marv Kav Patters. Scenic Valley Area Aaencv on Aaina (SVAA)
SVAA purchases tickets in bulk from a grant and that any fare increase would
require them to shift funds from other programs for the elderly to pay for
transportation as transportation is a critical service to the elderly. Noted that they
would work to use the fixed route wherever possible.
Jon Romain. Area Residential Care
ARC represents about 200 people with disabilities and wanted to know what
percentage the current ADA fares were of the actual cost for the service on both
the minibus and fixed route and how those percentages compared for the
respective services especially if the board approved increasing the minibus fares.
Munson explained how this information was not available for the meeting but that
the fares are the smallest portion of the funding for the cost of both the fixed
route and paratransit service and that both services rely on federal, state and
local support. Munson also explained how fixed route ADA fares by law are half
the regular fixed route fare and that minibus ADA fares are up to the local system
to establish and can be up to twice the regular fixed route fare. KeyLine currently
charges only half the limit allowed for minibus ADA fares and even with the
proposed increase to $1.50 would still be under the legal limit of twice the regular
fixed route fare of $1.00.
Deb Ostrander
Wanted to know what the prospects were to expand the fixed routes.
Munson explained how all fixed routes are almost completely stretched to their
limits of 1 hour headways and that in most instances any expansion of the route
would require a corresponding reduction of service somewhere else in the route.
Sarah Davidson
Explained how afford ability was different for different people and that she could
not afford an increase in minibus fares and would use the fixed route more if
minibus fares were increased. Noted that the fixed route was extremely
constrained with hour long headways and limited service areas and that
increasing minibus fares to move people off minibus to fixed route could not be
done without addressing constraints on the current fixed route system. Noted that
the issue of capacity constraint on the minibus has been a problem for a long
time. Asked if the fare increase would also affect subscription riders. Also
suggested having a physician sign off on all applications.
Munson explained how the fare increase as proposed would affect all users of
the ADA minibus service including those being provided subscription service.
Explained how KeyLine already refers certain applications to physicians for their
recommendation and that staff should further investigate ADA regulations before
requiring physician sign-off on all applications.
Beverlv Kedlev
Indicated she rode minibus to work to clean houses.
Transit Board Chair Harry Bemis closed the public meeting and return the
discussion to the Transit Board. George Enderson noted that the primary
responsibility of the minibus service is to provide transit service to riders
protected under the ADA. Enderson asked Munson whether the $1.50 fare
increase would be enough to fund needed expansion of service. Munson
indicated that the $0.50 increase would generate approximately 1,500 additional
hours of service that would greatly reduce the current capacity constraint.
Munson also noted that he was not able to speculate on how much additional
revenue would be generated by increasing the fares to $3.00 for Age-only eligible
riders as he did not know how many riders this would affect. Suggested staff
proceed with re-certification to identify those Age-only riders currently using the
service. Munson reminded the board how the City of Cedar Rapids require all
riders to pay the same fare and that ADA eligible rides are prioritized over non-
ADA rides wherever necessary to stay in compliance with ADA requirements
regarding capacity constraints.
George Enderson motioned to increase minibus fares across the board to $1.50
and for staff to re-certify all riders and to adopt scheduling policies similar to
Cedar Rapids regarding prioritization of ADA eligible ride requests. Motion
seconded by Don Stedman and unanimously approved by the Transit Board.
Meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Sands, Secretary
) ~
Proposed KeyLine Minibus Service
Improvements
Public Meeting September 30, 2004
~
Purpose of the Public Meeting
Mark Munson
" Explain my's Public Tran~t commitment under
the Americans With Disabilities />d
" Identify capacity concems on the Minibus
Service
" Identify alternatives to address concems
" ~~~~~'ia~~b~~3~ :d~~cems
" ~Yi'£".~~si~~~~~%tg,gu~the
Council
Service KeyLine Is Required To
Provide under the American's
With Disabilities Act
" Service Area
II Response Times
II Fares
.. Trip Purpose Restrictions
.. Hours and Days of Service
.. Capacity Constraints
.. Additional Service
Service KeyLine Currently
Provides Under the American's
With Disabilities Act
" Service Þrea - my Umlts
IiJ Resþonse limes - 1 hour prk¡r to appointment
time; 30 minute pick-up window
IiJ Fare - $1.00; haW allowed under NJA
IiJ Trip Purpose Restrictions - None
" Hours/Days Service - Same as fixed route
ill ~~~n~i~~d -~~ ~"Je '3~' late
" Additional Setvice - Age-only eligibility
Staff Concerns
" Staff concerns over capacity & eligibility
standards and concerns over ability to
meet commitments to riders with
disabilities
II Results from a voluntary review of
paratransit service by the Dubuque
Human Rights Department
1m FY 2002 minibus ridership 40,000 rides
1m FY 2003 minibus ridership 46,000 rides
III FY 2004 minibus ridership 62,000 rides
(35% increase)
l1li5 bus peak FY 2002, 2003 & 2004
Human Rights ADA Review
Ii Service hours FY 2003 to FY 2004
outpaced ridership growth,
.. The effect of the growth slowed down
performance and limited scheduling
choices for dispatchers and riders
" Voluntary review requested by Transit
Manager May 2004
" Conducted by Human Rights Department
summer 2004
" Primary areas of concern - Trip denials
for next day service, late day
appointments and return ride times
.. Stricter eligibility requirements
" Technology improvements
.. Increase number of buses in service
" Increase subscription service
.. Improve communication
systems/procedures
.. Log trip denials and monitor patterns
Available
Opti 0 ns/ Reco m mendati 0 ns
" Trip purpose restrictions on Non-ADA
rides
" Cedar Rapids prioritized service for Non-
ADA rides; same fare as ADA rides;
scheduled as space and time permits;
waiting lists; trip denial if necessary
Recommendations In Process
Recommendations Pending
" Revised ADA eligibility Application
" Automated phone o,&ns currently being
explored by city staff
.. Deployment of computer assisted
d~patch/scheduling software
.. Fixed route Infonnation provided to paratransJt
requests on fixed route
" Policy and procedure for logging bip denials
. -"'""".""ment""""""needed"add",,,
capadty consb"ak1ts
. :gi:"oo'8':d.: ~~~,:~~
'POro>dma"", 1,200-1,500 addltiooal "°'"" """'"
. =ma~ ~~..:,,~ and
. ~shIft_¡pfrom"",.....t""""'"
2
Public Input
.. State your name and address
.. Please be mindful of time, as others are
waiting to provide their comment
II Try not to repeat what has previously
been shared by other speakers
Thank you
3
--
Dubuque Transit Trustee Board:
You requested rider imput on the Keyline
Minibus. All realize the value of the service,
but raising a round trip ride from 2 dollars
to six dollars is not only a shock but unaccep-
table for most riders.
Who determines as we got on or off the bus
what a walker pays? Many not driving a car
anymore take such transportation. Many have
poor eyesight. Is that a physical handicap?
Many use a cane for security. How do you define
physical handicap for only $1.50 ride, just
wheelchairs or walkers? What about the person
ridin~ with a handicapped person. What does
he or she pay?
I am sure you will have many questioning the
costs proposed and I think $1.50 for all riders
would be simpler and a sufficient raise at
this' time for all.
We all appreciate the city service and the
scheduled bus routes, while available, are
not as valuable for seniors, most years past
age 65, always walking blocks for a bus., no
help and weather concitions a concern.
Let us divert funds for the Keyline minibus
sevice as they have been for many years.
Yours truly,
~~
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