Orange County NC Website
The Year 2406 Brings: <br />^ Anew partnership model for rural-urban transit system coordination. <br />^ Anew transit opportunity to travel across Orange County in a safe and efficient manner. <br />^ Anew challenge to encourage citizens to ride the bus: "A 11Jew Resolution for 2006. " <br />^ A future route planning goal to include a new Durham Tech Satellite Campus stop for 2007. <br />Chair Jacobs thanked Jerry Passmore and Commissioner Gordon for their work on this <br />project. <br />Commissioner Foushee made reference to the recommendation of the purchase of a <br />bus with a fare collection box. She asked if there was a backup plan with equipping an existing <br />bus with the box. AI Terry said that it is $10,000 for the fare collection box. Commissioner <br />Foushee asked if this was part of their future plan and AI Terry said not at this time. He said <br />that he would have a magnetic roll out sign that will cover the Orange Public Transportation that <br />will say Triangle Transit Authority, since it will be operated under TTA. They will manually tag <br />all of the clients. <br />Commissioner Foushee suggested looking into fare-free service for Orange County <br />employees and to encourage conservation of fuel. <br />Commissioner Gordon thanked all that assisted with establishing this bus route, <br />including the TTA Board of Trustees. It was not certain that this new route would be started, <br />especially since TTA had just cut same other routes. <br />Chair Jacobs asked haw long of a commitment TTA is making for maintaining this route <br />and Patrick McDonough said that they have asix-month commitment from TTA and they feel <br />that they will have a good performing service. <br />Chair Jacobs said that it will be 18 months before Durham Tech Satellite campus comes <br />on board and this will be a large user. This was one of the arguments for the route. He is <br />concerned that the route will be started too soon and then decided that it would not be <br />performing adequately before the campus came online. Patrick McDonough said that if they <br />know when and where this school comes online, they would take this very seriously before <br />making a decision. <br />AI Terry said that this is a new route, but it is replacing a route that already has ridership, <br />It will gain more riders with the express route. <br />Chair Jacobs asked about changes in staffing and the costs. Jerry Passmore said that <br />the County's contribution will be the same and will actually save about $2,500. He said that <br />they see no additional costs to the County. <br />Commissioner Gordon underscored the fact that this route connects Hillsborough to the <br />region, and the region to Hillsborough. This new route means that you can connect to the <br />regional bus service a lot better than you could before. She said that the vision for transit in <br />Orange County is larger than this but this is great far now. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Gordon to: <br />1. Authorize Triangle Transit Authority and Orange Public Transportation to enter into a <br />MOU to jointly fund {75 percent/25 percent, respectively) and for OPT to operate the <br />Hillsborough to Chapel Hill public route, pending final review and approval by Orange County <br />Management and County Attorney; <br />2. Approve the addition of one full-time permanent (40 hour} and one part-time <br />permanent position (20 hour), subject to continued MOU funding, to operate the route; and <br />3. Approve the acquisition of the Triangle Transit Authority vehicle for use on the route. <br />