Agenda - 12-10-2013 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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6 1 6a - ROAP grant application 2 3 My understanding from the abstract is that the $92,624 in RGP funds will be used for the 4 Hillsborough-Chapel Hill route and for the Hillsborough circulator route. 5 How much will be allocated to each of these routes? Are there any other general public routes 6 that will receive these funds? 7 8 The abstract refers to the "development of the Hillsborough to Chapel Hill public route, no 9 longer funded through Triangle Transit....." 10 Please clarify what this means. My understanding was that Triangle Transit did fund the 11 morning and evening service on this route, but that OPT funded the mid-day service. How are 12 these services funded now? 13 14 Staff Response: 15 Although not clearly stated in the abstract, to clarify, Triangle Transit still funds the 16 morning and evening service for the Hillsborough to Chapel Hill route; however, the RGP 17 funds the County receives are partially used to support the midday service for that route. 18 RGP funds are not used at all for the Hillsborough Circulator bus service. The 19 Hillsborough Circulator route is financially supported exclusively through a Federal 20 CMAQ grant and the Town of Hillsborough's matching contribution. Other uses of RGP 21 funds by OPT in the county include: 22 23 1) Rural general public demand response trips; 24 2) Demand response medical trips for the disabled who do not qualify for the 25 Elderly/Disabled Transportation Assistance Program (EDTAP); and 26 3) Two fixed routes designed to transport persons with disabilities for employment trips 27 that are also open to the general public on a seat-available basis. 28 29 Commissioner Dorosin asked if this is a competitive grant and if there is an expected 30 amount to be received. 31 Craig Benedict said the County can reasonably expect over $200,000. He said this is 32 not too competitive, since OPT is the only rural entity providing transportation in this area. He 33 said there is legislation out there that may make this more competitive in the future. 34 Commissioner Price asked about the $3.00 per trip co-pay, and questioned whether 35 Craig Benedict is aware of the percentage of residents that are unable to pay that amount. 36 Craig said he does not know a percentage. He said that OPT allows free companion 37 trips for residents taking a trip for medical reasons. He said over 116,000 one way passenger 38 trips are served per year. He said this isn't a source of revenue for the program; it simply 39 covers the segment of the population that is not elderly or being covered by Medicare costs. 40 He said this cost is being analyzed to see if there are any other support mechanisms to reduce 41 the amount. 42 Commissioner Price noted that the cost is $3 for one way, and she asked if many 43 people use the service only for one way. 44 Craig Benedict said it varies, and it is not 100 percent two way trips. 45 Chair Jacobs said maybe this can be analyzed when there is more staff support 46 available, to see if Orange County can help out more financially. 47 48 PUBLIC COMMENT: 49