Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
10 <br />Exhibit A: The Department on Agina's OPT Bus Expansion Recommendations: <br />1. Northern and Central Orange Door to Door/Point Deviated Demand Response <br />A van or small bus is needed for older adult essential services. Rural adults in Northern and <br />Central Orange have no public transportation options that can facilitate running errands, non- <br />medical appointments, shopping, and purchasing groceries on a convenient basis. Older <br />populations often have difficulties walking and waiting at a bus stop, getting on a traditional <br />bus, or sitting long periods on a fixed route bus. Older adults would be able to call the day <br />before they need a ride or have the option of a subscription service to travel consistently on a <br />set day and time. They would be picked up at their door and taken directly to their location. <br />Populations in Cedar Grove, Mebane, and Efland would especially make use of this service <br />and would not feel isolated, but empowered to be social and more independent. <br />Start Date <br />Est. Weekday Hrs <br />Est. Annual Weekdays <br />Est. Annual Hours <br />Total Annual Operating Cost <br />7/1/2014 <br />1 12 <br />104 Mon & Wed) <br />1,248 <br />1,248 x $46.7/hr= $58,282 <br />*OPT's FY2015 Estimated Operating Costs are $46.70 per hour (estimates are very <br />conservative figures) <br />2. Southern Orange Door to Door/Point Deviated Demand Response <br />In Southern Orange County, there are a lack of services for rural elderly populations that are West <br />and South of the city of Chapel Hill and in Bingham Township. These populations fall outside of <br />Chapel Hill Transit and EZ Rider's service areas. Currently, EZ Rider operates transportation <br />services only 3/4 of a mile outside of Chapel Hill Transit's fixed routes. This parameter leaves many <br />older adults living on the fringe of the city of Chapel Hill left without an efficient option to travel to <br />the Senior Center, appointments, and run errands. It is inefficient and not cost effective for Orange <br />Public Transportation to travel from Hillsborough to the south or west of Chapel Hill to bring a <br />rider to an errand or appointment in Chapel Hill. A Southern Orange door to door demand response <br />or point deviated route could serve the areas outside of CHT's service area in Chapel Hill and <br />Bingham townships. Over 10% of Chapel Hill Township's population is 60+ with and of these <br />roughly 10,000 individuals many need access to public transportation and live outside of an <br />efficient and reliable option. A pilot program can be created to serve locations including Dogwood <br />Acres, Heritage Hills, Damascus Church Rd., Mt Carmel Church Rd., and White Cross. <br />Start Date <br />Est. Weekday Hrs <br />Est. Annual Weekdays <br />Est. Annual Hours <br />Total Annual Operating Cost <br />7/1/2014 <br />1 12 <br />104 Tues & Thurs <br />1,248 <br />1,248 x $46.7Aw -- $58,282 <br />3. Extend Central Orange Senior Center Lunch <br />This recommendation was initially #5 in priority on OPT's expansion recommendations, but <br />was moved upward in priority per OUTBoard's suggestion. Its previous date of <br />implementation was July 2016 and is to be implemented sooner. The route would provide <br />older adults from rural areas with an extra hour stay at the Senior Center. Currently, a rider <br />from Cedar Grove may ride for up to an hour each way to arrive at the Senior Center and then <br />only have time for lunch. The limited time prevents riders from participating in classes, <br />shopping, health checks and connecting to the Hillsborough Circulator. <br />Start Date <br />Est. Weekday Hrs <br />Est. Annual Weekdays <br />Est. Annual Hours <br />Total Annual Operating Cost <br />1/1/2015 <br />4.5 <br />250 <br />1,125 <br />1 1,125 x $46.7/hr= $52,538 <br />