Orange County NC Website
Bret Martin said additional comments had been received on the difference between <br /> option 1 and option 2, as it relates to the zonal routes. He said comments were focused on the <br /> availability and user friendliness of the US Highway 70 mid day service. <br /> Commissioner Gordon asked when staff will get the full cost and revenue picture. <br /> Commissioner Gordon said the importance of the $58 versus $45 is that in the bus and <br /> rail plan Orange County received a certain number of hours over a certain amount of time. <br /> She said this amount was based on the cost of$58 per hour. She said the question is <br /> whether this number of hours changes based on cost effectiveness. She wants to know if <br /> they will get the hours they were promised. <br /> Bret Martin referred to her first question about revenue sources. He believes some <br /> 5307 funding will be available through the Durham Chapel Hill Carrboro Metropolitan Planning <br /> Organization (DCHC MPO) for capital to provide the service. He does not see there being <br /> much available here for operating assistance. <br /> Bret Martin said on the Burlington Graham MPO side, there is about $1.9 million <br /> available annually for use in that area. He said this area extends pretty far into Orange County <br /> and includes Mebane and Efland. He said services that involve this area can take advantage <br /> of still being part of the Burlington's MPO. He has sent a request for funding for three buses <br /> and for operating assistance in the amount of$90,000 per year beginning in fiscal year 2016. <br /> He said staff has also requested that Orange County be a State Maintenance <br /> Assistance Program recipient, which would involve up to $130,000 annually. He said all of <br /> these funding sources are being sought, but there is no indication of what will be received. <br /> Craig Benedict said the money that is being apportioned through the Bus and Rail <br /> Investment Plan is not done by hours. He said this is apportioned according to the percentage <br /> of how much revenue comes in. He said 64 percent of the money goes to Chapel Hill, 24 <br /> percent to Triangle Transit, and 12 percent to OPT. He said the target is to turn 4,000 hours <br /> into about 7,000 hours, based on the lower cost per unit. <br /> Commissioner Pelissier referred to the grant that was just announced at the MPO and <br /> said that the County has to match $32,500. She asked where this money will come from. <br /> Bret Martin said staff was able to work with the Department on Aging to put together <br /> some creative financing. He said they will use a federal grant source that is not a US <br /> Department of Transportation grant as the match. <br /> Commissioner Pelissier said the grant also stated that there will be a volunteer driver <br /> program established. She asked how this will fit into the deviated zonal routes. <br /> Bret Martin said this program is only successful if there are willing participants to <br /> provide rides at specific times for people who need them. He said once this program is off the <br /> ground it could reduce the demand for these rural zonal routes, because there are other <br /> opportunities that are more one on one to provide that service. <br /> Craig Benedict said the volunteer drivers would pick up a rider in the rural area and <br /> take them directly to a fixed route. <br /> Bret Martin said the 5310 grant specifies that it the volunteer driver program still has to <br /> be a shared ride situation, so drivers still have make their vehicles available to provide more <br /> than one ride at a time. <br /> Commissioner Pelissier said funding comes every year from the Rural Operating <br /> Assistance Program (ROAP), and some of this goes to disabilities and some to the general <br /> public. She said it is important to see what people are being served from other funding <br /> sources as opposed to the half cent sales tax. <br /> Commissioner Pelissier said she does not have a sense of how the ROAP funding has <br /> been allocated. She asked if this is what is being used for the Sportsplex. <br />