Orange County NC Website
3 <br /> SERVICE AND ORGANIZATIONAL ALTERNATIVES FOR <br /> ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION <br /> INTRODUCTION <br /> One fact stands out when considering the problem of developing service alternatives for OPT over <br /> the next four years, and it is the difficulty of projecting into the future any particular agency-related <br /> service. Because of the close linkage between the contract services and the availability of general public <br /> service, the provision of any general public service is closely related to the schedule and location of <br /> contracts to cover or share the costs of putting a vehicle and driver in a particular place at a particular <br /> time. While many of OPT's contracts are stable in the short- medium-term, new programs can arise <br /> during the life of this plan with little notice to start services(and sometimes even less regarding cessation <br /> of service). The previous plan did not address Smart Start, and barely anticipated the JOBS program. The <br /> abilities of agencies to contract is dependent on their funds and programming, and few (if any) human <br /> service agencies have four-year program plans that could be relied upon to show transportation needs and <br /> available funding. Agencies have identified service needs as part of this study, and those can be <br /> identified, but funding is not assured. A realistic four-year plan that recognized the volatility of this <br /> environment would have to focus on developing alternatives to meet identified needs or demands while <br /> directing system management to continue to have the capacity and flexibility to respond to changing needs <br /> by client agencies and the general public. <br /> In developing service alternatives for Orange County, the following major submarkets are <br /> discussed, each with its own alternatives: <br /> • General Public Services/Section 18 Program, <br /> • E&DTAP (Elderly & Disabled Transportation Assistance Program), <br /> • Agency Contracts, and <br /> o Ridesharing/Commuter Services. <br /> -27- <br />