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In each of these areas one or more service options is described; an estimate of costs, revenues or <br /> ridership is provided; and an assessment of the advantages or disadvantages is presented. <br /> GENERAL PUBLIC SERVICES <br /> In developing general public service alternatives, consideration was given to the results of the <br /> needs analysis, including the survey of agencies, and the Advisory Committee input. At the same time, <br /> it was recognized that these services have to dovetail with agency-related services to be economically <br /> feasible. Nothing developed in the needs analysis or analysis of current services suggests that current <br /> services need to be discontinued, but in some cases ridership is below what might be expected and would <br /> benefit from marketing and other public information efforts. <br /> Alternative 1: Additional Scheduled General Public Service, Chapel Hill to Hillsborough <br /> Description of Proposed Service <br /> o An additional scheduled route open to the general public would be operated from <br /> Hillsborough to Chapel Hill, departing at 6:30 a.m., arriving in Chapel Hill at 7:00 a.m. to <br /> take employees from the Hillsborough area to Chapel Hill. The vehicle would then pick up <br /> the Orange Enterprises southern route riders, plus general public riders, and travel back to <br /> Hillsborough in time to be at Orange Enterprises at 8:00 a.m.. Additional stops would <br /> include the Court House/County offices, and any major employers. In the afternoon the <br /> return route would be run from Orange Enterprises in Hillsborough to Chapel Hill, departing <br /> at 3:00 p.m. The bus would hold in Chapel Hill long enough to allow the 7:30 a.m. arrivals <br /> to work a full day, departing Chapel Hill northbound at 4:30 p.m.. If there is southbound <br /> work trip ridership from Hillsborough to Chapel Hill, the bus would depart Hillsborough at <br /> 5:00 p.m., arriving at Chapel Hill at 5:30 p.m., and returning back to Hillsborough with a last <br /> trip arriving at 6:00 p.m. This service would build upon the Orange Enterprises route, <br /> offering a schedule to permit full day work trips in either Chapel Hill or Hillsborough. <br /> o OPT recognizes that TTA has the regional authority for city-to-city public transportation, <br /> particularly for work trips. To the extent possible, OPT would like to coordinate this service <br /> with TTA,jointly publicizing the service. TTA support would be sought in identifying riders <br /> (through the Ridesharing program), and in support for operation of the additional late <br /> afternoon trip (the other trips would be opening doors on the Orange Enterprises route). <br /> Estimated Ridership and Revenue <br /> o Estimation of ridership is problematic. Coordination with UNC,the Hospital,Orange County <br /> Economic Development and TTA Ridesharing would be needed to identify riders. The last <br /> round trip of the day might well be optional until there are identified work trips from Chapel <br /> Hill to Hillsborough requiring a late p.m. return. No location in this area has a parking <br /> problem, and transit dependent persons in the Hillsborough area itself would be served by the <br /> expanded senior transportation (see Alternative 2). <br /> -28- <br />