Agenda - 01-07-1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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AGENDA ITEM # 4 THE GREENSBORO AGENCY TRANSPORTATION EXPRESS, INVOLVEMENT IN HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION Information for this report was garnered on a trip Joe Bradshaw and I made to Greensboro on 10-17-79 to check on Greensboro Agency Transportation Express, Inc. , and its community-wide transportation system. GATE began operations in 1977 and for calendar year 1978 provided over 70,000 passenger trips in 283,000 miles. For the first five months of 1979, there were 24 passengers per mile, with revenues of 114 per mile, and expenditures of 5U per mile. GATE is largely a demand response system, with a provision that notice be provided to their dispatcher at least 24 hours in advance. There is some subscription service for the Sheltered workshop, involving a type of flexible routing. 97% of total trips are within the limits of the city of Greensboro, with the system not having the capacity currently to serve rural areas. They operate largely with the elderly and the handicapped in order not to compete too heavily with private transportation pro- viders in the area, including the Duke Power based bus system, Greyhound, and the taxi companies, all of whom have certain sign off powers_ GATE wants citizens to use the regular bus system if they are within one-quarter mile of a regular bus line, They are careful not to go too far beyond their mandate to serve the elderly and handicapped. Their relationship with human service agencies in the area varies from verbal referral of clients to GATE to formal contracts. In the latter case we find transportation being provided to three(3) Fellowship Luncheon meal sites weekdays (which constitute 20%-25% of total GATE trips) , at a suggested charge of 50t per person plus a negotiated per passenger rate. The board and management of GATE believe that charging a fare is a gdod policy. They think it develops self-respect among clients (in surveys they conducted, a majority favored it) . This also helps to keen them competitive with other operators. There is no charge for a helper for a passenger if this is needed. They operate from 7:30 A.M. to 6 P.M. Monday through Friday with six(6) vans (titles transferred from agencies) , all of which are equipped with ramps and one with a lift for the handicapped. All have 2-way radios which,teamed with a central dispatcher, they deem vital to the efficiency of their service. They expect vans to last 2,5 to 3 years. They do not have regularly scheduled main- tenance (they use on demand) and they don't have good vehicle backup.