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76 <br /> Chapter 4: Planned Services <br /> Additional Demand-Response to Address Unmet Human Service <br /> Needs <br /> It is likely that basic demand-response services for seniors and disabled persons will also <br /> need to be expanded. <br /> Senior Needs <br /> The 2012-2017 Orange County Master Aging Plan includes a projection that Orange <br /> County's senior population (age 65+) will grow by 31% between 2012 and 2017, and double <br /> in size (as compared to today) by 203o, becoming 17.6% of the population as compared to <br /> 1o.6% currently. There is an expanded senior route planned for implementation in 2015, <br /> and it is anticipated that much of the ridership on the planned services will be seniors <br /> and persons with disabilities, so there is not a need to double the existing demand <br /> response services. The senior population will include persons who need door-to-door <br /> service, so we have included a limited expansion of demand response service. This <br /> suggests an additional vehicle which could produce 2,200 service hours per year, <br /> potentially an additional 6,600 senior trips. There are 11,752 current estimated annual <br /> senior nutrition and shopping trips, so this represents a potential senior trip capacity <br /> increase of 56%. <br /> Health Department Needs <br /> The Health Department has identified needs for additional transportation for county <br /> residents that it serves'. These include: <br /> • Free or affordable public transportation in rural areas, and nights and weekends in <br /> urban areas <br /> • Public transportation available to residents who are not Medicaid eligible, not <br /> seniors and not disabled <br /> • Additional capacity to allow more windows for scheduling health care <br /> appointments <br /> • Marketing and information about existing services that can be provided to clients <br /> • Availability of information for persons who do not speak English or English as a <br /> second language <br /> • Ability to bring children without having to pay separate fares for each <br /> The proposed implementation of more frequent mid-day fixed-route and route deviation <br /> services open to the general public will address some of the needs for access in rural <br /> 1 E-mail from Rebecca Crawford, Financial and Administrative Services Director, Orange County Health <br /> Department, October 6, 2015. <br /> KFH <br /> NCDOT Orange County 60 <br /> Transit Assessment Study <br />