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O SECTION 2: OVERALL ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVENESS <br />FINAL REPORT q?J <br />1 0 <br />Of particular interest at the current time is the potential for an east/west general <br />public route in the county. TTA previously offered an east/west service from Duke <br />Medical Center in Durham to Hillsborough but discontinued it for low ridership (see <br />Section 1). This decision of TTA was met with concern by members of the <br />community and the Board of Commissioners, Several opinions were expressed that <br />OPT could more effectively and efficiently operate the service. OPT has a much <br />lower operating costs than does TTA, which results in a lower threshold for a <br />successful level of ridership. <br />TTA and OPT had begun to explore options to eliminating the service, but these <br />negotiations did not come to fruition before the route was discontinued. Interest <br />remains strong in the community for this regional connection. <br />More detailed research is required to evaluate the potential for successfully <br />reinstituting this service, and determining specific destinations and trip times, The <br />previous service hours may not have adequately matched shift times, or the route <br />may have missed some major destinations <br />OPT Administration has already determined a conceptual route for a new east/west <br />service that includes the potential for using the abandoned Wal-Mart lot as a park & <br />ride location, The route would originate in the Mebane/Efland area and could <br />connect with an existing DATA route just across the Durham County line, <br />The reintroduction of the east/west service will be possible if TTA funds the existing <br />Orange Express service. <br />2.3.3. CONSOLIDATION OF OPT AND CHT DEMAND-RESPONSE SERVICE <br />Orange County has two demand-response providers - OPT and the "E-Z Rider' <br />service offered by Chapel Hill Transit (CHT). The E-Z Rider is the federally <br />mandated ADA paratransit service that must be offered by all fixed-route systems. <br />This division of service has caused some problems in the past Riders from Chapel <br />Hill to Hillsborough, for example, would have to transfer from the E-Z Rider service to <br />OPT under the current arrangement. <br />Although OPT and CHT have conducted some informal discussions regarding <br />coordinated efforts, OPT should continue the initial discussions with CHT regarding <br />OPT's assuming the operating responsibility for the E-Z Rider service, while CHT <br />would maintain financial responsibility. OPT would operate all services and bill CHT <br />for the cost of any service within Chapel Hill or Carrboro. Service provided by a <br />single operator would coordinate trips and eliminate transfers. The initial <br />discussions, conducted between Wilbur Smith Associates and CHT, have been <br />positive, and may warrant future consideration. <br />Combining the services will require changes to OPT's practices. As the ADA <br />provider for CHT, OPT must meet the ADA requirements, which include accepting <br />trip reservations the day prior to travel, and providing service during all hours that the <br />fixed-route service operates. These changes will require OPT to have longer service <br />Orange County 2-9 <br />COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PLAN