Agenda - 05-18-2004-5o - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 18, 2004 Action Agenda Item No. c - ~ SUBJECT: Request for Triangle Transit Authority to Incorporate the Orange County Public Route, Orange Express, Into Its Service DEPARTMENT: Aging/Transportation PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): • Route Operating Statistics • Triangle Transit Authority's Spread Sheet - pg. 18. (Extracted from TTA Service Standards Report -February 19, 2004) Draft Letter to TTA INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerry Passmore, ext 2009 AI Terry, ext 2002 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To request that the BOCC ask the Board of Trustees for Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) to assume financial responsibility of the Orange County Public Transportation's "Orange Express" North-South public route, which would allow the BOCC to use Orange Public Transportation (OPT) funds to re-establish an East-West public route from Hillsborough to Durham (Orange County could also request that TTA take over this route when it meets TTA's cost recovery standards goal). BACKGROUND: TTA is the regional transit agency that provides service to urbanized areas both within and between Wake, Durham, and Orange/Chapel Hill areas. In 1995, Orange Public Transportation established the "Orange Express" route as a public shuttle to provide mass transit service between Cedar Grove/Hillsborough and Chapel Hill/Carrboro on Monday through Friday from 6:30 am to 5:00 pm. This route met a public need far transportation to public riders for educational, social, medical, and legal needs and services within the two urban areas. The route was comprised of six round trips per day (one morning stop at Cedar Grave per day). TTA provided a commuter route with six round trips per day for two years from Hillsborough to Duke Medical Center from August 2001 until August 2003. In August 2003, the route was discontinued in due to lack of riders. The "Orange Express" route is an established route with participation from many areas within the County and towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. TTA currently does not provide northern Orange County with any type of service. By accepting the "Orange Express" route, TTA would ensure residents of northern Orange County access to regional services and establish service throughout the County.