Agenda - 06-17-2003-5b - Laserfiche WebLink

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6opnty of ®` e~ ~'a P ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT ON AGING 17 POST OFFICE BOX 81 8'1 .TERRY M. PASSMORE, D/RECTOR 600 HIGHWAY 86 NORTH ~ D/RECT TEL. - 919.2452009 ~e~r~ c ""~~c HILLSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27278 WWW.CO.ORANGE.NC.US/AGING To: John Link, Jr., County Manager From: Jerry M. Passmore, Aging Director AI Terry, Transportation Manager CC: Gwen Harvey, Assistant County Manager Date: June 6, 2003 Subject: Continuing TTA Regional Bus Service for Central Orange County After reviewing discussions about TTA proposing to discontinue the Hillsborough bus service because of low utilization, we would like to suggest an alternative for the continuation of the TTA Regional Bus service from Hillsborough to Durham/Duke Hospital. TTA has stated that the total fiscal financial impact for this route is $64,500, with some additional savings from reduced deadhead hours. As background information, the rural Orange County population we are trying to serve represents 46% with the balance of 54% inside Chapel Hill/Carrboro who are served by the Chapel Hill Transit. According to the Orange County tax collector, the total number of registered vehicles in Orange County is 101,394 with 62,568 vehicles registered outside Chapel Hill/ Carrboro city limits. At $5.00 per annual vehicle registration, this calculates to $312,840 from rural county residents to support TTA services. Contract with OPT to provide Rural Orange Transportation Service. We estimate that OPT can operate the existing Hillsborough to Durham/Duke/VA route more efficiently. We could provide 6 round trips per weekday at a cost of $49,255, which would cover all driver, vehicle and operational expenses (this cost is representative of an 8 hour work schedule). We would also propose that TTA pay OPT for the current Hillsborough to Chapel Hill/Carrboro route that should be their regional responsibility. In this way, OPT can use County/State funds to improve the Hillsborough intracity routes and rural feeder service to the two regional routes. OPT cost for the Hillsborough to Chapel Hill/Carrboro route that operates 5 round trips per weekday is $54,325. Current ridership is 10,000 trips per year or a per one-way trip cost of $5.43. The fare charge for this intercity bus service is currently $1.00 each way. Issues for consideration are as follows: a. Scheduling: Orange County and TTA would develop the Hillsborough to Duke/Durham route to coincide with TTA routes to ensure transfers. The same development plan would be in place for the Hillsborough to Chapel Hill/Carrboro route. Joint brochures would be developed to reflect the new route design and times. Currently, the Chapel Hill Transit brochure includes the OPT Cedar Grove through Hillsborough to Chapel Hill/Carrboro route. This brochure is published each year as a collaborative effort between Chapel Hill Transit and Orange Public Transportation. TELEPHONE (9~9~ 245-2000 • FACSIMILE ~9~9~ 644-3044 • E-MAIL: fPBSStIIOr@@CO.OfBng@.11C.US