Alameda‘s Senior Citizens and Disabled Will Receive Free Shuttle Service
By Erica Madison
In response to a planned reduction of Measure B Paratransit funds, the City Manager suggested free shuttle service for Alameda’s senior and disabled citizens in a City Council meeting on Nov. 3, 2009.
The Alameda’s Paratransit Program provides services to senior citizens and the disabled. Funding for this program comes from Measure B Paratransit revenues. With Measure B Paratransit revenues, the Paratransit program has provided senior and disabled citizens with a premium taxi service. This service provides discounted East Bay Paratransit tickets to senior citizens and disabled riders. Unfortunately, the usage level of this service is so low, it’s created an excess of Measure B revenues.
The Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority (ACTIA) has ordered the budget for Measure B reduced. ACTIA has also ordered the Paratransit Advisory Planning Committee (PAPCO) to create a new transportation program.
To solve this problem PAPCO and the City Manager Anne Marie Gallant, are suggesting that the City Council members approve a free shuttle service instead of the premium taxi service. The idea stems from the popularity of shuttle services in Hayward and San Leandro.
The new shuttle service will take senior and disabled citizens to key destinations in the city, such as shopping malls, BART and medical centers. The Shuttle will run three days a week, for six hours a day.
According to PAPCO, the new program is better. The premium taxi service offered a 50 percent subsidy, while the shuttle service will be offered 100 percent free to riders.
The shuttle service is expected to begin March 2010.
Tags: 94501, 94502, Alameda, Alameda City Manager, BART, city council, disabled, free, measure b, PAPCO, Paratransit, revenues, senior citizens, shuttle, taxi
