June 17, 2009
Dial-A-Ride Service May Be Cut Back
Citing falling ridership, the operators of the West Shores Dial-A-Ride service say they may have to cut service from five days a week to three days a week.
In fiscal year 2004 – 2005, the program's income was $8,710 or 10.8 percent of the program's cost. By fiscal year 2008-2009, those numbers had fallen to $4,549 and 5.3 percent, respectively.The service provides low-cost transportation to the western shore communities of the Salton Sea.
According to a report presented to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, the service has not been able to achieve what is called a state mandated farebox ratio of ten percent, where the fares collected equal ten percent of the expenses for the program.
Imperial County Supervisor Gary Wyatt said even if the county could find more funding for the program, the ten percent figure would still have to be achieved.
“This is not a county regulation, there is nothing we can do about this,” Wyatt said. “If we had money to put there, which we don't, we couldn't change this. The farebox has to achieve ten percent of whatever the expenses are, period.”
In March of 2007, the hours for the program were cut from ten per day to eight per day. Last September, county supervisors increased the fare from $1 to $2.50 in order to achieve the state mandate and qualify for state funds. That action did not result in more revenue.
The service is currently operated by ARC-Imperial Valley, which provides employment, transportation, first-aid training and a job line for mentally and physically challenged people here in Imperial County. ARC took over the operation of the service in 2006 after the previous operator declined to bid again for the project.
Now officials from the county and from ARC are citing falling revenue as a reason to cut service to the West Shores area. In fiscal year 2004 – 2005, the program's income was $8,710 or 10.8 percent of the program's cost. By fiscal year 2008-2009, those numbers had fallen to $4,549 and 5.3. percent respectively.
Wyatt noted several reasons for the decline in ridership.
“There's far fewer people in the community,” Wyatt told the board of supervisors. “They abandon their houses to be repossessed, and so we have a lot of that situation gong on, and so there's quite a few empty houses there, so that hasn't helped.”
He added that hot summer weather meant some people would leave the area, resuting fewer potential riders.
“Your coming into the summertime when you have the lowest ridership anyway simply because many of the people that avail themselves of it leave the area in the hot weather.”
The supervisors were asked to consider dropping two days of service.
A community meeting at a community service center in the West Shores area to discuss the issue was set for last night. Several county supervisors said they wanted to wait for the results of that meeting before they make a final decision.
In fiscal year 2004 – 2005, the program's income was $8,710 or 10.8 percent of the program's cost. By fiscal year 2008-2009, those numbers had fallen to $4,549 and 5.3 percent, respectively.The service provides low-cost transportation to the western shore communities of the Salton Sea.
According to a report presented to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, the service has not been able to achieve what is called a state mandated farebox ratio of ten percent, where the fares collected equal ten percent of the expenses for the program.
Imperial County Supervisor Gary Wyatt said even if the county could find more funding for the program, the ten percent figure would still have to be achieved.
“This is not a county regulation, there is nothing we can do about this,” Wyatt said. “If we had money to put there, which we don't, we couldn't change this. The farebox has to achieve ten percent of whatever the expenses are, period.”
In March of 2007, the hours for the program were cut from ten per day to eight per day. Last September, county supervisors increased the fare from $1 to $2.50 in order to achieve the state mandate and qualify for state funds. That action did not result in more revenue.
The service is currently operated by ARC-Imperial Valley, which provides employment, transportation, first-aid training and a job line for mentally and physically challenged people here in Imperial County. ARC took over the operation of the service in 2006 after the previous operator declined to bid again for the project.
Now officials from the county and from ARC are citing falling revenue as a reason to cut service to the West Shores area. In fiscal year 2004 – 2005, the program's income was $8,710 or 10.8 percent of the program's cost. By fiscal year 2008-2009, those numbers had fallen to $4,549 and 5.3. percent respectively.
Wyatt noted several reasons for the decline in ridership.
“There's far fewer people in the community,” Wyatt told the board of supervisors. “They abandon their houses to be repossessed, and so we have a lot of that situation gong on, and so there's quite a few empty houses there, so that hasn't helped.”
He added that hot summer weather meant some people would leave the area, resuting fewer potential riders.
“Your coming into the summertime when you have the lowest ridership anyway simply because many of the people that avail themselves of it leave the area in the hot weather.”
The supervisors were asked to consider dropping two days of service.
A community meeting at a community service center in the West Shores area to discuss the issue was set for last night. Several county supervisors said they wanted to wait for the results of that meeting before they make a final decision.