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Existing
Services
Background
There are a number
of transportation service providers within the four county project area.
Otsego County has a county-wide dial-a-ride public transit
system. The other three
counties operate bus systems through the Commission on Aging.
While buses are open to general public usage, the primary focus
of these systems is to service the elderly and handicapped population of
each county. A number of
agencies provide client based transportation services.
These services include mileage reimbursement, volunteer drivers,
and agency vehicles. In
order to develop a regional grant application, it is necessary to
conduct an inventory of existing services in the four county area.
The information
sources for this report were obtained from several sources.
Michigan Department of Transportation UPTRAN provided 1997-98
operational information for each MDOT funded transit system.
Information was also obtained from the recently completed draft
Presque Isle County Transportation Study, prepared by Wade-Trim, Inc. In addition, a questionnaire was sent to each bus system and
several agencies.
Otsego
County
The
Otsego County Bus System is a countywide demand response transit system.
The operation was established in 1978 as a demand-response system
serving area seniors and persons with disabilities.
In 1980 the system became countywide public transit system
serving all county residents.
Service
Information
The
bus system operates Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Peak usage times are 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. which
are work related trips. The
usage remains relatively constant each day of the week.
However, from September to June, due to transportation of schools
kids, there is a higher daily ridership.
Records indicate student ridership of 1500 per month during these
months.
All
of Otsego County is serviced by the system.
While riders are transported throughout the county, the major
trip origins and destinations are in the greater Gaylord area. Major
trip destinations include Crossroads Industries, a sheltered workshop;
Otsego Memorial Hospital; doctor and dentist offices; Kmart and
Wal-Mart; grocery stores; KBYTE, Standard Products, and Georgia Pacific;
and schools. The total
miles driven in 1998 are 342,273 miles.
Fleet
Information
Otsego
County Bus System has a fleet of 13 buses.
Eleven of the buses are 21 passenger and two of the buses are
seven passenger. All
vehicles are equipped with wheelchair lifts.
The buses are in excellent operating condition.
Ridership
In
1998 the estimated daily ridership (one-way trips) was 400 persons. The annual ridership, again calculated as one way trips was
90,423 persons. According
to a MDOT report 60 percent or 55,131 persons were elderly and or
disabled persons.
Funding
Sources
The
funding sources for fiscal year 2000 include: state and federal -
$650,000; Local millage $193,000; advertising - $25,000; and ridership
fares - $140,000. Total
estimated available funds for the year 2000 will be $1,008,000.
Cheboygan
County
Cheboygan
County Council on Aging (CCCOA) operates a countywide bus system. The
system focuses on serving the needs of seniors and handicapped
individuals. The area of
coverage includes all of Cheboygan County and Wawatam, Carp Lake and
Bliss Townships in Emmet County. CCCOA
receives capital assistance through the state/federal 16(b)2 program and
operational costs are partially funded through the Specialized Service
program at MDOT. Buses
operate out of Senior Centers located in Cheboygan, Wolverine and
Mackinaw City.
Service
Information
The
buses assigned to the Cheboygan Center and Wolverine Senior Center
operate Sunday through Thursday.
The buses assigned to the Mackinaw Center operate Sunday, and
Tuesday through Friday. The
hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for Cheboygan and 2:00
p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for Wolverine and Mackinaw City.
The primary service operation is transporting seniors to and from
the three Senior Centers. Users
pay $1.00 per ride. Primary
out of county destinations are casinos in the upper peninsula and
Traverse City area. Also,
the buses are used to take short trips to other counties to visit
neighboring senior centers. CCCOA
is under contract with Crossroads to transport persons to the Crossroads
sheltered workshop in the City of Cheboygan.
CCCOA has a 6-month contract with Northeast
Michigan Consortium to transport persons from Cheboygan to
Mackinaw City for employment purposes.
Fleet
Information
CCCOA
operate eight buses and one club van.
The buses are all equipped with wheel chair lifts and are either
10+2 wheel chairs or 12+2 wheel chairs.
The Ford Club Van does not have a wheel chair lift. Vehicles are
kept on a maintenance schedule according to State of Michigan
requirements. Three of the vehicles, including the club van, are
scheduled for replacement.
Ridership
In
1998 the estimated daily ridership (one-way trips) was 30 persons. The annual ridership, again calculated as one way trips was
9,290. According to a
MDOT report 100 percent of the riders were elderly and or disabled
persons.
Funding
Sources
The
funding sources include: state and federal - $49,039; contract with
Crossroads $11,016; grant from Northeast Michigan Consortium - $16,150;
and ridership fares - $2,326. Total
estimated available funds for the year 1999 are $78,531.
Presque
Isle County
Presque
Isle County Council on Aging (PICCA) operates a county-wide bus system.
The system focuses on serving the needs of seniors and handicapped
individuals, although general public may ride the buses.
The area of coverage includes all of Presque County.
Council on Aging receives capital assistance through the
state/federal 16(b)2 program and operational costs are partially funded
through the Specialized Service program at MDOT and a county-wide
millage. Buses operate out
of the Senior Center located north of Posen.
Service
Information
According
to the recently completed Presque Isle County Transportation Study,
prepared by Wade-Trim, Inc., PICCA
provides a demand/response service.
Buses transport passengers to medical appointments, shopping and
personal errands for in-town Rogers City appointments Tuesday through
Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday mornings.
A bus transports seniors to the Onaway Senior Center for meals on
Tuesday and Thursday, and to the Posen Senior Center on Wednesdays.
PICCA
provides monthly trips out of county for medical appointments, shopping
and errands. On the first
Monday of each month, a bus transports people to Cheboygan, on the
second and fourth Mondays to Alpena and on the third Monday to Petoskey.
Buses are made available to adult foster care homes and senior
resident homes. transportation
is also provided for special trips, parties at senior centers and meals
at local restaurants. On
Tuesdays, students from the Presque Isle County Children’s House are
transported to the library for story hour. Passengers are asked to
donate $1.00 for in county trips and more for out county trips.
Fleet
Information
PICCA
operates three buses, all equipped with wheel chair lifts. Two of the
buses are in good operating condition and are kept on a maintenance
schedule according to State of Michigan requirements.
The third bus in need of repair is used only as a back-up.
Ridership
In
1998 the estimated daily ridership (one-way trips) was 44 persons.
According to a MDOT report from October 1997 to September 1998, the
annual ridership was 7,643. Of
this amount, 90 percent of the riders were elderly and or disabled
persons.
Funding
Sources
The
funding sources include: state and federal - $37,000; county millage
$7,000 - $10,000 and other $5,000 - $6,000.
Emmet
County
Friendship
Centers of Emmet County operates a countywide bus system. The system
focuses on serving the needs of seniors and handicapped individuals,
although anyone can ride if space is available.
The area of coverage includes all of Emmet County.
Friendship Center receives capital assistance through the
state/federal 16(b)2 program and operational costs are partially funded
through the Specialized Service program at MDOT and a county millage.
Service
Information
The
buses operate Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Peak usage times are 10:00 am. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to
3:00 p.m. Peak days of the
week are Tuesday and Thursday. The
usage has a seasonal nature with September through May having higher
usage due to school related trips. The primary service operation is
transporting seniors to and from the Friendship Centers.
Riders are picked up at their homes and transported for medical
appointments, shopping, and personal appointments.
Fleet
Information
Friendship
Centers operate six vehicles, one van and five buses.
Four of the vehicles are equipped with wheel chair, however, only
one is fully operational. Vehicles
are kept on a maintenance schedule according to State of Michigan
requirements. All but one vehicle are in good operating condition.
Ridership
In
1998 the estimated daily ridership (one-way trips) was 60 to 100
persons. The annual
ridership, again calculated as one way trips was 20,000 to 25,000.
According to a MDOT report from October 1997 to September 1998,
the annual ridership was 27,881. Of
this amount, 92 percent of the riders were elderly and or disabled
persons.
Funding
Sources
The
funding sources include state, federal and a county millage.
Family
Independence Agencies
FIA
use a volunteer driver program for transporting clients.
Agencies do not own buses. Only
persons eligible for FIA programs can receive these services.
There is no charge for persons to be transported under the
volunteer driver program. Charleviox-Emmet FIA spend about $8,700 per year and Presque
Isle County FIA spends $10,000 to $11,000 per year.
People living in Otsego County are able to use the County bus
system.
Crossroads
Industries, Inc.
Crossroads
Industries operates sheltered workshops in Gaylord and Cheboygan.
These programs provide employment opportunities for
developmentally disabled adults. While Crossroads does not operate
vehicles to transport clients, it does contract for services.
The Otsego County Bus System, under contract with Crossroads
Industries, transport about
50 people per day to the Gaylord workshop. In Cheboygan County, Crossroads Industries contracts with a
number of sources such as home providers, Council on Aging, private
taxies etc. to transport people to the Cheboygan workshop.
Approximately $70,000 is expended annually to transport people
within Cheboygan County. |