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49 <br /> <br />APPROPRIATION: $19,493 - JAUNT HANDICAPPED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM <br /> <br /> Mr. Hendrix stated that the Jefferson Area United <br />Transportation (JAUNT) Program has offered a $0.50 fare to <br />handicapped person for door-to-door service and that a <br />shortfall of $19,493 occurred in JAUNT's previous fiscal <br />year which ended September 30th, due to increased ridership. <br />Mr. Hendrix stated that some social service agencies who <br />previously paid their client's transportation costs have <br />encouraged their clients to ride individually at the reduced <br />$0.50 rate. Mr. Hendrix stated that $11,000 had been <br />budgeted by the City for the reduced fare in the current <br />fiscal year, but a deficit of as much as $42,000 could be <br />realized if the rates are not increased. Mr. Hendrix stated <br />that no additional federal funds are available for the <br />increased ridership. Mr. Hendrix stated that staff <br />recommended increasing the individual fare to $1.50 and <br />offering curb-to-curb service instead of door-to-door <br />service. Mr.~ Hendrix requested that Council authorize these <br />changes as well as approve the $19,493 appropriation. <br /> <br /> Ms. Linda Wilson, Director of JAUNT, stated that the <br />actual cost of each ride averages $4.20 and that the $0.50 <br />fare has caused a dramatic increase in the ridership. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Mr. Buck, Ms. Wilson <br />stated that money would be saved by offering curb-to-curb <br />service, but riders would be lost by not offering door-to- <br />door service° Ms. Wilson stated that JAUNTJs service has <br />become very personalized and many times drivers help the <br />clients beyond merely picking them up at their door. <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck recommended that JAUNT limit their service to <br />a truly door-to-door service and thereby reduce the time <br />spent with each client. <br /> <br /> Dr. Hall stated that he was concerned with the effect <br />of the fare increase on elderly persons. <br /> <br /> Mr. David Mitchell of 800 B Shamrock Road, stated that <br />if the fare for JAUNT was increased, then all the City buses <br />should be lift-equipped in order to comply with federal <br />requirements for providing equivalent transportation for <br />handicapped persons. <br /> <br /> Mr. Steve Vosper of Blue Ridge House, stated that the <br />fare increase would make it difficult for Blue Ridge House <br />clients to pay for JAUNT service. <br /> <br /> Ms. Sue Windsor, Director of the Thomas Jefferson Adult <br />Day Care Center, stated that clients of the Adult Day Care <br />Center would have difficulty paying the increased JAUNT fare <br />and are also experiencing trouble by JAUNT's new requirement <br />that clients pay for each ride instead of billing° <br /> <br /> Mr. Tom Vandever, Director of the Independence Resource <br />Center, stated that the $0.50 fare had been a mechanism for <br />providing service comparable to Charlottesville Transit <br />Service. Mr. Vandever stated that JAUNT service must be <br />arranged 24 hours in advance. Mr. Vandever stated that he <br />did not believe there was evidence showing that social <br />service agencies had stopped paying for their client's <br />transportation, and that the $0.50 fare had been an <br />incentive for additional handicapped riders. Mr. Vandever <br />recommended that both the JAUNT service and the City's lift- <br />equipped buses be advertised. Mr. Vandever stated that <br />social service agencies do not have the funds to pay the $17 <br />per hour to utilize JAUNT's services. Mr. Vandever <br />opposed the proposed rate increase. <br /> <br /> Ms. Laura Emerson~ a 9th grader at Charlottesville <br />High School, opposed the rate increase. <br /> <br /> <br />