City of Lawrence

Public Hearing minutes

April 11, 2007 minutes

MEMBERS PRESENT:	PTAC Chair Marian Hukle, Marc Epard, David Dunfield.
STAFF PRESENT:	Cliff Galante, Public Transit Administrator (PTA), Emily Lubliner, Wendy Koerner, Mike Sweeten
PUBLIC PRESENT:	Hubbard Collinsworth, Pat Slick, Dennis Highberger, Arthur John Schmidt, Alan Black, Tom Worker-Braddon, Michael Caron, Tolgay Figarelli, Robert Eberwein, Lois Ammel, Saunny Scott, James Dunn, Nancy Dunn, S. True, Kenneth Gale, Bill Sims.

*Note: Public Comments minutes are limited to discussion related to the proposed fare increases and the proposed policy changes.

Call to Order

The public hearing was opened at 5:00 p.m.

Overview of Proposed Policy Changes and Fare Increases

PTA began by stating tonight’s public hearing opens a 30-day public comment period, in which citizens who wish to comment or make suggestions regarding the proposed changes, can do so. All comments must be made in writing and submitted to the Public Transit Administrator (PTA) via fax, the postal service, e-mail, or in person at the Public Transit Office at 933 New Hampshire Street. The deadline for comments is May 11, 2007. Copies of the proposed changes are available for viewing on our Web site at www.lawrencetransit.org, the Lawrence Public Library, the Planning Department in City Hall, and the Public Transit Office, located at 933 New Hampshire Street. PTA said he will use a PowerPoint presentation to outline the proposed changes that have been reviewed by the Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC). A copy of the presentation is included in the minutes as Attachment A.

Public Comment

Pat Slick pointed out the half-fare price on the fixed-route cannot be more than half of the regular fare for the newly proposed day pass. Otherwise, he said he liked a lot of what was being proposed. He said he did not support waiving fares on the fixed-route for disabled individuals as there is a certain amount of dignity involved. PTA said this idea was discussed by the committee, but then discounted as an option.

Pat said that some local agencies accept self-declarations of disability, and would automatically sign off on anyone who wants to certify for the T Lift, regardless of the nature of the disability. He feels we will run into the same problems we already have in regards to the honor system for people declaring disabilities.

Pat said he uses the T Lift occasionally because some parts of Lawrence are not “walkable.” He finds it quite traumatic to attempt to cross busy streets, even at controlled intersections. He feels if we want people to use the fixed-route, rather than the T Lift, then we ought to find some way, over the long run, to allow for much safer pedestrian transit. Pat also said route numbers on buses are difficult to read, especially for those who are vision impaired, and thinks they should be moved over a little. He would also like to see route numbers on the backs of the vehicles.

Pat added that if we plan to increase the fares, and still want to attract additional choice riders, then we need to increase the frequency of the routes. He said our routes are some of the shortest he has ridden, and the public may perceive that a higher cost for a short trip is not a value. He said he liked the idea of people showing identification to prove they are eligible for reduced fares. He rides at least 60 times per month and thinks the general perception is that people can just get on the bus and pay the reduced fare with no consequences. He said we need to consider how we are going to enforce the new fare requirements as it may result in service delays.

Tom Worker-Braddon said he is a KU student who relied on the bus for the first three months he was here. His wife doesn’t have a driver’s license and is dependent on the bus. He said he pretty much agrees with the proposed changes that will affect him. He said it’s pretty common to see people only pay a quarter to ride with no questions asked. He is concerned about the new policy for T Lift riders who cancel 50% or more of their scheduled rides in a 90 day period. He thought that if someone only schedules two trips in a 90 day period, and ends up having to cancel one trip, the penalty should be different than someone who uses the system more often and cancels a lot more trips. On the issue of certification, he feels that requiring applications to be hand-delivered may place an undue burden on applicants who have disabilities. He asked that we consider accepting electronic versions of applications. PTA clarified that the applicant would be required to give the blank form to the certifying professional, and the certifying professional would be required to complete the form and submit it on behalf of the applicant. PTA also informed the public that anyone who is up for suspension of their paratransit services has the right to appeal the suspension. No shows and late-cancellations, determined to be beyond the control of the individual, are not counted against them.

Regarding those who are conditionally certified to use the T Lift, Pat Slick asked who would be making the determinations when they call to make a reservation. PTA replied that it would definitely increase the burden on the part of the transit system to make the determinations, but our existing reservation software allows us to flag individual records of those who are conditionally or temporarily certified. He said this is a practice that many communities use and enforce, and is fully allowable under FTA guidelines. In addition, the T Lift has always had conditionally certified clients. However, we have not actively enforced the policy.

Tolgay Figarelli said she uses the bus system regularly and understands the need for the proposed changes. However, she said she feels if fares are increased, the citizens who use the system should get something they have requested for years, like service later in the evenings, increased frequency, and Sunday service. If these things accompany the fare increase, the increase may be more bearable. If fares are just increased and no service improvements are made, the changes may be controversial. PTA replied that he would like the fare increase to result in service improvements, but at this time, additional funding is needed to maintain our current service levels. The proposed fares increases won’t come close to what is needed for the type of service improvements requested. Tolgay said she felt that the other agencies used for fare comparisons offered greater services in their communities than what we offer, therefore the fares they charge are more reasonable.

Mike Caron said he is attending the meeting on behalf of a chaplain for the jail, who is unable to attend due to another engagement. He said the chaplain relies on the T Lift and she often has difficulty scheduling her bus rides, because she does not know how many people she will be meeting with each time she visits the facility. He said if she only meets with a few people, then she sometimes has to wait up to two hours for her scheduled ride. On the other hand, if she sees more people than anticipated, she misses her scheduled ride and is counted as a no show. In addition, because of the T Lift no-show and late-cancellation policy, she is unable to accept another ride offered to her, because that would result in a late cancel or no show. Mike also said the rate increases will adversely affect those who already have trouble affording transportation costs. He said he spoke with Douglas County Community Corrections, and they have already spent the entire amount they budgeted for the year buying bus passes. If the fares are doubled, they will be in dire straits. He said this will in turn result in people not being able to fulfill their probation requirements.

Alan Black said he is skeptical that the fare increase is necessary. He said when the system first started the city manager didn’t even include fare revenues in the initial budget submission because the amount of money was considered too small to be significant. He also said the national average for farebox revenue is heavily weighted by the large urban transportation systems in cities such as New York and Boston. Alan said that in his opinion, if we need more money, the city commission should raise the property tax to raise the additional funds.

Sharla True said she feels a one-time certification for a lifetime disability should be sufficient, as re-certifications will be costly, to the individuals certifying, as well as the taxpayers. She said she does not feel it’s appropriate for schedulers to determine if conditions are right for a person to schedule a ride. She is also not in favor of suspending service of those who cancel 50% or more of their trips in a 90 day period. PTA clarified the system is a shared ride service, and every ride that is scheduled or canceled either affects other passengers on the bus, or those wishing to schedule a ride. Sharla recommends we call clients the day before to remind riders of their scheduled rides. Sharla also suggested we use smaller buses on the less frequently used routes to save money.

James Dunn said the proposal of a daily pass was a very positive suggestion. James had several suggestions on ways to increase funding and/or ridership such as: “no-fare” zones, advertising on buses, and requiring people to pay downtown parking meters in the evenings, and using the revenue towards transit.

Bill Sims said he is concerned about the duplication of services and fraud. He thinks that any time we add more rules we are putting up barriers to the poor, who are the very people who need the services. He indicated he is not supportive of fare increases.

Saunny Scott agreed that James Dunn’s suggestion to use nighttime parking revenue to fund transit was a good idea. She asked if the forms for re-certification would come in the mail, and PTA replied they would, but we are still trying to work out the logistics of notifying everyone. Saunny asked if the total dollar amount of bus passes the city currently donates to social service agencies would also increase when the fares increase. If not, she suggests the city consider donating more passes.

Adjournment

Public comment period ended at 7:00 p.m. PTA reminded everyone that they could submit any additional comments on the proposed policy and fare changes in writing, until May 11, 2007.

Minutes submitted by Wendy Koerner. Minutes approved by PTAC June 12, 2007.