AG 1999 06 21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Transportation staff, the following objectives have been developed for the initial period of planning and implementation..T?y address the question of "mobility fgr whom?" and 'at what cost"? It should be noted, how;vet, that the system obiectives will change over time as the system matures and other community needs ar~ addressed. Objective #1 - Provide transit service to workers To satisfy the journey-to-work trip requirements of area residents the focus must not simply be on employers in Charlotte, for example, but on region-wide employment centers including those that are local. Major destinations within the study area have sufficient employment to justify a study of options. The success of any new services will be dependent on a number of factors, including the participation of employers in facilitating "transit access' to their locations, infrastructure improvements such as park-and-ride lots, queue jumpers (priority treatment for transit at traffic signals) other transit priority measures, and vehicles that transport the workers. Objective #2 - Improve local services The existing, very limited service provided for medical patients should be expanded to serve a general population. This may involve fixed route as well as dial-a-ride services and a combination of these services aimed at specific population components. Tl~¢ most obvinus [~opulation group is the DSS client base of more than 400 people who use~he existin~ service. ~" Expanded services for shopping, healthcare, and leisure activities are important for the growing sector of the population that is not comfortable driving alone anymore. The study area is quite diverse in terms of the level of development. Parts are very urban and parts are suburban and rural. Services in each of these three sectors may be different. Objective #3 - Riders should pay a fair share of the operating costs The fact that every transit service in the United Stat~ i~ subsidi?e-q to mm~ extent ~ht~nld not mean that the eh[ire cost is a taxpayer responsibility. It is appropriate for a transit rider going to work to pay a share of the trip cost, and share in the benefits of lower operating costs for the family car, and it is appropriate for seniors who are traveling to Medicaid appointments to pay a smaller share. However, everyone should be charged a fare to use the system, and the fares should contribute 30-50% of the operating cost when the system has matured. ~e, ratin~ subsidies Coevond the farebgx return) would then be the responsibilit~t of the local c~ommunities. Both Federal and State assistance is available, but will not likely be sufficient on their own. A._A local source of revenue, dedicated to transit support, will be requir.ed.