Council votes to continue subsidized taxi service in city
By Sharon Haught
January 18, 2010
661
The nearly 775 riders who use the city of Woosters subsidized taxi service just received the welcome news that city council has approved continuance of the program through 2010.
During their Jan. 4 meeting, council voted unanimously to continue the program, which makes it possible for income eligible citizens of Wooster to travel throughout the city at a reduced rate.
Under the program, which is managed through the Wooster Parks and Recreation Department, if the customer meets the income level, they pay us $3 per ride anywhere, from any part of town to any other part of Wooster, and the city pays the taxi company $5 for that ride, explained Chuck Malta, parks and recreation manager.
To participate in the program, eligible residents purchase cards redeemable by local taxi service Miller Cab. According to Malta, eligible Wooster residents may purchase individual cards for $3 each or a pack of 10 cards for $30, with each card being redeemable for one transport within the city limits.
The subsidized taxi program has been an important resource for low-income families since its inception in 1996 when the city terminated its bus service due to the loss of federal funding. The need for a transportation service of this type became even greater with the disbanding of the Holmes-Wayne-Tuscarawas Transportation System, which ceased operations in April of 2008 due to rising fuel costs and the unavailability of federal grant funding.
Demand for the program has steadily increased over the past few years. In 2005, the system provided approximately 28,000 rides to about 350 program participants. That figure increased to approximately 36,500 rides in 2006 and 51,000 rides in 2007 for approximately 500 participants.
Malta advised council that those numbers increased again in 2008 when the program provided 59,504 transports for 626 riders.
While the program served 774 riders in 2009, based on figures through November of 2009, the total number of rides is expected to be closer to 50,000, said Malta, noting that while the number of riders is up, theyre using it less.
The numbers are going to be slightly down in 2009 for one of the first times ever. There are some reasons for that, said Malta.
People are not buying 10 passes at a time anymore. They are buying one, two or three just to get them where they need to go, he said, noting, I think thats a reflection on the economy.
Also, one of the agencies thats out of business – Interfaith Housing – had purchased a lot of passes, said Malta, adding that two others are also no longer buying large numbers of taxi passes.
Malta stated that in 2008, the city spent just $121,113 to provide 59,504 individual taxi rides to eligible city residents. While the city actually paid the taxi company $258,962 in 2008, Malta said the city received revenue of $137,849 from the sale of the passes to program participants.
When asked by members of council what type of participation he expected for the coming year, Malta responded, we dont know what will happen in 2010, but I would imagine its pretty much topped off.
