Mary MacInnes, head of the PVTA, says the services constituted 3% of all Pioneer Valley's trips per year, but 20% of operating costs.
Mary MacInnes, Pioneer Valley Transit Authority administrator, says the PVTA's costs for disabled and elderly paratransit services rose from $2.404 million in 2000 to $7.561 million for the most recent full fiscal year, up 215 percent.BOSTON – The leader of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority in Springfield is supporting a statewide effort aimed at limiting the rising costs of providing special transportation services to the disabled and elderly people.
Gov. Deval L. Patrick has signed an executive order establishing a commission to study ways to save costs on the specialized services, while also improving them. The commission will examine the federally mandated services provided by the state’s 15 regional transit authorities, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston and the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services.
Mary L. MacInnes, the Pioneer Valley authority’s administrator, said she would like to find ways to cut costs of the authority’s specialized services, one for the disabled and another for seniors who are 60 and older, both called paratransit service.
She said officials at transit authorities have been concerned about the challenging costs of providing the services. The services, provided by vans equipped with lifts, constituted 3 percent of all Pioneer Valley’s trips per year, but 20 percent of operating costs, she said.
“The paratransit service is extremely costly to operate,” MacInnes said.
The authority’s costs for the two paratransit services rose from $2.404 million in 2000 to $7.561 million for the most recent full fiscal year, up 215 percent, she said. The two services now are 20 percent of the authority’s $37.6 million annual operating costs, she said.
Under the programs, people make reservations for the door-to-door service and fares can be $2.50 to $3.50 for a one-way trip, depending on locations for pick-ups and drop-offs, said a guide provided by the authority.
That’s different and more complex than the authority’s regular service, which has fixed routes and specific times for stops at established terminals. Students and others without vehicles often use the fixed-route services.
James Kruidenier, executive director of the Stavros Center for Independent Living in Amherst, an advocacy organization for the disabled, said the commission will likely look at ways to move the disabled to regular, fixed-route service. He said that could be difficult to achieve since, for example, the disabled often use the transit service to attend a medical appointment at a particular time that could clash with the schedule of a fixed route.
Kruidenier said he is concerned about possible service cuts.
“Sometimes the numbers aren’t in our favor,” he said. “That’s a real concern.”
The Pioneer Valley authority provides fixed-route bus service and paratransit service to 24 communities, including Amherst, Chicopee, Holyoke, Northampton, Palmer, Springfield and Westfield.
According to Patrick’s order, the study commission will have up to 16 members, including two representatives from regional transit authorities and two members representing paratransit riders.
A report would need to be provided within six months. The report could include recommendations for changing the current ways of providing the special services.