Transit Complementary Paratransit Deadline Nears

by Jonathan Weaver

Even though a new transit service was offered last week via Town and Country Transit, no trips have been taken so far.

General Manager Patti Lynn Baker said complementary paratransit began locally March 7, but only one application has been totally completed with others in the works.

Armstrong County residents must apply for complementary paratransit if they live within a three-quarter of a mile radius around an existing fixed-route route and their trip corresponds within the same days and times of an existed fixed-route trip.

“An individual who wants this service has to meet eligibility requirements because just because they have a disability doesn’t necessarily mean they’re unable to ride fixed-route,” Baker said in February. “There are people with disabilities – they might even have a wheelchair – but that doesn’t mean they will qualify for this program.”

There is no priority based on destination, but those individuals that do qualify must pre-register for trips by 3:45PM the day prior.

Transit officials have up to 21 days to process an application toward the unfunded mandate. Applications are available at the Town and Country Transit headquarters along North Grant Avenue in Kittanning.

The law permits Town and Country Transit to charge up to twice the amount of fixed-route fares for complementary paratransit trips.

Transit officials sent applications a second time to applicable Persons with Disabilities (PwD) passengers that live in the appropriate area.

“If they don’t complete that new application and send it back to us, those PwD trips in that zone will cease to be paid for by PennDOT on April 30,” Baker said.

Complementary paratransit will operate during normal fixed-route hours – 5:30AM to 10:40PM.

After February 25’s pair of open houses to listen to community input, surveys are also available to provide feedback through the website SurveyGizmo.

“To date, we have 85 fixed-route surveys turned in and 135 shared-ride ones,” Baker said. “We’re pretty pleased with that – I think a lot of the feedback’s very positive.”

Staff from CHPlanning in Philadelphia will compile the survey data and return it to Town and Country Transit for review.

Baker looked forward to the final batch of data.

During last month’s evening public meeting, AECOM Planning Development Manager Andrew Ittigson, of the firm’s Dallas Texas, office said passengers expressed the need for direct routing in Ford City, the Franklin-Village Mall area of East Franklin Township and more trips outside the current service area into Butler and Pittsburgh.

Transportation Planning Project Manager Keith Johnson has worked 17 years in the Pittsburgh office. Last year, he helped with a similar plan for Mid-Mon Valley transit.

He said goals in any short-term transit plans are similar.

“We’re looking at ‘How can we increase ridership?’ and ‘Are there ways we can make the existing system more efficient (by) saving money?” Johnson said.
Several locals were interested in having a restroom at the transit station, too, Service Planner Will Calves said.

In addition to Baker and Operations Manager Gerry Miller, municipal board representatives Steve Anderson, Hyatt Hawk and Henry Mores also attended the open houses.

Initial field work for the short-range transit plan began in December. Ittigson and Calves said recommendations will be given to Town and Country Transit leaders in the next few months.

A link to the survey is available on the organization’s Facebook account and copies are available at the Kittanning headquarters during business hours.