What is public transportation in Saline County?
Getting from point A to point B using transportation resources that are available to the general public rather than using personal vehicles, walking or biking.
Why is this issue important to the community at this time?
The use of public transportation in Saline County is increasing at a rapid rate. More than 160,000 subsidized public transportation rides were provided in Saline County in 2002, representing a 25 percent increase in rides since the year 2000. The demand for public transportation is expected to continue growing in both the short and long term.
What is causing this to happen?
Population growth among those groups that use public transportation: persons age 75+, persons with disabilities, and persons who cannot afford private transportation. From 1990 to 2000, the Saline County population age 75+ grew by 18 percent, more than double the rate of increase for the total Saline County population./li>
Increased availability of subsidized public transportation. Several Saline County transportation providers have enhanced services with additional public resources. Most significant has been the provision of evening and weekend subsidized public transportation service by OCCK, Inc.
The increasing cost of owning and operating a private vehicle makes it difficult for low-income families to afford adequate personal transportation.
Who is most affected by this issue?
In Saline County, owning and operating a personal vehicle is the preferred and prevailing mode of transportation. Public transportation is an issue for those who lack either the physical/mental ability or the financial means to own and operate a personal vehicle. This includes many in the 75+ age group, many disabled persons, and many low-income individuals and families.
How is this issue being addressed in Salina and Saline County?
Public transportation in Salina and Saline County is provided by several different organizations, including OCCK, Commission on Aging, HOTLINE, Volunteer Connection, Salina Regional Health Center, and several private taxi companies. Rides are available on a demand response (door-to-door) basis, with no fixed-route service at this time. Subsidized providers operate independently of each other but collaborate in planning, funding and delivering services. Public transportation in Saline County is funded with city, county, state and federal government grant dollars, provider-generated funds, United Way, and rider fees.
What are some of the opportunities and challenges presented by this issue?
Opportunities:
Active transportation coalition. The coalition of Salina area transportation providers meets bimonthly to discuss transportation needs and issues and plan solutions and improvements. The coalition collects, compiles and reports quarterly and annual data regarding Salina area public transportation usage and funding.
Public/private partnership. Both HOTLINE and the Commission on Aging partner with several private taxi companies to provided subsidized public transportation services. City and county governments support nonprofit providers and their for-profit partners instead of operating city or county transportation services.
OCCK commitment to public transportation. OCCK has made a major commitment to public transportation in the Salina area, both with its own resources and by successfully competing for several significant state/federal transportation grants. OCCK provided two-thirds of all subsidized rides in the Salina area in 2002.
Challenges:
Funding insecurity. More than half of the funding for subsidized rides in the Salina area in 2002 came from outside of Saline County, in the form of federal and state transportation grants and developmental disability grants.
Unmet needs. Public transportation needs not adequately addressed at this time include riders who require personal assistance in order to use public transportation, and riders who require infant/toddler car seats in order to use public transportation.
Obesity. The increase in riders who are morbidly obese presents a significant challenge for both equipment and personnel.
Lack of centralized dispatch. Riders must identify and contact each provider individually in order to obtain rides from that provider. This leads to confusion among riders about which provider to call for the type of service desired.
Who are contact persons for community action on this issue?
Tom Mulhern, Commission on Aging, 785-827-9818
Phyllis Anderson, OCCK, Inc., 785-827-9383
Bob Hunter, HOTLINE, 785-827-4747
