City transit service announces several changes

With ridership on Carson City's public transportation service up 26 percent this year, officials have come up with new ways to better serve residents.

Among the new measures are increased service to the disabled through the Jump Around Carson Assist program called JAC Assist, said Transportation Director Patrick Pittenger.

"Previously, if someone was more than three-quarters of a mile from an established (bus) route, they were out of luck," Pittenger said. "There have been a few unfortunate circumstances, so we're going to expand it out to one mile."

JAC Assist is a door-to-door service for the disabled.

He gave an example of someone who might have a ride one way for a dialysis appointment, but if the person lived outside the service area, and didn't have another form of transportation, they would face a hardship.

Ken Smithson, the city's transit coordinator, said the American Disabilities Act requires the city to serve anyone living within three-quarters of a mile of the route and to charge no more than twice as much as a regular fare, for example, $2 instead of $1.

But by extending the service to one mile for a non-ADA fare, the city will offer better service but be able to charge $4 to help recoup some of the costs of extending the range, he said.

"We still see this as a benefit to people, but for us, it is still not a true cost of the trips," Smithson said.

"In the past, we've had to deny trips to people, which we didn't like to do, but this change will cover most of the city and make a significant increase in the amount of people we serve," Pittenger said.

The new service will be available Oct. 1.

Another change, which takes effect on that day, Pittenger said, is a less rigid enforcement of the JAC Assist age requirement.

Anyone 80 years or older will no longer need to present documentation for their disability, he said.

"We changed our policy," Pittenger said. "We're not going to ask them for proof anymore. If they're 80 and they say they need the service, we're not going to turn them down."

In addition, five new bus stop shelters have been acquired, which will bring to 15 the number available, throughout town. One is at Fuji Park across the street from Costco. Two others will be on Roop Street - one at the library and one at the community center. Another was added in front of the transfer station on Plaza Street. The location of the fifth one is still being determined.

Pittenger said this is good news. The work on Roop Street has affected JAC service, but the portion south of William Street likely will open by the end of the month with the two new shelters in place.

"We've been impacted like everyone else, and we're eager for Roop to open," he said. "We haven't been able to serve the library and community center directly, and we've also had reduced access to the senior center."

Pittenger said he is also happy to report that a grant has been received to offer free rides to seniors 60 and older for another year, but seniors will need to re-register and get their new cards.

Of the 12,500 JAC pickups last month, one-third were for seniors, he said.

The city's transportation department will be in the lobby of the senior center, 911 Beverly Drive, Sept. 27-Oct. 1 during the lunch hour to help seniors with the new registration process.