Elderly, disabled citizens aim to save taxi vouchers

MANTECA -- About 60 elderly and disabled residents who rely on the city-subsidized taxi voucher program pleaded to regional transportation planners on Monday to keep what is for some, their only means of transportation.

Close to 40 residents attended a 2 p.m. meeting of the San Joaquin Council of Government's annual Unmet Transit Needs Hearings.

Lana Thieme, a three-year Manteca resident, attended the

7 p.m. meeting, which was held in front of the City Council. Thieme is a wheelchair-bound stroke victim. Her 32-year old son has Down syndrome.

"The only transportation he and I have at night is the cab service," she said.

Residents who utilize the taxi voucher program like its personalized service; drivers often help by carrying bags and packages into their passengers' homes and wait during stops at the doctor or post office.

The city pays 80 percent of the costs for taxi vouchers for 531 elderly and disabled residents, or about $16 of a $20 voucher book.In 2004-05, the city spent about

$311,000, or about $586 per person, on the voucher program, paid for by local transportation funds from gasoline and sales taxes.

The city planned to cut the taxi program and use that money, along with some federal grants, for a new transit system. It would consist of two fixed bus routes and dial-a-ride service and be up and running by early 2006.

However, if SJCOG determines there are unmet transit needs during its annual hearing process, the city would have to continue to subsidize the taxi voucher program with its local transportation funds, said Danielle Kochman, a regional planner at SJGOG.

SJGOG's findings are due out in a report in May and affect next year's funding plan, to start on July 1, 2006.

The city's Transportation Analyst, Adam Emmer, looked into Tracy's taxi voucher program as an option for Manteca.

Emmer said Tracy runs a limited voucher program that operates during off-service hours, such as evenings and weekends.

And Tracy subsidizes only 50 percent of the cost, Emmer said.

When he spoke about that detail, an audible gasp from taxi riders could be heard.

Beverly Williams, who suffers from epilepsy and arthritis, demanded more information about the buses.

"Is a bus going to come into my trailer park and get me?" she asked.

"Yes," Emmer said, adding that curb-to-curb service to the El Rancho Mobile Home Park would be provided by the dial-a-ride buses.

However, many residents were cautious and said the county's dial- a-ride service was either late or did not show up at all.

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