Valley Transit District: specialized transportation services for the elderly, handicapped, and low-income in the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut. Final report

Technical Report · Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:5851567

Kocur, G

A multifaceted demonstration with special emphasis on service to the elderly and handicapped has been operating in the Lower Naugatuck Valley of Connecticut since January 1973. The system has included limited fixed-route service, demand responsive door-to-door service, subscription service, and contract bus service for social-service agencies and other groups in the Valley. An automated fare-collection system using credit cards and monthly billings to eliminate the need for cash payment was used from 1973 to 1975. Fare subsidization for handicapped and elderly citizens is facilitated by this computerized system which bills sponsoring agencies according to the use of the transportation services by their clients during the previous billing period. The user-side subsidies and monthly billings were continued after 1975 using manual methods. Of the target population of 12,000 individuals, 600 are regular, heavy users of the Valley Transit District (VTD), with few of the others using the system at all. VTD users are primarily low-income, autoless elderly from small households. The system operates 10 vehicles daily to provide its services; the average hourly cost is near $12. The system has earned revenues equal to almost 50% of its costs, although 40% of its revenues have been derived from user-side subsidy funds. Finally, VTD has withstood several challenges in regulatory and institutional areas from private bus operators and has slowly expanded its services throughout the demonstration. It is currently operating in post-demonstration status under ongoing funding.

• Research Organization: Cambridge Systematics, Inc., MA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5851567
• Report Number(s): UMTA-CT-06-0003-79-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
ELDERLY PEOPLE
SOCIAL SERVICES
HANDICAPPED PEOPLE
LOW INCOME GROUPS
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
SUBSIDIES
BUSES
CONNECTICUT
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
INCOME
NUMERICAL DATA
OPERATION
RELIABILITY
TABLES
URBAN AREAS
AGE GROUPS
DATA
DATA FORMS
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
INFORMATION
MINORITY GROUPS
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH ATLANTIC REGION
USA
VEHICLES
290200* - Energy Planning & Policy- Economics & Sociology
320203 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Transportation- Land & Roadway
320600 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Municipalities & Community Systems- (1980-)