Agenda - View Meetings (All)

Return

TO:

Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council

FROM:

Jim Collins, Director of Transportation

DATE:

February 25, 2025

SUBJECT:

Res 25-80 Approve Adjustment to GO Transit's Paratransit Service Hours (Transportation Committee Recommends Approval)

BACKGROUND

Since Oshkosh has fixed route service, GO Transit is required by federal law to also provide paratransit service. Paratransit service is designed for persons with disabilities who cannot use fixed route buses. The service is provided with sedans and handicap accessible vans. It is an extension of public transportation and is not designed as a personal taxi service or specialized medical service. It is a shared ride service. It must be comparable to fixed route service. This means the service must operate the same hours as fixed route and serve the same area.

In Oshkosh, the fixed route bus service hours are 6:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Currently, paratransit service is offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Almost all fixed route service providers match paratransit service hours to fixed route as law requires. At some point in time, Oshkosh decided to go well above and beyond what is required. Providing this service 24/7 has created some issues which continue to impede the ability of GO Transit to manage and improve this service for our riders.

ANALYSIS

GO Transit partnered with the East Central Wisconsin Regional Plan Commission (ECWRPC) to study this service and ways to potentially improve it. The study was completed in October 2024 and showed that GO Transit is the only transit system in the state that offers 24/7 service. The study also showed that in order to maintain and improve the service, it is advantageous to continue to contract the service. The study recommended GO Transit work with the current and future vendors to improve computer software and offer an app for riders in addition to recruiting and retaining quality drivers. In order to do so, GO Transit’s service needs to be more attractive to current and future drivers and vendors. The study showed that the best way to make our service more attractive to vendors, and recruit and retain high quality drivers is to reduce the hours of operation to match fixed route service.

GO Transit presented the study to the Transportation Committee in November. Subsequently, a proposal to reduce paratransit service hours to match fixed route along with a public hearing was held at the November 12, 2024, Transportation Committee meeting. We heard from a number of riders at the meeting. The riders expressed concerns about how matching paratransit service hours to fixed route would affect their quality of life. The main concerns heard were: desire/need to attend Sunday church service and desire to socialize/explore the city in the early evening. The issue was tabled at that meeting to allow time for more evaluation and input.

GO Transit attended the Winnebago County Aging and Disability Resource (ADRC) Board meeting on December 9 to present this topic and seek input. GO Transit also held a focus group meeting on January 24, 2025, with many of the riders who attended the previous public meeting. Based on several factors such as low overnight ridership demand, the desire to make this service more manageable and attractive to vendors and drivers, and to improve the rider experience, GO Transit subsequently recommended that paratransit service hours be adjusted to 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (Monday-Saturday) and 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (Sunday).

Both the ADRC board and focus group agreed that this is a reasonable compromise. This recommendation was taken to the Transportation Committee at their February 11th, 2025 meeting. This was another opportunity for public feedback. The transportation committee supports this recommendation as well. If approved, these new hours would be effective April 1st, 2025.

BOARD/COMMISSION INFORMATION

The Transportation Committee is in support of the new paratransit service hours of Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. after a roll-call vote at the February 11, 2025, meeting. (5-0)

FISCAL IMPACT

The fiscal impact of this change is unknown. It is likely that system users will adjust their riding habits to meet the service hours offered, so the number of rides provided may not reflect a significant decrease. However, it is probable that these new hours will lead to fewer costs for vendors and more competition, which may be reflected in future proposals/bids.

RECOMMENDATION

In order to continue to provide a high quality of service for our patrons, make our service more attractive to vendors, and recruit and retain high-quality drivers, I recommend approval of this reduction in the hours of operation to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays, for services on and after April 1, 2025.

Attachments

RES 25-80