Sierra Madre : Seniors Back Taxi Service
About 40 senior citizens asked the City Council last week not to reduce subsidized taxi service as part of a revamping of the city’s transportation plan.
City Administrator Jim McRea has recommended a re-evaluation of the transportation system, which includes the taxi service, Dial-a-Ride, the Foothill Area Community Services Van System and RTD bus passes.
McRea said he is concerned about inefficiency, including the fact that the taxi often provides individual rides, whereas the van and bus systems are able to serve multiple patrons with fewer trips. The door-to-door taxi service, operated by Herb’s Taxi Inc., cost the city $83,555.20 last year.
Several speakers at Tuesday’s council meeting said they prefer the taxi because a van is difficult to board and exit.
The council instructed staff to evaluate the possibility of adding a car to the existing bus fleet and recommended tallying the number of rides so that the city can evaluate the system’s efficiency.
The new plan will be presented at the council’s July 28 meeting.
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