Dial-A-Ride tonight’s main topic
Published 10:43 pm Monday, August 27, 2007
By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Changes with Dial-A-Ride is one of the items being discussed at tonight's Niles City Council meeting.
Dial-A-Ride, which has operated as a taxi-type system for years may be moving to a route-based system, as the company has fallen in the red last year and will do so again next year.
The board will consider adopting a resolution establishing a process for obtaining public comment prior to implementing increases in the fare structure or major service reductions for Dial-A-Ride.
The current cost for riders is $1 for adults in town and $3 for riders outside the city limits. They would like to keep those rates, which is why the routes would help, according to Niles City Administrator Terry Eull.
"Dial-A-Ride was in the red last year and they will be again next year and they can't continue to operate in the red," Eull said.
The routes would follow a north-south path and an east-west path, allowing them to stop at different locations around town, Eull explained.
Drivers will still pick up special needs riders at their homes, but all other riders would go to a Dial-A-Ride stop.
Some people may find they like having scheduled pick-up and drop-off times, rather than having to call and wait to be picked up or dropped off.
In other business, the board will be asked to approve a request from the Police Department to purchase a 1993 Ford F-350 truck from Marv's Car Lot in Zeeland at a cost of $5,000 for use at the LEC.
Also, the council will be asked to confirm the appointment of Jessica Rae Millar to the Niles Housing Commission to serve both an unexpired term and a full five-year term effective immediately and expiring on Dec. 31, 2012.
The City Council meeting will be held at the Council Chambers, located at the Niles Fire Department. The regular council meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m.