Amador County – With projected funding drops and already falling ridership, the Amador Regional Transportation System reduced or altered 16 bus routes last week. Executive Director James Means in a report to the ARTS board of directors November 30th said Amador County expected lower overall sales tax receipts, and County Auditor Joe Lowe expected a $150,000 drop in Local Transportation Funding. A ridership analysis showed the number of riders on ARTS busses decreasing for the second straight year, in the first 4 months of this fiscal year. October riders totaled 7,410, down more than 1,000 riders from the previous year and down nearly 3,000 riders from 2007-2008 reports. Similar drops in ridership occurred in each of the first 4 months this fiscal year. A performance summary by Gordon Shaw and LSC Consultants found that ARTS had an operating cost of $318,000 in the first quarter of the fiscal year, with revenue of about $60,000. With 19,665 total passengers, the cost per passenger in ARTS operation was $16.19 per rider, or $3.65 per mile and $75.99 per hour. The marketing department showed a projected income of $28,000 for its “Rolling Billboard” advertisement sales, based on $14,000 in actual sales the first week. ARTS publicist Terry Grillo estimated possible gross income for billboard sales at $64,000 to $70,000 for a year. Shaw of LSC recommended “service reductions in the attempt to streamline service, reduce inefficiencies and address the dramatic drop in Transit Development Plan funds.” Means and staff recommended implementing a service plan by Shaw as “the most reasonable option.” The reductions would eliminate 13 bus routes and portions of 4 others, and also would eliminate a “Reserve-a-Ride” program. The service plan would also expand the Americans with Disabilities Act “deviation” distance by ½ a mile, past the legally require ¾ of a mile. It will also impose a $2 charge for non-ADA deviation requests. The ARTS board approved all of the recommendations on a 6-0 vote. In another change last week, ARTS will still meet federal requirements for handicapped riders. Means proposed cutting 4 of 8 “shuttle routes” between Jackson and Sutter Creek, and “the 4 remaining Shuttle routes will continue operating as deviated fixed-route, providing highly specialized service” for major residential and business areas in Jackson and Sutter Creek. Daniel H. Brewer, Caltrans Chief of Rural Planning & Administration, said the deviated fixed route would satisfy federal requirements for a “para-transit plan” for bussing services. The board approved the changes 6-0. Story by Jim Reece This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it