Legislative Commission’s Subcommittee to Study Issues Relating to Senior Citizens and Veterans ACR 35 Assemblywoman Kathy McClain Chair March 18, 2008 Exhibit I Senior Citizens and Veterans (A.C.R. 35) Document consists of 19 pages. Entire Exhibit Provided. Meeting Date: 5-7-08 Goals for Rural Public Transportation Safety for seniors and disabled Reliable Affordable Enhance quality of life Maintain independence without reliance on the automobile Ability to remain in the community of their choice Transit for seniors, disabled and ……you and me. Helping Nevadan’s remain mobile. Senior Centers, Disabled Support Organizations and Tribes. Over 45 Nevada rural communities and reservations have NDOT provided vehicles. Jump Around Carson Nevada has been consistently one of the fastest growing states for seniors and retirees. Almost one million rides each year given through the NDOT/ Federal Transit Administration pass through Funding programs. Our state partners are Division for Aging Services, Rehabilitation, DMV and Transportation Services Authority (PSC). The Advisory Committee for Transit brings all the interested parties together several times a year to discuss important common issues. Fallon CART Bus The American Public Transit Association estimates that for each dollar invested on public transit, it returns six dollars to the local economy. NDOT administers approximately 10 million dollars of Federal rural transit funds annually for programs statewide. Each program requires a local match that can be difficult for local providers to raise. We are on track for administering about $20M in the next few years. Rides are given on buses for almost all activities including cultural and tribal functions, transportation to senior citizen centers for meals, shopping, medical, government services and social activities. Ely Buss Delivery Day!!!! Three new vans ready to provide needed transportation in rural Nevada. New buses for Fallon CART and Carson City Community Transportation Buses in Elko provide 10,000 rides a month!! From Elko, service is provided to Wells, West Wendover, Ely, Carlin and Battle Mountain. A success story-- Laughlin transit system carries about 1000 riders a day! Also service in Mesquite and soon planned for Pahrump. Douglas County DART NDOT has purchased almost 400 transit vehicles that operate in 45 rural Nevada communities and reservations. Buses in rural Nevada travel over 5,000,000 miles a year, with no severe crashes and no fatalities in 30 years. PRIDE Reno-Carson City RSVP, OARC, CART, Ely Buss Fallon Industries, Fallon- Stillwater Paiute Shoshone, Fallon Tribal Health, Boulder City, Indian Springs Senior Center, Laughlin, Las Vegas Express, CCCT, Medical Express, Mesquite Fixed Route, Mesquite Senior Center. Pershing County Senior Center, Pahrump Senior Center, Nye County Nutrition, Mineral County Care and Share, Older Americans Lyon County, Lyon County Human Services, Lincoln County Senior Center, Searchlight, Stateline Express, Stranded Travelers, Walmart Express, Westcare, BLUEGO, DART, Tahoe Douglas Senior Center, Washoe Tribe Elders, Duck Valley Elders, NEAT, Yomba Shoshone, Ely Shoshone Tribe, Numaga Elders, Silver Sage Senior Center, Esmeralda Senior Nutrition, Eureka County Senior Center, George Schwinn Senior Center. Rural transit buses operate on almost all of the 24 Native American Reservations and Colonies in Nevada. Fallon Stillwater Paiute Shoshone Fallon Tribal Health Washoe California Tribal Elders Duck Valley Elders Duckwater Shoshone Yomba Shoshone Numaga Elders (Pyramid Lake) Ely Shoshone Tribe Seamless transfer between rural and urban transit systems. Traditional Intercity bus service Greyhound operates at a cost of approx. $3.50- 4.00 per mile A trip between Reno and Las Vegas (if the bus service was available today) would cost about $1,300 and take nine hours. Destination Carson City; origin Bishop and Southern California This bus replaced Greyhound service at half the cost! It provides service to communities during the day not at night. 2003 Legislature SCR- 31 Nevada Long Range Mass Transit Study 2007 Nevada Legislature AB 629 “An ACT making an appropriation to the Department of Transportation to fund public transportation in rural areas…$250,000” United We Ride Coordinated Plan From Hawthorne and Lovelock through Fallon and Fernley to Reno and Carson City. Totally coordinated, one dispatch system, theme buses with stops in all communities along the route. Questions?? Thank You!!.