County Expands transit Services For Seniors And Disabled Persons; Announces

ba/ride.pr 97-136 Contact: Carolyn Biggins, 301-217-2184

COUNTY EXPANDS TRANSIT SERVICES
FOR SENIORS AND DISABLED PERSONS;
ANNOUNCES "NIGHT REQUEST STOP" SERVICE For Immediate Release: May 1, 1997

Seniors and persons with disabilities in Montgomery County will benefit from three
service changes announced today by the County Department of Public Works and
Transportation's Division of Transit Services.
Call N' Ride
Beginning today, more persons will be eligible for the County's Call N' Ride program,
which provides subsidized taxi trips for low-income seniors and persons with disabilities.
Participants purchase coupon books which are used toward payment of taxi fares. There are
no restrictions on the use of the coupon books.
Under the new guidelines, income eligibility levels have been increased and the cost to
all income groups has been reduced by as much as $3.50 to $12.25 per month, depending on
income category. For instance, someone who previously paid $17.50 for their monthly
coupon book (worth $35), will now pay $5.25, a savings of $12.25. The top income level is
now $20,000 a year (for a family of one), compared to the previous $17,000 a year.
For information on Call N' Ride, call 301-948-5409.

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COUNTY EXPANDS TRANSIT SERVICES . 2-2-2-2

Complementary paratransit service: MetroAccess
The MetroAccess service, which is required under the Americans with Disabilities Act,
is now fully operational, which means that service hours have been expanded and now are the
same as the regular Ride On schedule, 5:30 a.m. to midnight, daily.
MetroAccess provides regular sedan and wheelchair accessible taxicab service to
complement the County's transit system. The system is offered to disabled persons who live
near the transit system but are unable to use it. The County already provides a fare subsidy
program to low-income MetroAccess-certified clients which reduces the MetroAccess fare by
half.
Local transit officials project that the number of trips now taken will increase by 40
percent this fiscal year, from 54,000 to 75,000; a 20 percent growth is projected for FY 98.
For MetroAccess information on eligibility and trip reservations, call 301-588-8181.

Senior/Disabled reduced fare
Effective July 1, 1997, the senior and disabled fare on Ride On buses will be reduced
to 50 cents at all times. Currently, the fares are 80 cents for rush hours and 50 cents during
non-rush hours. This change will provide consistency with Metrobus' senior/disabled fare.

The changes were announced by County Executive Douglas M. Duncan at a news
conference at Holiday Park Senior Center in Wheaton. Also attending were Carolyn Biggins,
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COUNTY EXPANDS TRANSIT SERVICES . 3-3-3-3

division chief of Transit Services and representatives of the County's commissions on Aging
and Persons with Disabilities.
In addition to the services affecting seniors and persons with disabilities, an innovative
nighttime service was announced. Under the "Night Request Stop," program, passengers
using a Ride On or Metrobus after 9 p.m. can ask their bus operator to drop them off at any
safe place (as determined by the operator) along the route. The service is designed to help
riders feel more secure by being able to get off the bus closer to their destination. "Night
Request..." begins May 4.
To help ensure that all seniors and persons with disabilities make informed choices
about local transportation options, Transit Services officials said they have launched a major
information campaign, consisting of ads in local newspapers, brochures detailing the County's
transit services which will be distributed throughout the area, and fact sheets which are
available at Regional Services Centers.
For information on Ride On routes and schedules, call the County's Transit
Information Center at 301-217-7433 (RIDE); TDD/TTY 301-217-2222; or log on the internet
and go to www.dpwt.com, then click on Transit Services.

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