FROM THE DESK OF
Martha Sauerbrey, Legislative Chair
Ronald E. Dougherty County Office Building – 56 Main Street – Owego, New York 13827 – Telephone (607) 687-8240 – Fax (607) 687-8232
Email: sauerbreym@co.tioga.ny.us – Website: www.tiogacountyny.com
Tioga County Legislature Discontinues Public Transportation
In a Special Meeting of the Tioga County Legislature on Thursday, 9/18/14, the Legislature approved a resolution to discontinue the county’s Public Transportation system effective 11/30/14.
The Tioga County Bus System was created 20 years ago with the primary objective of getting Medicaid transportation costs under control. With State aid, Federal aid, and passenger fees, the system has operated with no cost to the County.
In October of 2013, the State made substantial changes to the delivery of Non-Emergency Medicaid Transportation services, shifting those services from County Bus Systems to other modes of transportation such as taxi service. The County had advance notice of this change, but had been assured by the State that funding to the County would not be impacted. However, a month later, the County saw a significant reduction in State funding, resulting in a $40,000 per month cost to the County.
The County immediately began efforts to find an affordable way to keep the Bus System going, notify residents and get public input, and determine how many residents would be impacted if transportation services were reduced or eliminated. An analysis of ridership data showed that the number of non-Medicaid riders is approximately 300 per day, roughly 75% of which are residents commuting to/from work.
The County spent the last 10 months working with NYS Department of Health, NYS Department of Transportation, First Transit, and other agencies to try to keep the Bus System going. Considering the significant reduction in service (ridership numbers), the County worked with First Transit to achieve a reduced cost. Bus fares were raised to help offset the reduction in State revenue. In response to the sudden negative impact on many rural County Transit Systems, including Tioga, the State agreed to work with counties to offset the unexpected costs in 2014. Tioga County anticipates significant, if not full reimbursement for this year, but that will not be the case going forward.
The State also agreed that if the County’s Medicaid per-trip rate was reduced to a level below the cost of taxi service, then the State would shift the Medicaid riders back to the County’s Bus System. The County made changes to its bus routes and number of runs per route, making its per-trip rate less expensive than taxi service. The County presented this adjusted per-trip rate to the State, and the State agreed to shift Medicaid riders back to the County’s bus system. After a month, the County did not see a shift in ridership. Further discussions with the State have not been successful in shifting riders, and revenue, back to the County.
With no other options to pursue, the County estimates the cost of continuing the Bus System in 2015 to be approximately $500,000, increasing every year thereafter. That cost alone would require a 2.26% tax levy increase, which would put the County in violation of the State’s property tax cap of 2%.
Martha Sauerbrey
Chair, Tioga County Legislature
56 Main Street
Owego, NY 13827
Phone: 607-687-8240