Yates approves public transit application

YATES COUNTY--The Yates County Legislature approved the next step in bringing public transportation to the area during their meeting Monday, June 13. An application to the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) Grant Program was approved by the legislators, which allows the Arc of Yates to seek the aid, while also providing the matching funds necessary for the grant. The new transportation system is expected to be in place by summer 2017 with hopes of being able to start up sooner.
The plan was discussed during last month' legislative meeting. President and CEO of the Arc of Yates Daniele Lyman noted the service would have a central hub in Penn Yan and include bus trips to and from the village to Dundee, Dresden, Rushville, Naples and Geneva. She said trips would run in the morning and afternoon from Penn Yan to the destination and back with stops along the way, in addition to picking up passengers who flag them down. The Arc of Yates currently has the service in place for its clients, but it is not available to the general public. Lyman estimated it will be six to nine months before service can be implemented, adding if they do not receive the funding, they will not be able to provide the service.
Legislator Doug Paddock said there is no cost or financial obligation to Yates County for this plan. A survey gauging the public's interest in a transportation system in Yates County was completed earlier this year. According to the Arc of Yates, results from this survey showed several respondents saw the need for a public transportation system. Some 70 percent of respondents said they would use public transit for getting to and from medical appointments. Getting to and from shopping centers and to work also had a high response rate. Yates County is the only county in the region that does not have a public transportation system.
"It was clear from the data and survey responses that there was a need for public transportation in Yates County," said Lyman. "Because of the transportation system the agency already oversees, the addition of the public on our busses and along the routes we travel was a natural fit."
The survey results also showed 21 percent of the respondents did not work due in part to a lack of transportation. The need for a connection to transportation systems in Ontario and Steuben Counties was also noted in the survey. The proposed routes will allow for a connection to destinations beyond Yates County.
At this time five routes are proposed. Destinations include Naples, Dundee, Dresden, Rushville and Geneva. Although exact times and routes have not been established, the routes will be set based on customer demand as well as routes already used by Arc of Yates busses.
The price of a one-way trip has been set at $1, and can be purchased either with cash at time of pick-up or with pre-purchased vouchers. Riders can catch the bus either at designated stops or by flagging down a bus at any point along the route.
"We look forward to supporting the community with the infrastructure we already have in place," said Lyman. "The Arc of Yates is a partner with the county and will continue the work of the Transportation Committee to ensure we are able to be successful."
Now that the legislature has approved the plan, the next step is to secure funding from state and federal sources.