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APPLICATION FOR OPERATING ASSISTANCE
RURAL OPERATING ASSISTNACE PROGRAM
FY 2002-2003
General Information
Applicant (County):Orange County
County Finance Officer:Ken Chavious
Address: Post Office Box 8181 City: Hillsborough Zip: 27278
Telephone No.: (919)245-2000 Fax: (919)644-3044
E-mail Address: ipassmore @co.orange.nc.us
Project Descriptions
Attachment A.
Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program (EDTAP)
Orange Public Transportation (OPT)is the designated lead agency for public and human
services agency transportation in rural Orange County and the recipient of the EDTAP
allocation of$54,243.00 with no local match required. OPT will continue to use its
allocation to provide medical transportation for the sixty-plus and disabled residents of
Orange County. Additionally, OPT will offer one shopping/personal business round trip
per week to those two population groups who live outside the Chapel Hill Transit service
area and do not have access to the Orange Express public shuttle. To the extent possible,
trips will be grouped by geographic area per weekday and the destination will be the
closest possible provider. The "Orange Voucher Program" an effort funded by EDTAP
in 2000-2001 will continue to offer eligible disabled persons under age 60 up to
$100/month to pay for travel arrangements to meet the individuals' needs and to the
destination(s) of their choice. This service is provided Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m.
All EDTAP service recipients are asked to contribute $3.00 per one-way trip. This fee is
waived for any individual whose family income is at or below 125% of the poverty level
as determined by the Department of Health and Human Services. Contributions are
utilized to fund additional trips.
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Persons sixty years and older can be certified for services by completing a Client
Registration Form which is kept on file at the OPT administrative office in Hillsborough,
N.C. Persons under the age of sixty seeking EDTAP service must have a certification
completed and authorized by his/her physician. All EDTAP recipients must be re-
certified annually.
Attachment B.
Work First Transitional/Employment Transportation Assistance Program
With an allocation of$10,699.00, Orange Public Transportation provides former Work
First participants or other low-income persons certified for Medicaid or Food Stamps
with a maximum of$300.00 per year to assist with employment related transportation.
For vehicle owners the funds may be used for repairs and/or insurance. For non-vehicle
owners the funds mat assist with the purchase of bus passes, van/car pool expense, or
possibly a vehicle donated to the Wheels For Work Program. The actual service provider
will vary depending upon the need,i.e. auto repair shop,insurance agent, Chapel Hill
Transit,Triangle Transit Authority, or other local transit companies. The OPT
Transportation Coordinator will determine the most appropriate transit solution on a case-
by-case basis.
Attachment C.
Rural General Public (RGP)
Orange Public Transportation (OPT),managed by the Orange County Department on
Aging, serves human service agencies' clients whose ridership is paid by the 14 local
sponsoring agencies and special populations such as the elderly, disabled or Medicaid
clients who are supported with NC Department of Transportation, Home and Community
Care Block Grant, or state public assistance funds. The majority of the OPT service
consists of public routes, fixed routes,fixed-deviated routes. Utilizing lift-equipped vans
and minibuses, minivans and cars or private vendors,the OPT program continues to
expand coordination of its demand-response medical and public routes.
The geographic service area is rural Orange County, outside the Chapel Hill Transit
service area. OPT transportation service is provided each weekday, with weekend or
evening trips for special leases or life-sustaining medical services.
The development of a regional service between Hillsborough and Durham, N.C. became
operational on 2001. The regional service provider(Triangle Transit Authority)provides
commuter service Monday through Friday from Hillsborough to Duke Medical Center.
OPT provides "feeder"routes into Hillsborough where riders can connect with Triangle
Transit Authority(TTA)routes.
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OPT had provided general public rides on a seat available basis for several years.
However, in FY 1993-94 OPT program staff and the Human Services Transportation
Board made a commitment to better serve the public by (1) changing the program's name
from Coordinated Agency Transportation to Coordinated Area Transportation, and finally
to its current Orange Public Transportation title, (2)designating existing bus routes to be
promoted as public routes. In October, 1993 OPT established its first general public
deviated fixed route from Prospect Hill Health Center just north of the Orange/Person
County line into Chapel Hill/Carrboro. Additionally, the Orange Enterprises routes have
been opened to the general public on a seat-available basis for the early morning and late
afternoon transportation between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. Finally, the five routes
operated to bring seniors to the Senior Centers and nutrition sites in Chapel
Hill/Carrboro,Hillsborough, Efland, and Cedar Grove have as available seats for public
passengers. The FY 02/03 allocation of$31,189.00 will support these routes.
All routes with public seating operate on a deviated fixed route schedule. With advance
notice, the OPT dispatcher can approve and arrange for a pick-up with route deviations
made up to '/4 mile for disabled or subscription riders. Also, public riders can be picked
up at identified stops along the route with no advance notice.
The approved fare structure for public riders on OPT vehicles is as follows:
In Town $ .50
Between Towns $1.00
Youth 6 to 17 '/fare
Children under 6 ride free when accompanied by adult
Fn:H:/bocc/agendas-yr2002/ab020319A-ROAP attachment2
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State of North Carolina
County of Orange
APPENDIX A
CERTIFIED STATEMENT
FY 2002 -2003
RURAL OPERATING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Whereas Article 2B of Chapter 136 of the North Carolina General Statutes and the Governor of
North Carolina have designated the North Carolina Department of Transportation as the agency
responsible for administering all federal and/or state programs related to public transportation,
and grants the department authority to do all things required in applicable federal and/or state
legislation to properly administer the public transportation programs within the State of North
Carolina;
WHEREAS, G.S. 136-44.27 established the Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance
Program;
WHEREAS, funds will be used for transportation related expenditures as specified in the FY
2002 - 2003 Rural Operating Assistance Program(ROAP) application.
WHEREAS, if applicable, funds will be used for transportation related expenditures as specified
in the FY 2002 -2003 Discretionary Rural General Public Program application.
This is certify that the undersigned is duly elected,qualified and acting chairperson of the Board
of County Commissioners of the County of Orange North
Carolina, and that the following statements are true and accurate:
Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program
1. The funds received from G.S. 135-44.27 will be used to provide additional transportation
services for the elderly and disabled, exceeding the quantity of trips provided prior to receipt
of the funds.
2. The funds will not be used to supplant existing federal, state or local funds designated to
provide elderly and disabled transportation services in the county.
3. The funds received will be used in a manner consistent with the local Transportation
Development Plan(TDP) or Community Transportation Services Plan(CTSP) and
application approved by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Board of
Commissioners.
Work First Transitional/Employment Transportation Assistance Program
1. The purpose of these transportation funds is to support transitional transportation needs of
Work First participants after eligibility for cash assistance has concluded and/other specified
general public employment transportation needs. The funds may be transferred to the Elderly
and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program or the Rural General Public Program if not
needed for Work First transportation.
• 2. The funds are limited to use by the designated local entity(s) specified in the ROAP
application, or any revisions or amendments thereto.
Rural General Public Program
1. The funds will be used in a manner consistent with the local Rural General Public
Transportation Services Plan.
2. Information regarding use of the funds will be provided at such time and in such a manner as
the department may require.
3. ROAP funds will be used to provide eligible services during the period July 1, 2002 through
June 30, 2003.
4. Any interest earned on RO.AP funds will be expended for eligible program uses as specified
in the ROAP application.
5. The County will include ROAP funds received and expended in its annual independent audit
on the schedule of federal and state financial assistance. Funds passed through to other
agencies will be identified as such.
WITNESS my hand and official seal, this ,v 7,q2 day of 714 ,200,E .
Attest:
Certifying Off/ial* Board of Co o sioners
Chairpers.n*
State of No Carolina
County � �e
l County anager/Admini•( or*
Note that the signatures on this statement should be those of three(3) separate individuals.
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