Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity to be here today.
In 1981, the Northeastern Colorado Transportation Authority (DBA County Express) was created as a non profit organization to provide public transportation for area residents in the 9,600 square mile service area which includes the six northeastern counties of Colorado. This is not the mountain area of our state; it is a part of the rolling ranch country known as Colorado's eastern plains. I was invited to talk with you today because we operate in a very rural area. One way trips of 50 miles are routine and many are 150 miles or more. For this service, 48 vehicles; vans and minibuses are used.
The Board of Directors for County Express has defined trips for dialysis treatment and other medical appointments as a major priority of this public transportation system. Several of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Northeastern Colorado have contracted with County Express to transport their residents to medical, social, recreation and shopping establishments. The cost for each trip is very high due to the long distances involved in this low density agricultural and small town environment.
Non-emergency medical transportation, known as HealthRide provides transportation at no cost to the rider to hospital facilities in Sterling, Brush and Greeley through a negotiated contract with Banner Health systems. This Public/Private partnership creates a new model to deal with the increasing costs for the Medicaid program.
Total County Express trips in 2001 were 79,133. Most passengers are elderly and/or disabled individuals, often in wheelchairs, who are transit dependent and wish to remain near family and friends rather than move to a larger town with more medical facilities.
The six county population increased from 60,000 to nearly 70,000 from 1990 to 2000. Most of the population growth has been concentrated in Morgan and Logan counties including the incorporated towns of Wiggins, Log Lane Village, Fort Morgan, Brush and Sterling.
What did TEA 21 do for the people of rural northeastern Colorado? Increased rural transit and bus and bus related capital funding allowed us to buy more vehicles, replace a portion of our aging, high mileage fleet and provide more and higher quality service to our passengers. The real impact in our area is not in the numbers and statistics but in the people.
John Sanderson lives in Yuma and needs kidney dialysis three times a week in Sterling. Round trip mileage per day is 150 miles. The cost to County Express is $1 per mile or $150 per day or $450 per week for transportation. John is unable to drive, but if he could he would have to pay $52 per day out of pocket, based on mileage reimbursement to drive himself. Federal funds are essential for his transportation.
Phillips County resident Tom Heath travels from Julesburg to Sterling 100 miles roundtrip three times a week. That remote county targets its funding toward life saving non-emergency medical trips.
County Express takes Susan Romero from her rural home to work each day in Sterling. What is unusual is that it also takes her four children to school along the way. They live outside the area served by the school bus. After school, the children are taken to childcare. At the end of Susan's workday she is picked up, then the children and they are returned home. This transit service is funded in part by TANF funds.
Al Parrish, 67 traveled from Brush to Greeley for radiology treatment, a distance of 70 miles one way, five days a week for seven weeks. His eyes are not good enough to drive that far.
Jan Foley of Wray travels to Denver for medical treatment 186 miles one way.
On most weekdays, a County Express HealthRide bus travels three times between Sterling and Greeley. It also stops in Brush and Fort Morgan. People who live off the route can get a separate delivery to one of the regular stops. The story is clear, County Express moves a small number of people great distances for very good reasons.
Without subsidies from FTA, Older Americans Act, TANF, local government and other funding sources, area residents could not make these essential trips.
Transit has grown faster than any other mode of transportation in the last six years. Your understanding of our need to invest in vehicles and staff means we have been able to do more for people. We have increased our service and we thank you for your good work on our behalf.
What needs to be changed?
Medicare funding does not include the cost of long distance transportation to medical appointments for our elderly population in northeastern Colorado. In order to meet that shortfall, additional funding under transportation laws would help.
Other regulatory burdens disproportionately impact rural transit systems.
Random Drug and Alcohol Testing, for example, is difficult due to the high cost of bringing staff in to a medical center or paying for mobile testing while maintaining confidentiality.
Federal Transit Administration charter bus provisions require a lengthy process for a waiver. In our community, there are few options for a group to charter a bus.
What needs to be done in the reauthorization?
More federal investment for rural transit.
Colorado with its growing population, the third fastest growing state, with a sparsely populated rural area is receiving a small amount of rural formula funding, about $2 million annually. We urge you to increase the minimum per state to $5 million annually as the Community Transportation Association of America has called for in its reauthorization proposal.
Demand for public transportation services is greater than County Express can provide. At the federal level we see that there is much focus on the transit needs in cities and they do need more passenger transportation. They certainly have terrible congestion problems. But what about those in the rural areas and small towns who cannot drive because of low vision or physical disabilities, who live far from medical facilities and grocery stores?
Roads, are essential but we need drivers and small vans or minibuses on them to complete the trip. Transportation facilities and maintenance are a major problem with 48 vehicles traveling 427,000 miles annually.
Consider the needs of our Aging Population
You are aware of the fast growing 85+ population. Relatively fewer in this age group are able to drive safely and need a stable effective transit service to remain in their homes. More access to medical services is essential. We need more vehicles more often in the remote areas of northeastern Colorado.
Sedgewick County has oldest average population in the State. People move from farm to town into assisted living or a nursing facility. They stay in northeast Colorado because they want to stay networked with people they grew up with.
Connections within Rural Areas and with small and large Urban Areas
Make sure low income people living in rural areas can get to jobs. The economic benefits of public transit can be significant. Continue the Job Access Reverse Commute program.
Consider the Impact of Regulations on Small Rural Transit Agencies
Examine Drug and Alcohol Regulation random testing requirements. Consider FTA Charter regulations intended to protect private operators impact on rural communities with few options.
Thank you for listening.
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