Comments on: Buses for Ypsi and a Budget for AATA http://annarborchronicle.com/2009/09/25/buses-for-ypsi-and-a-budget-for-aata/ it's like being there Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:55:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Robert Braun http://annarborchronicle.com/2009/09/25/buses-for-ypsi-and-a-budget-for-aata/comment-page-1/#comment-31498 Robert Braun Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:22:42 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=28897#comment-31498 It is sort of frightening to see that we need federal stimulus money to keep the Ypsilanti bus services the link disappears this season and probably the next to come. What would happened if they decide to shrink back in runs once an hour could we stretch the budget into 4 years? It is sort of frightening to see that we need federal stimulus money to keep the Ypsilanti bus services the link disappears this season and probably the next to come. What would happened if they decide to shrink back in runs once an hour could we stretch the budget into 4 years?

]]> By: Pete Murdock http://annarborchronicle.com/2009/09/25/buses-for-ypsi-and-a-budget-for-aata/comment-page-1/#comment-31098 Pete Murdock Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:12:52 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=28897#comment-31098 Here is the some more of the details of the funding agreement with AATA and the City of Ypsilanti. YPSILANTI CITY COUNCIL SECURES AATA FUNDING AND SERVICE LEVEL FOR TWO YEARS Pete Murdock – City Councilmember – Ward Three With the action of the AATA board on September 23rd, the Ypsilanti City Council has secured an expanded contract for public transportation with no service reductions through June 30, 2011. The details of this agreement are as follows. EXTENDED CONTRACT For the first time, the City and AATA will be entering into a service contact that is longer than one year. The contract will run twenty-one (21) months from October 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011. This secures and stabilizes the public transportation services in the City of Ypsilanti while a more permanent funding solution is pursued. NO SERVICE REDUCTIONS There are no service reductions in the new extended contract. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM THE CITY OF YPSILANTI The City Council has pledged an amount of $218,000 for the AATA contract for FY 2010-11 - an increase of $ 60,000 over this year’s allocation. The City’s commitment for the two year cycle is now $ 376,000. USE OF RECOVERY ACT (STIMULUS) FUNDS AATA received $6.4 million dollars in stimulus money of which 10% can be used for operations. Stimulus money was awarded on a formula that contained Ypsilanti’s population and ridership. The AATA Board agreed to provide up to $ 202,000 to cover the shortfall for this contract period while a regional authority or other permanent funding mechanisms are pursued. LONG TERM FUNDING STRATEGY A secure dedicated source of funding for public transportation is necessary for the long term. This contract gives us a little breathing room to develop such a program. A regional system – either County wide or consisting of the Urban communities, with a dedicated millage would provide the best service at the lowest overall cost. City Council, cannot by itself make that happen, but is committed to pursuing that goal with those that can – AATA, the City of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. CITY COMMITMENT TO FUNDING AATA AATA’s decision to use Stimulus money to fill the shortfall was clearly based on the City’s commitment to the two year funding cycle as well as the City Council’s commitment, in the event that no regional system emerges, to place on the November 2010 ballot, a Headlee override - City Charter Amendment (.9 mil) designated for the sole purpose of funding public transportation. Without the commitment to securing dedicated funding in the long term and the two year funding in the near term, it was unlikely that the AATA would have authorized the use of the stimulus funds for Ypsilanti. Here is the some more of the details of the funding agreement with AATA and the City of Ypsilanti.

YPSILANTI CITY COUNCIL SECURES AATA FUNDING AND SERVICE LEVEL FOR TWO YEARS

Pete Murdock – City Councilmember – Ward Three

With the action of the AATA board on September 23rd, the Ypsilanti City Council has secured an expanded contract for public transportation with no service reductions through June 30, 2011. The details of this agreement are as follows.

EXTENDED CONTRACT

For the first time, the City and AATA will be entering into a service contact that is longer than one year. The contract will run twenty-one (21) months from October 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011. This secures and stabilizes the public transportation services in the City of Ypsilanti while a more permanent funding solution is pursued.

NO SERVICE REDUCTIONS

There are no service reductions in the new extended contract.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM THE CITY OF YPSILANTI

The City Council has pledged an amount of $218,000 for the AATA contract for FY 2010-11 – an increase of $ 60,000 over this year’s allocation. The City’s commitment for the two year cycle is now $ 376,000.

USE OF RECOVERY ACT (STIMULUS) FUNDS

AATA received $6.4 million dollars in stimulus money of which 10% can be used for operations. Stimulus money was awarded on a formula that contained Ypsilanti’s population and ridership. The AATA Board agreed to provide up to $ 202,000 to cover the shortfall for this contract period while a regional authority or other permanent funding mechanisms are pursued.

LONG TERM FUNDING STRATEGY

A secure dedicated source of funding for public transportation is necessary for the long term. This contract gives us a little breathing room to develop such a program. A regional system – either County wide or consisting of the Urban communities, with a dedicated millage would provide the best service at the lowest overall cost. City Council, cannot by itself make that happen, but is committed to pursuing that goal with those that can – AATA, the City of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County.

CITY COMMITMENT TO FUNDING AATA

AATA’s decision to use Stimulus money to fill the shortfall was clearly based on the City’s commitment to the two year funding cycle as well as the City Council’s commitment, in the event that no regional system emerges, to place on the November 2010 ballot, a Headlee override – City Charter Amendment (.9 mil) designated for the sole purpose of funding public transportation. Without the commitment to securing dedicated funding in the long term and the two year funding in the near term, it was unlikely that the AATA would have authorized the use of the stimulus funds for Ypsilanti.

]]> By: Chuck Warpehoski http://annarborchronicle.com/2009/09/25/buses-for-ypsi-and-a-budget-for-aata/comment-page-1/#comment-31087 Chuck Warpehoski Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:54:58 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=28897#comment-31087 Annis has looked at a lot of the numbers, but I don't think he has looked at a lot of the buses. I've ridden both the AATA and the UM busses. The UM busses are lower-quality, with limited hours, and over-crowded. Also they have non-union drivers and they have a very limited service area. I really don't think there's much comparison. I have not ridden the Bay City buses, but I would like to see how the service works before we say we should be like Bay City. Also, does the service hour rate that Annis reports cover just bus service, or does it also include the A-Ride service? Annis has looked at a lot of the numbers, but I don’t think he has looked at a lot of the buses. I’ve ridden both the AATA and the UM busses. The UM busses are lower-quality, with limited hours, and over-crowded. Also they have non-union drivers and they have a very limited service area. I really don’t think there’s much comparison.

I have not ridden the Bay City buses, but I would like to see how the service works before we say we should be like Bay City.

Also, does the service hour rate that Annis reports cover just bus service, or does it also include the A-Ride service?

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