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Service & Fare CHanges

TCAT 2012 Service Includes Fare Increase, Service Changes

To our valued passengers

TCAT is implementing a two zone fare structure with rural fare increases as well as service changes, effective Sunday, Jan. 15.

Reacting to a dismal budget climate, the TCAT Board of Directors on Dec. 1 approved a nearly $12.8 million spending plan for 2012 that included the two zone fare system along with service reductions. Click here for system zone map.

Price is based solely on location of boarding, not the distance traveled. Single ride fares that originate in rural areas (Zone 2) will increase from $1.50 to $2.50, whether remaining in Zone 2 or traveling to Zone 1. The fare for a trip that originates in Zone 1 will remain at $1.50, whether traveling in either zone. Rural trips at $2.50 inbound and $1.50 outbound will result in $4 round trips, up from the current $3.

Ride based and day based passes for Zone 2 have been discounted proportionally. Click here for complete fare structure. The more per day, per ride passes TCAT passengers buy, the more they save, as historically been the case with TCAT's fare structure . As an example, a yearly Zone 2 pass amounts to only $1.65 per day as opposed to a one time $4 day pass - a substantial savings. Zone 2 passes will be marked with a green sticker.

Any ride based or day based passes purchased before the Jan. 15 changeover will remain valid in both zones until passes are depleted or expired.

As a new amenity to passengers, a new 72 page TCAT Schedules & Service Guide will be distributed at shelters and bus stops, which includes 32 bus routes, a system map and comprehensive service information. The guide replaces the single route schedules, however single schedules are available by request and are available on printable pdf format on TCAT's website.

TCAT was forced to eliminate service into Tioga County and make other reductions, system changes include some improvements to better meet demand on heavily used routes and provide more service to key locations.

"Some of these changes, particularly the service reductions, reflect TCAT's need to balance its budget," said TCAT Service Development Manager Doug Swarts. "Fortunately, we also were able to make some cost neutral improvements, many of which were suggested by our passengers and bus operators."

Service changes include:
Route 10
• More frequent service (every five 10 minutes) throughout the day, to meet higher demand.
• Frequency of service is reduced to 20 minutes after 6:30 p.m., however service now will extend later to until approximately 8 p.m. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 11
• Trips that served Longview on South Hill instead will now serve South Hill Business Park/Challenge Industries.
• Route 65 will now serve Longview (see below).
• On Saturday, all trips will now serve the Towers at Ithaca College.
• In addition there are timing adjustments. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 13
• For weekdays only, an on demand service to TCAT headquarters, 737 Willow Ave., has been added in both the inbound and outbound direction of all trips. This will provide more service for passengers who need to come to TCAT to purchase passes, retrieve lost and found items and attend TCAT related and community meetings when there are no Route 17 trips serving the facility. Passengers will need to notify bus operators if they need to be dropped off and customer service representatives if they need to be picked up. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 14
• Trips that depart Green Street at 6:30 a.m.; 7:30 a.m.; 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. have been eliminated. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 15
• All outbound departures will start at Seneca @ Commons, without serving Green Street. Inbound trips will still serve Green Street.
• Departures will now be 19 minutes after the hour at Seneca @ Commons. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 21
• Weekday trips that have been departing Seneca Street at 6:20 a.m., will now depart at 6:25 a.m. This does not impact the inbound portion of this trip.
• Weekday trips departing Seneca Street at 8:03 a.m. will now depart at 7:58 a.m. All scheduled timepoints will now be five minutes earlier for this trip. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 30
• In response to high demand, there will now be extra rush hour trips every 15 minutes until 7:30 p.m. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 31
• Slight timing adjustments have been made on the inbound run from Convenient Care. Click here for route map and schedule.

Routes 32 and 72(weekend)
• On weekdays, the extra rush hour trip at 3:45 p.m. has been eliminated due to low ridership.
• On weekdays, due to more demand, an extra rush hour trip will now be at 5:30 p.m. Outbound trips will now depart Green Street at the top of the hour.
• A new stop has been added at Brown Road, at the pull off, just past Culligan Drive, to serve the Tompkins County Health Department.
• Service to Thornwood Drive will now operate in a clockwise direction.
• Inbound Routes 32 and 72 now turn into Route 15 at Seneca @ Commons without serving Green Street. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 36
• A scheduled timepoint has beens added at Lake Street @ Ithaca High School for inbound trips. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 43 Express
• The Varna stop has been eliminated; express service (no pick ups or drop offs) will run between Cornell and the Village of Dryden. Varna will continue to be served by Route 40 at the same times the Route 43 Express has been serving. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 52
• Tioga County service has been eliminated. Tioga County passengers have the option to use Tioga Transport Inc. to commute into Ithaca, park and ride options in the Town of Caroline, and vanpooling. TCAT contracts with VPSI Inc. to provide vanpooling. Those interested can contact at www.vanride.com or 1 800 VAN RIDE. Click here for options.
• Service to East Hill Plaza will be on Pine Tree Road at the crosswalk only. We will no longer travel into the parking lot of East Hill Plaza. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 53 and 54
• Route 54 has been eliminated and combined with Route 53. Service on Ellis Hollow Road, west of Turkey Hill Road, has been eliminated. The combined route will continue to serve Turkey Hill Road and Dryden Road through Varna. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 65
• Inbound trips will serve South Hill Business Park/ Challenge Industries on a.m. trips only by demand (notify the bus operator). The outbound route will serve Challenge on 1:38 p.m. trip only.
• All inbound trips will serve Longview as a scheduled timepoint and all outbound trips will serve Longview on demand only (notify the bus operator). Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 68
• Service has been eliminated. Southside neighborhood service will be maintained by Route 15 and limited Elmira Road is provided by Route 67. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 82
• Slight timing adjustments have been made. Click here for route map and schedule.

Route 83
• Trips that serve Tower Road have been eliminated. Click here for route map and schedule.

 

Starting in summer of 2011, TCAT undertook the process of determining how to cut costs, reduce operating expenses and increase revenues in order to absorb anticipated budget cuts. Last year was the third successive year in which state aid, TCAT's largest source of financial support, has been significantly reduced. Every indication is that there will be additional cuts in state as well as federal assistance in 2012. TCAT's three local funders, Tompkins County, the City of Ithaca and Cornell University are facing their own fiscal challenges.

TCAT staff, along with the TCAT Board of Directors, went through a comprehensive the process of finding ways to reduce service on unfunded, poor performing and duplicative routes in a way that will have the least detrimental effect on TCAT passengers.

This is the first time since 2003 that TCAT has been forced to increase fares. And, it is important to note that in 2006 rural round trips were reduced from $6 to current levels so rural riders are still paying less at the fare box than they were six years ago. Nonetheless, in anticipation of more budget cuts to come, it is important for TCAT passengers to begin preparing for another potential across the board fare increase in 2013 as well as the possibility of more service reductions.

The board's approval of these measures came on the heels of 13 public information sessions and one public hearing with the board.

"The rural service is the most expensive to run, and we realize its importance. We are well aware that there are transit-dependent riders in these outlying communities that are facing economic challenges; we realize, too, that there are urban residents who face the same challenges," noted TCAT Board Member David Lieb, a member of the TCAT's board's Transit Service Committee. "We believe it is equitable to charge more for long trips that are costly to run, than for short, highly-efficient trips in the urbanized area."