Rep. Dillon fights for seniors, testifies at
a New Haven Board of Alders meeting.
June 27, 2014
Standing with seniors, State Rep. Pat Dillon proposed ways to reduce the cost of transportation for seniors before the New Haven Board of Alders' Human Services Committee.
This year, a one way trip on the MyRide shuttle service increased by 40 cents causing many to complain about transportation affordability while living on fixed incomes. The service helps seniors and the disabled get around town to get to medical appointments, shop for groceries, and run errands.
Rep. Dillon fights for seniors, testifies at
a New Haven Board of Alders meeting.
In January, MyRide rates went up from $2.60 per ride to $3.00, bringing the cost of a round-trip journey up to $6. The rate hike occurred when state legislators were out of session. Since the 2014-2015 budget had already been approved, no changes can be made to the current rates until the state General Assembly reconvenes in 2015.
"I support any measure taken to enable seniors better access to transportation," said Rep. Dillon. "Perhaps we can get relief next year, but in the interim let's work with the Transit District to get the cheaper monthly passes into the hands of seniors who need them. We also need to explore the availability for services for seniors on the west side of the city." The services on the west side of the city were closed under a previous administration.
There already is a monthly pass that slightly decreases the cost for frequent users of the shuttle. Sharing access to such passes for members of a retirement facility would be one way to decrease costs for each person. My Ride ADA paratransit also offers a 20% discounted, 10-trip ticket book, which costs $24.
The Alders agreed to continue working to find a way to ease the burden of transportation costs for the elderly.