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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend November 6, 2005 Paratransit Services employees Marcie Gallo, left, and Wanda Gray settle into their new office on Bullock Road in Medford. Paratransit will begin handling Valley Lift customers on Dec. 5. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven RVTD aims to up Valley Lift efficiency By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Ninety-year-old Margaret Clogston doesn’t know what to make of changes to Valley Lift, a shuttle service for the disabled and elderly that she thinks works just fine as it is. "I don’t get around so good, but I get help from the drivers," said the Medford woman. "I often go to the bank and they usually wait for me to take me home." Under threat of losing federal dollars, Rogue Valley Transportation District will start using Paratransit Service of Bremerton, Wash., on Dec. 5 to handle all of its Valley Lift customers, rather than four local taxi companies. Peter Jacobsen, general manager of RVTD, said the change was necessary because "we’re trying to bring it into compliance with the law." He said the district received a stern warning from the federal government that it was out of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act because Valley Lift was failing to pick up customers in a timely manner. RVTD receives about $1.5 million in federal money annually, which is used to fund its bus service. Advertisement RVTD has had many riders question whether they would see any difference in a service that provided 8,456 rides in September, a 10 percent increase over last year. Clogston said she likes the treatment she receives from Metro Taxi and isn’t sure about RVTD’s plans. "Change is very scary to people," said Jacobsen. But he thinks that the biggest thing riders will notice is an improvement in service. "We’re hoping for more consistency," he said. "When they’re done with the doctor’s office call, they should not wait more than one hour for the ride," he said. In addition, customers shouldn’t be riding around for more than an hour to get to their destination. "We had issues with the cab companies in the past," said Jacobsen, noting a lack of coordination with the four taxi companies that pick up customers. Although the change in the $1.5 million contract for Valley Lift won’t save the district any money, Jacobsen said the district has undergone other cost-cutting measures in the past two years. For instance, administrative staff has been cut from 17 employees to nine. Christie Scheffer, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Paratransit, said her nonprofit organization will still contract with one local cab company to handle any overflow calls. She said the company will be chosen before Dec. 5. She said her organization, which operates in four states, has a long history of working with the disabled. "We come to this business with a lot of heart," she said. "We want customers to feel comfortable." The four taxi companies — Yellow, Valley, Metro and Ashland — will feel the pinch from losing the Valley Lift contract. "We’re going to be losing quite a lot of our business," said Monica Smith, office manager at Metro. She estimated the loss at 55 to 65 percent of her business. Scheffer said her organization will be training about 22 drivers in the coming week, with a beginning wage of $9.10 an hour. She said she has already been contacted by some drivers who are now working for the taxi companies. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail RVTD aims to up Valley Lift efficiency ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Salvia Divinorum Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Advertisement s