Many of these citizens are involved with Social Services Transportation Advisory Council and made requests based upon Social Services needs of those in the community. Mike Rolf, a member of the Transportation Advisory Council addressed the Transportation Commission. He said that last year his group “participated in getting a survey together with not only the general public and those in social services, but also employers and employees and (based on this information) we came up with 5 recommendations.” Nina Machado of First Five Amador introduced the five recommendations beginning with the first which was a request for various dollars. These dollars would be used for various activities including analyzing survey results, increasing public awareness in the community, promoting new routes to outlying areas. Also discussed was a media campaign to increase awareness regarding public transportation options.

Marcia Williams of ATCAA who manages the family learning center in Ione as well as the Community Centers throughout the County addressed the commission in regards to the new route. “We are currently transporting, with 2 elderly vans, 19 people from the Plymouth area to Ione 5 days a week, arriving between 8:30-9am and leaving Ione around 11:30am. Our request is to start a route that would leave Plymouth elementary and go to downtown Ione 5 mornings a week… We are asking for a possible expansion bringing in people from Shenandoah Valley…we would pick up 4 adults and 4 children.” She explained that the programs that these families are attending in Ione are extremely beneficial to these families. Another recommendation was a Taxi Voucher Program.

 According to ARTS General Manger Patrick Ireland “There has been, at previous unmet needs public hearings, an ongoing concern expressed about the lack of transit in the evening and on the weekends. In order to accommodate that need it was recommended that we look at providing subsidized cab rides for people, elderly and (those) with disabilities to get them to a destination…The subsidy would be partial payment of cost of a cab ride.” However he did explain that the program is not to “duplicate existing ARTS services” and is not to meet the needs individually but merely to cover routes or trips that the citizens using this program would not be offered by ARTS in the evenings or weekends. The Council recommended to ACTC that the taxi voucher program remain an option for transportation-disadvantaged residents. The final request was a Saturday Bus Service to Kirkwood. The Social Services Advisory Council recommended a Saturday bus service to Kirkwood to facilitate the high demand of teenage skiers. Rider would possibly pay an increased fare rate to obtain this service. Michelle Medeiros, a senior at Amador High School made a compelling argument for the service. She said she went around the high school and collected 50 signatures in a matter of half an hour. She said a Saturday bus trip to Kirkwood would keep young inexperienced drivers of the icy roadways as well as provide a productive way for Amador County teens to spend their time on the weekend. She suggested a pilot program to see if it was conceivable for the Amador Regional Transit System. Community Member Mel Welsh also got up to endorse the idea suggesting that Kirkwood may also underwrite the program being as they will be financially benefiting from such a service.

Ultimately, it was decided to approve $2,000 to analyze survey results and implement all  free options under the public relations campaign in the current fiscal year, as well as the new routes option if the funds can be found. In regards to a $10,000 request for a public relations campaign, the Commission decided to implement the monies for 6,500 dollars worth of new signage in next fiscal year. The Expansion of the service route from Plymouth and the Shenandoah Valley areas to Ione will be implemented in the 2006/2007 Fiscal Year. The Taxi Voucher program remains up in the air. The commission decided to hold the funds in the budget and if the program is able to be implemented it will be done it will be done as soon as it is feasible. On the last item, a Saturday bus service to Kirkwood, the commission decided to have Patrick Ireland research if the program is feasible. He was given the latitude to investigate the service as well as directions to call Calaveras County who implements a similar service, and Kirkwood. Ireland after gather the needed information will present it to the Commission’s Chair Louis Boitano. Boitano has the authority to approve or disapprove of the program. If he approves of the Saturday bus service it will be implemented as soon as possible.