For More Information

Contact Cynthia Staab, Asst. General Manager

560-5623 (office)

830-0413 (cell)

RE:  Tulsa Transit to hold public hearings for a proposed Lift Program fare increase and Fixed-Route service reductions

In response to upcoming budget cuts from the City of Tulsa, Tulsa Transit is proposing to increase Lift Program fares and reduce service on the fixed route bus system.  In FY’09, Tulsa Transit received $8.3 million in City of Tulsa operating assistance.  In FY’10 Tulsa Transit is expected to receive $5.7 million, a reduction of approximately $2.6 million or 31%. 

“No organization can sustain such major revenue reductions without making big changes.  When a public transit agency receives such large funding cuts, the only way to effectively deal with them is to reduce services and/or raise fares.  Across the country public transit agencies are now cutting services and raising fares due to the U.S. economy and lower sales tax revenues,” said Tulsa Transit General Manager Bill Cartwright.

Tulsa Transit will hold public hearings to receive input regarding a proposed Lift Program fare increase of $0.50 per trip.  If approved the fare increase will take effect March 8, 2010.  The proposed fare increase would raise the regular Lift Program fare from $2.50 to $3.00 and would help raise an additional $158,000 in revenue annually.  The actual cost of each one-way Lift Program trip is $22.02.

The last Lift Program fare increase was June 1, 2008 when the fare increased from $2.00 to $2.50.  Prior to that it was April 2003 when the fare went from $1.50 to $2.00.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) allows transit authorities to charge up to two times the regular fixed route cash fare per Lift Program trip.  Currently, 76% of U.S. transit agencies charge 100% of the maximum allowable Lift Program fare in their cities.  Tulsa Transit currently charges $2.50, which is only 86% of the fixed-route fare of $1.50.

Tulsa Transit provides over 900 Lift Program trips each day, and approximately 10,000 fixed-route bus trips.  The ratio of paratransit trips to fixed route trips in Tulsa is more than four times the national average.  (National Average is 2% and in Tulsa it’s 9%.)

Lift Program public meetings will be held on Tues., Jan. 19, 2010 at The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges, 815 S. Utica, Tulsa, Oklahoma at 12:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Public hearings will also be held to receive input regarding fixed route service reductions involving the following bus routes:  101, 105, 112, 203, 210, 221, 222, 318 and 902.  The proposal will increase the time between buses on all routes listed.  These cuts are equivalent to a 16% decrease in bus service.

The proposed service reduction on Route 105 also includes eliminating service to Cherokee Industrial Park.  The proposed change on route 902 Express involves eliminating one bus.

The overall reduction in bus service, if implemented, will save $460,000 a year.  These service cuts are based on a 4.4% reduction in City of Tulsa funding for Tulsa Transit.

Bus service public meetings will be held on Wed., Jan 20, 2010, at the Central Center, 1028 E. 6^th Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma at 12:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Cartwright said, “We understand the negative impact that service cuts and fare increases have on our customers, and we promise to do everything we can to minimize the hardships caused by these massive funding cuts.  We will continue to work with the City of Tulsa administration to get these cut funds restored as soon as possible.”