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City to provide public transportation program
Nevada Daily Mail
Kristie Modlin, treasurer for the City of Nevada, told members of the Nevada Lions Club Tuesday that the city is ready to roll out the Fare Share Transportation Program.
The program is designed to provide public transportation to those who need it, during the hours of the greatest demand, while keeping the program affordable, she said.
Modlin estimated that 300 residents were served last year through the coupon program, which provided 21,000 rides.
She noted that Carthage, which has about twice the population of Nevada, had approximately12,000 rides over that same time period.
"With that need, it was very important for us to develop a plan," she said of discussions among city officials to provide public transportation for Nevada residents.
The city program will start running Monday, Jan. 25.
In an email sent by Modlin to the Daily Mail and echoed at the Lions meeting, she said the transportation program is available to all city residents. It will run Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To kick off the program, residents may request a free ride to city hall Jan. 25-29 to purchase coupon books.
Residents requesting a ride should call 417-448-5500.
Modlin said the city will have two employees who will serve as drivers and they will have available an ADA-accessible van and two cars that were formerly used by the police department.
The van is on the city's capital expenditure list this year for replacement. Modlin estimated the cost to replace the van would be approximately $49,000. Those funds will come from an 80-20 federal grant, with the city responsible for 20 percent of the match.
In response to a question at the meeting, she said MNOD, a taxi service in the city, and the OATS (Older American Transportation Systems) bus, are also available to residents.
The city's program, she said, will utilize coupon books at $3.75 per coupon, with four rides at $15, eight rides at $30, and 16 rides at $60.
"Drivers will not take cash."
According to a handout on the program,
* Coupons are available by the book and each coupon is good for a one-way ride any distance within the city limits.
* Coupon books can be purchased in person at city hall by phone or by mail. When purchasing by mail, send your request and payment to city hall, attention Fare Share Coupon Program, 110 S. Ash, Nevada, Mo., 64772.
* Coupon books may be purchased on behalf of a Nevada resident by providing their name and address at the time of purchase.
* Coupons never lose their value. Expired or unused coupons may be submitted for exchange or refund at any time.
In response to a question regarding funding for the program, this is being done through a 50-50 federal and local match.
Modlin estimated that the city portion would be about $37,000.
That will come from the general fund, she said.
"And it's always a balancing act with the general fund," which has to provide the funds for police and fire, the senior center, and parks and recreation, as well public transportation.
She said the city would evaluate the program and its financial impact after this year.