People using the coupons, which provide lower taxi fares for eligible riders, make up an estimated 25 percent of taxi trips for participating cab companies. The goal of the Homer Transportation Task Force is to ensure even better transportation services for the elderly and disabled on the lower Kenai Peninsula, said Joyanna Geisler, who directs the Homer-based Independent Living Center.
The transportation group has been meeting for seven years with the long-term goal of expanding public transportation options on the southern peninsula.
To help with that end, the group has enlisted Jennifer Beckman, who directs the nonprofit Central Area Rural Transit System (CARTS), which offers transportation to eligible residents in the central peninsula.
Currently, disabled riders and riders age 60 or older can buy coupons for up to $120 worth of cab rides every month through the coupon system. Because of federal subsidies, they only pay $40 for the coupons, which are accepted by local cab companies.
According to Beckman and Geisler, CARTS recently became a pass-through organization for grant money. If CARTS can do more by working with the task force, Beckman said, it wants to.
“We could make it cheaper for the client, and we would still pay the cab company,” Beckman offered.
Geisler said while the task force has discussed setting up a bus schedule for eligible residents living outside of town, Geisler said she has not seen much interest.
Still, there is more demand for some form of expanded public transportation, she said, and the task force will continue to look at options.
The task force next meets Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. at Homer Senior Citizens Center.
Chris Eshleman can be reached at chris. eshleman@homernews.com.
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