SANTA CLARA VTA RIDERS UNION P. O. Box 390069 Mountain View, CA 94039-0069 http://www.vtaridersunion.org/ NEWS RELEASE TO: Editor, News Assignment Desk, Transportation Reporter * FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE * Press Contacts (in alphabetical order): Terry Applegate (408)894-9041 x228 Eugene Bradley 24 hr. cell/pager (408)888-2208 TITLE Rally/Press Conference To Protest Fare Hikes Targeting Senior and Disabled Transit Riders SUNNYVALE, CA (April 26, 2003) – The Santa Clara VTA Riders Union (SCVTARU - http://www.vtaridersunion.org/) today announces a rally and press conference to protest fare hikes proposed by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). That rally and press conference will take place on Thursday, May 1, at 4:30pm at the Santa Clara County Government Center at 70 W. Hedding Street in San Jose. If approved by the VTA's Board of Directors at their June 5 Board meeting in San Jose, the fare increases would take effect on August 1. VTA proposes to raise the adult base fare from the current $1.40 to $1.50, and the cost of an adult day pass from the current $4.00 to $5.00. SCVTARU found that the VTA is primarily targeting senior and disabled riders for this round of fare increases. Specifically, VTA proposes to raise the cost of a senior/disabled day pass from $1.25 to $2.00 - an increase of 60% Worse, VTA proposes to raise the cost of a senior/disabled monthly pass to $20.00 from the current $11.00 - an increase of 82%! SCVTARU continues to question the rationale of increasing fares for senior and disabled riders - many of whom live on fixed incomes and likely unable to drive an automobile due to age, health, or financial reasons - in an economic recession. These citizens depend on mass transit as their only means of mobility. By making transit more expensive for them to use, these citizens must rely on friends or relatives for mobility, thus taking away their independence. The most devastating portion of VTA's fare hike proposal for June 5 is the replacement of Outreach paratransit "door-to-door" service with "curb-to-curb" service. While VTA claims this is being done to keep up with current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) laws, this will have dangerous consequences for paratransit riders who are visually impaired, or who have symptoms of dementia. "Curb-to- curb" service will mean these riders will require personal aid - often at their own expense - to help them between the paratransit vehicle and their destination. For those riders who cannot afford such assistance, "curb-to-curb" service places them at high risk for becoming victims of assault and/or robbery between the para- transit vehicle and their destination. SCVTARU founder Eugene Bradley recently interviewed a former Outreach paratransit driver regarding the proposed paratransit fare hikes and service reductions. In that interview, the former driver revealed that, in order to serve South County paratransit riders, Outreach vehicles must drive 25 miles from their garage in San Jose to reach the passenger, drive the passenger to their destination, and return to San Jose. In other words, to take a paratransit rider from Morgan Hill to a destination in San Martin, the Outreach vehicle will have travelled a total of at least 50 miles to take a paratransit passenger for roughly three miles. Worse, Outreach paratransit vehicles serving South County cannot obtain gasoline at commercial gas stations - they must fill up at their garage in San Jose. The former driver revealed that, by using Yellow Cabs with wheelchair capabilities based in South County and not Outreach cars based in San Jose, VTA can save up to $9 million per year. This is funding that can easily offset the proposed fare increases and paratransit service reductions VTA claims will save $3 million to $5 million per year. Some of that savings mentioned above could also be used to help many VTA workers pay for health care coverage. In addition to the proposed fare hikes and service reductions, VTA is proposing that its front-line workers - bus and light rail operators and clerical workers - pay more for their health care coverage. It was revealed at yesterday's VTA Budget Workshop in San Jose that these front-line workers could be required to pay three to four times more for health care coverage than their peers at other transit agencies in this country. During that workshop, such increases were not mentioned for VTA management. By placing exorbinant health care costs squarely on the backs of those who keep VTA running, it further lowers morale for these employees, forcing them to consider finding employment where health care is cheaper. This leads to fewer people being able to keep the South Bay's buses and light rail running to help fight traffic gridlock. SCVTARU strongly urges ALL concerned taxpayers, VTA workers and transit riders in the South Bay to attend and speak out at the rally. Specifically, we urge the San Jose chapter of the American Association of Retired People (AARP) to be at the rally, as well as other advocates for senior citizens and the disabled. We also urge the VTA to implement ALL short term and long term plans recommended by its ad hoc Financial Stability Committee before proposing fare hikes and service reductions for the South Bay's must vulnerable citizens. ### About the Santa Clara VTA Riders Union -------------------------------------- Founded in October 2000 by Eugene Bradley, the Santa Clara VTA Riders Union is a grassroots-based organization dedicated to ensuring that elected officials improve and implement cost-effective, frequent, and reliable mass transit in Santa Clara County. You can find more information on the Santa Clara VTA Riders Union at http://www.vtaridersunion.org/. We are based in Sunnyvale, CA. Our organization has absolutely no affiliation with, nor is endorsed by, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) in any way whatsoever. Note to Editors: Specific information about our group can be found at the following URLs: http://www.vtaridersunion.org/PR http://www.vtaridersunion.org/whoarewe/who.html