OTTUMWA —
The relationship between Ottumwa Transit, 10-15 Transit, the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration is improving.
On June 13, City Administrator Joe Helfenberger and Ottumwa Transit Executive Director Diane Gawronski received a letter from the FTA.
“It indicated that while we had violated charter rules, they were not going to be assessing us with any fines, which is huge,” said City Attorney Joni Keith. “They seem to be pleased with the direction we’re going.”
The FTA’s charter bus investigation began on May 11, 2011, following a verbal and email complaint to the FTA in October 2010 and field visits conducted by the FTA and IDOT.
Because Ottumwa Transit and 10-15 Transit receive FTA grant funds, they are prohibited from using FTA-funded vehicles for charter bus services, the letter states.
“Examples of the possible violations included charter transportation for a regional ‘Cow-Calf’ conference, a John Deere employee trip, airport transit service paid for by a local savings bank, chartered demand response service not available to the public and a bus chartered for a wedding,” the letter states.
Following the investigation, the city assumed control of Ottumwa Transit and 10-15, fired former director Pam Ward, hired a transit consultant to assist with the investigation, implemented organizational improvements to ensure compliance and hired a permanent director, Gawronski, in March.
“Based upon OTA and 10-15’s voluntary acknowledgment of providing charter service and the reported issues involving the former transit director, the FTA has not undertaken a more in-depth investigation of the charter services at issue,” the letter states. “Rather, the FTA accepts that OTA and 10-15 engaged in numerous violations of the FTA’s Charter Bus Service regulations.”
Because the city, Ottumwa Transit and 10-15 acknowledged and corrected the violations that occurred, the FTA said it “finds it unnecessary to bar or reduce FTA financial assistance to OTA, 10-15 and/or the City of Ottumwa.”
By July 13, Ottumwa Transit and 10-15 Transit must send the FTA their updated charter policies, along with a letter confirming that the Ottumwa City Council and mayor are responsible for overseeing that charter violations are not occurring, Keith said.
The chain of command then follows to Helfenberger, Keith, Gawronski and Transit Operations Manager Dave Silverio.
“I thought it was very good news. I couldn’t have hoped for any better, actually,” Keith said. “I was very tickled when we got this letter. It shows we’re going in the right direction.”
Gawronski and Keith worked together on crafting the charter policy and submitted a first draft to IDOT, who sent back recommendations.
“It’s very specific,” Gawronski said. “[Silverio] and I are working in a very cooperative spirit right now with IDOT.”
The policy states that anytime Ottumwa Transit has questions regarding charters, employees must ask them of IDOT or FTA in writing, of which email is acceptable.
Possibility of free rides
“It’s not an entirely insane idea to let everyone ride free,” Gawronski said after board member Robert LaPoint brought up the idea of making all rides on city buses free of charge. “Some transit systems have free ridership. Ours is one of the higher for our size comparable to others within our state.”
No transit organization will ever get rich off of fares, Gawronski said.
LaPoint asked if the increased ridership numbers would compensate for what money was lost in fare sales.
“We do have costs,” Gawronski said. “We have drivers we have to pay, service of the buses, gasoline. I don’t know if people are not riding the bus because they can’t afford the $1.50. But it is not a bad suggestion.”
Also discussed at the transit advisory board meeting:
• Gawronski said she would have comparisons of ridership numbers with last year on July 1.
• A community transformation grant awarded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) meant Wapello County Public Health was able to purchase three bike racks for city buses. The intent is to mount all nine bike racks at once, so the three will be stored once they arrive. Gawronski said it’s possible to apply for another three in the coming fiscal year through the same grant.
• Ottumwa Transit also designed new passes to help with compliance in counting. The new passes will take effect on July 1. Each pass has a large symbol denoting its purpose, i.e. general pass, college pass, senior pass or disabled pass.
The Ottumwa Transit Advisory Board will meet next at 5 p.m. on July 25 in Room 108 of City Hall.
Local News
June 28, 2012
Transit relationship with IDOT, FTA improving
Board discusses possibility of free rides for all
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