Rates dropped in January

By Bert Lehman

The lower taxi fare rates that the Clintonville Transit Commission approved in January will remain at least through the end of the year.

That was the decision the commission made at its May 31 meeting. At the meeting, the commission learned that the lower taxi fares led to increased use of the taxi service.

The increase is realized when comparing the numbers from the first quarter in 2017 with the first quarter of 2018. The first quarter of 2018 saw 608 more taxi users than in the first quarter of 2017.

The comparison also revealed that the city is paying out about $257 more per month. Current projections have the city being $400 over budget by the end of the year.

“I think the decrease in the fares is working,” said Sharon Eveland, city administrator for the city of Clintonville. “And I do think at the end of January we need to come back and look at our full year numbers to make sure that the increase we’re seeing in ridership continues. If it does, I think that we should find a way to budget for the additional, what’s looking to be about $400 a year more.”

Eveland added that ridership could increase more throughout the year once more advertising is done.

“There’s definitely a lot of potential here,” Eveland said.

She said she is in favor of the city staying with the lower rates, with the understanding that the city will review the rates at the end of the year.

“Getting the service out for less and still just about covering costs, that’s pretty exciting,” said Mike Hankins, chairman of the Transit Commission.

Hankins said he agreed that the rates should be reviewed on an annual basis.

“We want to stay consistent if we can,” Hankins said. “If we can keep that much lower rate for people in the community and get more people taking advantage of it, that’s great.”

The commission was also informed that the city of Clintonville has been approved for a grant in the amount of $33,600 for a new taxi vehicle. The city had budgeted for its portion of the cost of a new taxi.