Senior citizens in Arcadia who use the city's Dial-A-Ride program may have to pay twice what they are paying now to use the system. At a meeting of the Senior Citizens Commission, Brian Gabler, city administrator of the program, said that rates will increase from $.20 to $.40 for seniors on July 1, unless the Arcadia City Council decides to subsidize the program from general funds.
Senior citizens and handicapped persons will pay less for Arcadia's Dial-A-Ride. The reduction is possible because of a grant from the federal Urban Mass Transit Administration.
Arcadia won approval last week of a dial-a-ride program with 50-cent fares from the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission who agreed to let Arcadia use its Proposition A transit funds to subsidize the program's half-dollar fares until June.
Residents of Temple City living adjacent to the Arcadia Dial-A-Ride station have complained to City Council about the noise, exhaust fumes and litter. They contend Dial-A-Ride has grown too large and should move.
On April 21, 1975 Arcadia will start a Dial-A-Ride service. A ride between any two points will be $.50. This will be a 3 month experiment. More details on the service are given.
Rose Foreman, 100, an Arcadia resident since 1947 and a Dial-A-Ride user since 1975, has been given a lifetime Dial-A-Ride pass, enabling her to ride for free.
A summary of statistics on the Dial-A-Ride service shows, among other things, that a total of 31,000 persons were carried this past year in its third year of operation.
Dial-A-Ride fares in Arcadia have been lowered by unanimous vote of the City Council as a result of changes in the way the county allocates Proposition A funds. Current fares of $.85 for a regular ride and $.40 for seniors and disabled will be replaced by fares of $.75 and $.25 respectively.
Hoping to improve the Dial-A-Ride system City Council has authorized staff to negotiate a contract with Community Transit Services, Inc., dial-a-ride specialists. The city expects to purchase three vans.
The City Council has extended the operating hours and reduced fares for Arcadia's Dial-A-Ride program. The service is available to anyone within city limits who needs a ride anywhere in town by calling 445-2211.
Arcadia will have to start over again in its effort to secure federal funds for its Dial-A-Ride program. The Urban Mass Transit Authority would not approve the agreement with Community Services because of a protest over bid procedures.
Pat and Paul Leone, who complained to Arcadia City Council about the noise generated by Dial-A-Ride, took their complaint to Temple City Council. Arcadia owns the vehicles but the operator, San Gabriel Transit, is a commercial business in a commercial zone and cannot be forced to leave.
Results of the primary election are discussed. Residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of Proposition B, the advisory measure concerning low rent housing for senior citizens.
Rose Hassing, 27, currently the director of volunteer services for the Pasadena American Red Cross, will become the new senior citizens supervisor for the City of Arcadia as of February 7. She is replacing Betty Harris, who retired in December after 20 years with the city's senior citizens services.
Senior citizens center still faces many, many obstacles. Since the formation of the Arcadia Senior Citizens' Commission in 1978 one of its goals has been to acquire or construct a senior citizens/community center.