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accessible vehicles HCEOC has although she believes they are required to have <br />at least twelve. <br /> <br />C. Cholas <br /> thanked Tiffany and is grateful that there has been a lot of progress. <br />The Shared Ride Taxi program has proven to be really helpful. Having lifts on <br />the buses on the Hele-On is great. Back in 1997 there was only one bus with lifts <br />and you had to call and find out when it would come around your area. So I think <br />when we’re talking about pukas in the programs, we’re still seeing there are <br />needs like getting to the airport or having more wheelchair accessible means for <br />getting around for individuals. <br /> <br />W. <br />One thing as being the attorney assigned to the Transportation Commission, <br />Brilhante <br />says the Transportation Commission is ultimately the entity that <br />approves these taxi licenses or certificates. And that’s one of the things that the <br />commissioners always raise is the possibility of a new applicant, a new taxi cab <br />operator providing or engaging or agree to engage in the Shared Ride Taxi <br />program and especially the issue of providing disability transportation. It’s a <br />primary area that gets discussed with every applicant that comes in front of the <br />board. <br /> <br />From what I see on my side is that it’s hard to regulate a private entity when it <br />comes to just the taxi cab operator. Where do you set the standards of the <br />regulations to ensure that that van will meet all the possible uses for an ADA <br />accessible vehicle? That’s the concern. Right now there’s nothing on the books <br />as it relates to that. Maybe that’s something that needs to be ferreted out, or a <br />more detailed look to be placed to that issue. The County relies heavily on <br />HCEOC and those vehicles associated with that entity as it relates to its disability <br />transit. I hope you don’t get the sense that the County or the Transit Agency is <br />opposed to providing disability accessible transportation. That’s one of the areas <br />that we’re always looking to provide better service for. <br /> <br />P. AugheT. Kai <br /> had some questions about the Shared Ride Taxi program which <br />and W. Brilhante <br /> answered. Besides the vouchers, Mass Transit supplements <br />the rest of the cost for the taxi. There is a contract that’s made between the taxi <br />cab and the County Mass Transit. Pauline was wondering if when they are <br />applying, maybe say to be contracted with the County, in five years or so, we <br />would like to see this progress moving forward and the standard used is ADA <br />W. Brilhante <br />accessible taxi cabs. According to the problem is that participation <br />in the shared ride program is voluntary. We can’t force any operator to <br />participate in that program. So, if the operator looks at it and as a private <br />business person, determines this is not financially feasible, they will not <br />participate. The fact is that we’re losing more participants or operators as <br />opposed to people wanting to sign up. <br /> <br />J. Mancini <br /> wanted to know if incentives are offered. Bill stated that the fares are <br />subsidized, but not for obtaining a wheelchair accessible vehicle which Pauline <br />inquired about. <br /> <br /> <br />4 <br /> <br />