Jun 16, 2015 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Changes began this week for Greene County’s public transportation system that will result in different scheduling procedures and slightly higher fares.

New transportation software, called Ecolane, will now be used by Greene County Transportation Services for paratransit scheduling and will lead to changes on how and when riders will be picked up and returned home.

The software is part of a statewide initiative to streamline the delivery of shared-ride services, reduce costs and improve efficiencies, according to county Department of Human Services Administrator Karen Bennett.

Bennett said the state was pushing for this software to be used by all transportation services to create cohesion between the regions. The use of Ecolane will change how trips are scheduled and the procedures of trips.

“It’s a push across the state for consistency across all state entities,” Bennett said.

Some fares will be rising because of upfront costs from the system change, although Bennett said they hope to save money over the long-term. Bennett added that the fare increase will affect around 25 percent of their clients.

“We want a smooth seamless transition for the consumer other than a slight fare increase that will be all the change that the consumer will see,” Bennett said. “At the end of the day, it is going to be better.”

Under this new system, ride reservations can be made between 9 and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Calls to schedule appointments must be made by noon the day before the requested ride, and by noon Friday if the requested trip day is Monday. Calls for reservations might take longer than usual as adjustments are made to the new system.

“This is a learning process for everyone,” Bennett said. “Certainly, there will be glitches, but we will work through that.”

For return trips, riders can schedule a specific pick-up time or call when ready, although there may be up to an hour wait for the bus to return.

Riders will also need to know the exact address of their destination and time of appointment when they call, and know the exact time allotted at the destination and have exact change for fare fee. Transportation fares for all riders will be adjusted accordingly. Instead of separate medical and nonmedical rates, all riders will be charged one fare.

Drivers will be given electronic tablets to get rid of last-minute or onboard route changes. This, along with the software will enable the staff to group together riders from the same area and design schedules more efficiently than before.

The Greene County commissioners approved an application sent to the state Department of Transportation last month that outlined the fare adjustment and increase.

“The fare increase is to cover our current cost,” Bennett said. “When we went on the system, we were losing money and we needed to do something.”

PennDOT pays up to 85 percent of the fares through different funding streams. Riders are responsible for the difference in the form of a co-payment. These payments will vary by funding stream and distance to destination.

Registered individuals age 65 and older will still travel at no cost to them to senior centers and adult day cares because of continued sponsorship from Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging. The agency will also continue to sponsor some of the costs of medical trips for the 65 and older individuals.