Advisory Board
The Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority Advisory Board met Friday, September 22, 2017 at 9:45 AM in the offices of the Transit Authority, 11 A Street, Edgartown. Present were Alice Butler (Oak Bluffs), John Alley (West Tisbury), Lenny Jason (Chilmark), Lou Paciello (Edgartown). Also present were Angela Grant (VTA) and Lois Craine (VTA). Absent was Jay Grande, (Tisbury).
The meeting was called to order at 9:46AM
Meeting Minutes June 16, 2017
Mr. Alley moved to accept the minutes of December 16, 2016 and Mr. Jason seconded.
June Manning (Aquinnah) joined the meeting at 9:58AM.
Ridership through August 2017
Ms. Grant advised the Board that ridership for FY 17 was down .4% due to wet Spring weather. FY 18 is down slightly to date.
Draft Financial statements through June 30, 2017
Financial reports through June 30, 2017 with prior year comparisons were distributed and Ms. Grant advised that the year will end under budget with overall revenue and expenses up with additional service hours. The contract with M.V.R.H.S. saw an increase. Purchased transportation and salary, wages and fringe benefits were all up. The FY 18 RTA line item in the State Budget will mean about a $100,000 operating loss for the VTA. A supplemental budget is through the House and will go to the Senate. The off season schedule will be adjusted and realigned as recommended in the Regional Transit Plan study. Operations expenses are up due to increasing traffic as more equipment is needed to maintain schedules. More data is being collected to look for solutions. Uber may be having an impact on ridership also.
Capital Projects Update
Ms. Grant reported that two 30 foot and two 35 foot buses have been ordered for FY 18 delivery with funding from the State. An RFP for solar canopies and storage is in progress. A grant has been awarded by FTA to MassDot and VTA to fund two more low or no emission buses and half the cost of an energy storage unit.
Mr. Jason asked about the drivers’ Union status. Ms. Grant replied that a hearing is still pending in an Atlanta court.
Ms. Grant asked Ms. Craine to update the Board on the Cape Area Medivan as the vehicle acquired by the VTA to start a Cape Area Medivan service to take island residents to medical appointments on the Cape has not yet been used. Ms. Craine reported that the service is to be operated by M.V.Center 4 Living with other elderly and disabled advocates and the Wampanoag Tribe but that the group has yet to collectively get the program up and running and provide Ms. Grant with an operating plan that is adequate and sustainable. Mr. Jason made a motion that the Board will consider whether to take the vehicle back if it is not operating as planned by the next VTA Board meeting. Mr. Alley seconded.
The meeting adjourned at 10:26AM