Dial-a-ride need outpaces funding in Dundee Township

Dundee Township officials said they can't afford to provide dial-a-ride services for the more than 150 elderly and disabled residents sitting on a waiting list.

"We're scrambling and looking for ways to increase the service," said Sue Harney, township supervisor.

The Ride in Kane program in Dundee Township offers door-to-door transportation for about 280 qualified township residents, Harney said. For $4 per ride, individuals who are unable to drive themselves can reserve taxis and buses for rides to medical appointments, jobs or for community access.

With federal grants and a contribution from Pace Suburban Bus, the program's overall expenses came out to more than $158,000 for fiscal year 2014-15, with the township paying $45,997 of the total cost.

To fund rides for the remaining people on the waiting list, the township projected it would have to spend an additional $45,000 per year.

"Our board is very committed to this program," Harney said. "The sentiment is we're pretty much at the limit with what the township can afford."

When Ride in Kane began in 2007, the villages of Carpentersville, East Dundee, West Dundee and Sleepy Hollow, as well as the Dundee Township Park District, made financial contributions, according to data compiled by the township. That fiscal year, the program received $55,400 total in local funding, with Dundee Township paying $24,650 of that cost.

Two years later, local municipalities began dropping their share of the costs, saying they couldn't afford to sponsor the program, Harney said. By fiscal year 2013-14, the township was the only local sponsor of the program.

Because more than half of the program's clients come from Carpentersville, the village has started working with the township to come up with possible ways to shorten the waitlist, Harney said.

More than half the individuals on the waitlist are also Carpentersville residents.

"It's a worthy program and needs more attention to address the needs of our residents," said Village Manager Mark Rooney, though he declined to comment on specific cost-saving solutions.

Harney said the township will continue to seek additional funding and cost-saving efforts.

Providing this service for the residents who need it is critical for them and their caregivers, she said.

For example, someone with a disability who can work but can't drive would be able to get to and from their job by themselves, Harney said.

"We see families saying, 'If my family member can't get to their job, I will have to quit my job or reduce my hours in order to take care of them,' " she said. "These residents who qualify (for the program) can't stay home by themselves day after day. It's problematic for them."

Additionally, the program offers a safe method of transportation for seniors who are on the edge of not being able to drive, Harney said.

"The quality of life and mental health benefits are enormous," she said. "It's extremely important that this service continue and that we remove these people from the waiting list."