Elgin spends less on Ride in Kane

The city of Elgin is budgeting $100,000 for the Ride in Kane program this year and expects to spend about half that thanks to cost-saving measures implemented last year.

Ride in Kane provides low-cost rides to seniors and people with disabilities in a partnership between Pace Suburban Bus Service and Kane County agencies. The program is funded by a federal grant matched by local money, and the Association for Individual Development administers the funds.

Costs are largely based on the number of trips and total miles driven, Elgin senior planner Dave Waden said.

Elgin ended up spending only $49,686 last year for Ride in Kane; this year's cost is expected to be about $55,000. The city's local match in 2014 was nearly $118,000.

Several council members said they were pleased at the news. "Moderation is the key," Councilman Toby Shaw said.

Data shows the total number of overall riders registered for the program - almost 6,000 by the end of 2011 - dropped by more than 25 percent between January and July 2015, Waden said.

The reduction stemmed from Aurora Township prohibiting social trips, a decrease in job-related trips by AID, and a decrease in riders in Elgin, Waden said. Elgin accounts for an estimated 2,600 riders.

Senior Services Associates works with Elgin participants to make sure they use Ride in Kane when absolutely necessary, Assistant City Manager Rick Kozal said.

The agency helps clients obtain bus passes, Ventra cards and Medicaid-funded transportation, said Wendy Zarate, information and assistance specialist for Senior Services.

Other cost-saving methods included figuring out best routes and doubling up people for trips, said Kathy Hazelwood, vice president of marketing and development for AID.

A consultant hired by the Regional Transportation Authority issued a report in September that further recommended cost-saving methods, such as allowing the use of taxis when cheaper.