Recently, at a Westchester County Board of Legislators (BOL) meeting, Legislator David Tubiolo (Yonkers, Mount Vernon) and his colleagues authorized funding to replace outdated Para-Transit Vehicles.

According to Department Heads, the current Para-Transit fleet of approximately 100 vehicles, plus an additional 40 vehicles with Para-Taxi, has slowly deteriorated over time.

“Para-Transit has a fleet of 100 vehicles completing an average of 1,100 to 1,500 trips per day with over 7,300 unique users,” said Tubiolo, a member of the Legislature’s Public Works Committee which oversees transportation. “Historically, Para-Transit trips have grown by approximately 3% per year. However, recently the number of trips has grown by 6%. In 2016 there were 295,000 trips, in 2017 roughly 312,000 trips, about 320,000 in 2018 and projected to be over 330,000 trips in 2019,” Tubiolo stated.

Tubiolo, who chairs the BOL’s Committee on Seniors & Constituencies, noted that the authorized funding will be used to replace 12 vehicles with more fuel efficient and cost efficient vehicles, benefitting the environment as well as the taxpayers.

There are 8 vehicles of 2016 Ford E-350 Vans and 4 of 2016 Dodge Caravans, with upgrades to the camera systems (wireless downloading) and to the Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) systems with 4G communication standards. Both sets of vehicles are hybrids, which are more cost-effective and fuel-efficient. The caravans are able to sit 5 passengers, while the vans are able to seat 6 passengers with ambulatory wheel chair lift and accommodations. The vans are also retrofitted specifically for becoming handicapped accessible for the public.

"There is a steady increase and utilization of unique ridership, much of it driven by our senior community, along with our disabled residents, we’re becoming more accessible,” said Tubiolo. “The county through the exceptional work of the Office for People with Disabilities, provides a great service to our residents with a fixed pricing of $5 per ride, for curb-to-curb service. I’m also ecstatic that our new vehicles will be more environmentally friendly, lessening our carbon foot-print on the world.”

Joseph ‘Bud’ Nicoletti, First Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Public Works & Transportation (DPW&T) said, “We’re excited to be purchasing these new hybrid vehicles, which are at the forefront of fuel efficiency and emission reduction and with our specifications, these vehicles would be available to other municipalities that are interested in paratransit”.

Tubiolo also noted that nearly 45% of the 7,300 unique riders are senior citizens who utilize Para-Transit 7 days per week for visits to the doctor, family, friends, grocery store, movies, senior centers and more. “This helps our seniors to remain independent and vibrant. Para-Transit in our county proudly goes above and beyond the required ¾ mile distance of a bus route, which once again gives seniors flexibility and freedom and helps fight senior isolationism,” Tubiolo concluded.

The County’s Department of Public Works & Transportation (DPW&T) will be purchasing the 12 vehicles.

Evan Latainer, Director of the Office for People with Disabilities said, “The addition of the new vehicles continues to allow Para-Transit the opportunity in maintaining our mission of providing exemplary public transportation services to the disabled community of Westchester County”.

Para-Transit is a public transportation, which provides service for those who are unable to utilize the regular fixed bus service. Para-Transit is designed for persons with disabilities and our senior community, since seniors often experience limitations that make it difficult to use regular bus service.

For more information on Para-transit: Call (914) 995-7272 or visit their website at http://disabled.westchestergov.com/