Owasso explores options for public transportation
Jeanette North |
By Sara Plummer World Staff Writer
4/25/2007 6:01 AM
Pelivan Transit presents its services at public hearing April 20 at city hall.
Several agencies in Owasso are hoping they can raise funds to bring Pelivan Transit to the city.
Pelivan offers transportation to workplaces, doctor's offices, grocery stores and appointments for a small fee. Pelivan is operated by Grand Gateway Economic Development Association based in Big Cabin.
"This is not mass transit, " said Jeanette North, executive director of Owasso Community Resources.
North's organization and other groups such as Rejoice Church give people rides to and from job and doctors' appointments. North said it started out as a small service and has become too much for the Owasso nonprofit agency to handle.
North said that is when she found out about Pelivan, a nonprofit organization that offers transportation services through federal grants.
In order for Pelivan to begin, Owasso must provide matching funds for the awarded grants.
The funds can come from the city, senior residences, corporations, hospitals and individual donations.
During a public hearing April 20 at Owasso City Hall, Debra McGlasson, Pelivan Transit director,
said if Owasso runs one van, the city must come up with approximately $38,000. If it runs two vans, the matching funds would be approximately $75,000.
The fee to ride the van would be $1.75 for people ages 60 and older and $2 for people under 60.
If passengers needed to go outside the Owasso city limits, the fare would be 50 cents a mile in addition to the fee, McGlasson said.
If Owasso can forward a letter of intent to Pelivan by Wednesday and raise the matching funds during the summer, Pelivan can start operating Oct. 1. If not, it will be a year before Owasso can apply again.
Pelivan has been operating in Claremore since 1998. Rex Allen is office manager and dispatcher in Claremore.
"We are exceptionally busy, " Allen said.
The Claremore Pelivan can run up to six vans in one day.
"We average 150 (people) a day, and we run six days a week, " Allen said.
He said people of all ages use the transit.
"We haul them to Wal-Mart, that's one of our big ones, " he said. "The younger generation thinks it's just for senior citizens. We're for all ages. It's public transportation. "
For more information, call Jeanette North at 272-4969.
By Sara Plummer World Staff Writer
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