Senior citizens and disabled people in Elmhurst might have yet another alternative source of transportation.
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Members of the City Council’s Public Affairs and Safety Committee said Monday that they will consider a proposal from Auto-Ride Cab Co. to subsidize a program that would offer seniors and disabled residents half-price rides throughout the county.
The curb-to-curb service, backed by the county’s Inter Agency Paratransit Coordination Council, would offer qualified residents $5 vouchers at half-price and let riders use its special paratransit van at any time as long as they could allow for a half-hour lag time, officials said.
But many of the nearly 30 seniors who attended Monday’s meeting said they wanted the city to continue supporting the Range of Motion pickup service, a private company that transports Elmhurst seniors and disabled people anywhere in the county for a much lower fare than a half-price cab ride. Drivers of Range of Motion’s five vehicles respond to a call without the need for lag time and always assist physically disabled passengers, supporters said.
Although the city subsidizes Range of Motion for two days a week, supporters said they would rather see that subsidy increased to allow more scheduled days of service than adding the paratransit service. Officials said they worried that not enough people have been using Range of Motion.
Committee chairwoman Ald. Susan Rose said officials will discuss the issue again April 27.