InterUrban increasing fees

Due to cuts in funding and increasing costs, LifeStream Services Inc. announced it will be increasing rates for its New InterUrban bus services starting in March.
The company, which operates van and bus service in Jay, Blackford, Delaware, Grant, Henry and Randolph counties, said the increases are necessary in order to continue to provide the service.
Per trip rates will increase to $2.50 for people age 60 and older and $4 for ages younger than 60, up from $2 and $3 respectively. Monthly passes will also increase to $25 for 60 and up and $33 for younger than 60, up from $20 and $25, respectively.
LifeStream, however, will offer a Family Multi-Pass for families requiring two or more monthly passes, with a discount of $5 for the second needed pass and $10 off normal price for any more needed after that.
The rate increase will be effective March 1.
“We appreciate those who currently enjoy our transportation service, but we were just not able to continue service at the previous rate,” said vice president of operations Jim Allbaugh, in a press release. “…We were just not able to overcome funding cuts at the State, a decrease in county support levels, and the cost of fuel.”
New InterUrban provided a total of 46,784 trips to 955 riders in its seven-county region between July 1 and Dec. 31. In that time period, 17,024 (36.4 percent) of those trips originated in Jay County among 157 riders, 66 of whom were age 60 or older.
The New InterUrban also provides transport services for Jay-Randolph Developmental Services and is frequently utilized by Jay Schools students.
Although JRDS utilizes the service to get clients to the work centers and back home, Jay-Randolph director Ruth Ann Widman said the increase won’t affect the organization.
“It doesn’t affect us,” she said. “We have a contract for services.”
Jay County has supported the New InterUrban program, but the county had to cut back the amount paid to LifeStream this year due to budget constraints. The Jay County Commissioners previously paid $50,000 but the amount was trimmed to $40,000 by the Jay County Council during budget preparations in summer 2010.
“It’s a good service for us,” said commissioners’ president Milo Miller Jr. Thursday. “It’s good for the elderly people on a day like today, and with the way gasoline prices are going up, I’d hate to see them do away with it.”
Miller said he would have liked to continue to fund the service at the previous $50,000 but understood the council’s need to trim back the budget.
Miller, however, said if it came down to it he would “rather do without something else to try to keep that.”[[In-content Ad]]