August 19, 2014

Rep. Takano Releases Report on Public Transportation in Riverside County for Seniors and Disabled

Washington DC – Earlier this morning, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) released a report titled “Public Transportation In Riverside County: How to Break Down Barriers to Access for the Disabled and Elderly” during an event with the Riverside Transit Agency about the RTA’s Travel Training Program. The report details the difficulty seniors and disabled residents in Riverside County have while using public transportation.
 
Some key finding in the report:
  • By 2015, more than 15.5 million Americans 65 and older will live in areas with very poor public transportation options or none whatsoever.
    • In the Riverside-San Bernardino Metro Area, 69 percent of seniors will have poor transit access by 2015.
  • In the 28 largest metropolitan areas, working families spend about 57 percent of their incomes on the combined costs of housing and transportation. In the Inland Empire, the average is slightly higher.
    • Working families in Riverside and Moreno Valley spend nearly 60% of their incomes on housing and transportation combined. In Perris, families spend around 58% of their household income.
During the event, Rep. Takano touted the effectiveness to the RTA’s Travel Training Program saying, “This report details the difficulties disabled residents and the elderly have using the public transportation system in Riverside. Luckily, the RTA has taken an active approach in educating riders with its Travel Training Program, which has generated 110,000 trips since its inception two and a half years ago.  However, this is still much more to be done. By implementing several of the policy recommendations in my report, we can begin to increase access for those who need public transportation the most.”
 
“RTA’s Travel Training Program is empowering customers and giving them the confidence they need to travel independently,” said RTA Chairman of the Board Jeff Comerchero. “It’s a game-changer in our campaign to get more seniors on the bus.”
 
Policy recommendations in the report:
  • Restore bus and bus facilities funding
  • Create more incentives to coordinate Housing and Transit
  • Expand Travel Training Program Funding
  • Implement the RIDE Act
  • Implement the Safe Streets Act