Archive: Around Town

(Ithaca, NY)  Gadabout Transportation Services' annual fund-raising campaign is underway, with an eye toward reducing the impact of maintenance costs. The Little Yellow Bus That Can saw a 10 percent increase in the number of miles its buses traveled last year. Gadabout has never had to limit services in more than 30 years of operation and regular, effective maintenance of its fleet is one reason why.

Gadabout's goal for the 2007 fund-raising campaign is $50,000. The monies will go into the agency's operating budget of just over 1 million dollars. Contributions to the annual campaign are tax deductible.

Gadabout Executive Director Judy Willis says, “The contributions we receive during our annual fund-raising campaign go directly toward operating costs such as maintenance and repair of our fleet. That'll be a key expense for us this year, given the fact that we're putting more miles on our buses. That doesn't sound very exciting, but for the people who rely on us for trips to the doctor or grocery store, it's very important.”

Fleet maintenance is a critical part of that infrastructure. Gadabout has 26 buses and provides service 5 days a week. It provides additional service in the evening and on weekends to people with disabilities under the Americans With Disabilities Act. This is done through a contract with Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit. The Gadabout policy is to focus on preventive maintenance as a way of minimizing expensive repair costs.

Like any other vehicle, the more a bus is used the more important maintenance becomes.“We feel like we've reached a milestone”, says Willis. “We began as someone's great idea more than a generation ago and thanks to the belief and support of an entire community, we've become a solid, stable organization that will be here for future generations. The past couple of years tested our mettle just a bit with spiraling fuel and insurance costs and a drop in the number of volunteer drivers, but those situations are under control. Our focus now is on the infrastructure we need to continue providing the level of service the community has come to expect.”    

Gadabout continues to take steps to reduce costs where it can. Staff positions that are vacant due to attrition or temporary leaves of absence are not filled. Staff members working on their own continue to make improvements to the agency's scheduling software, which improves Gadabout's overall efficiency. The agency also continues to devote more time to finding and applying for grant monies.

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