The County of San Mateo, through the San Mateo Medical Center’s Ron Robinson Senior Care Center, responded to the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) Lifeline Transportation Program Call for Projects with a request for a wheelchair accessible, small bus, for transporting older adults from their homes to the San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC) for medical and dental appointments and for transporting older adults to and from the Pacific School of Dentistry and associated clinics from SMMC for dental care.
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DISCUSSION:
The San Mateo County Strategic Plan for Accessible Transportation Services identified areas where the existing ADA Paratransit Services are insufficient to meet the needs of the seniors in the County. For example, the fare for public transit presents a hardship for many low-income riders. Also, the allowable time windows within which a patient can be picked up from their residence and dropped off for a medical appointment makes it difficult for patients to get to their appointments on time. Should their appointment be delayed, patients need to leave without being seen. Seniors need a transportation system to be more flexible in design to increase their access to health services.
This project is requesting funding to expand overall access to the medical and dental services provided to patients of SMMC. This will be accomplished through the addition of a medium size bus with the ability to seat ten ambulatory passengers and two wheelchair passengers. Staff will also be hired to drive the van.
In order to finalize and confirm the County’s eligibility to request and receive the funds from MTC, the MTC is requesting a Resolution from your Board attesting to eligibility for the project to request these funds and to meet project delivery and obligation deadlines set for in MTC’s Resolution No. 3726.
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The total cost of the program is $222,000 over a three-year period. The total amount requested from the Lifeline Program is $111,000. The remaining costs will be covered by SMMC’s operating budget. In the first year, the major expense will be the purchase of the vehicle. These funds will come from the Lifeline Project. In Year 2 and Year 3, the expense is in administration and operation. Lifeline funds will be used to offset operating and administrative expenses in Year 2 and Year 3 of the program. The expenses associated with the program are increasingly covered by the Medical Center as expected revenue from patient fees increase.
REVENUE
Year I
Year 2
Year 3
TOTAL
Lifeline Program Funds
$54,000
$40,000
$17,000
$111,000
SMMC
$13,000
$37,500
$60,500
$111,000
TOTAL REVENUE
$67,000
$77,500
$77,500
$222,000
EXPENDITURES
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
TOTAL
Operating Expenses
--0--
$11,700
$11,700
$23,400
Capital Expense
$54,000
--0--
--0--
$54,000
Administrative Expenses
$13,000
$65,800
$65,800
$144,600
TOTAL EXPENSES
$67,000
$77,500
$77,500
$222,000
The transportation expansion will occur once the new vehicle is purchased and placed into operation. San Mateo Public Works estimates this will take nearly ten months once funds are received. A twelve-month budget is presented above to demonstrate the costs of adding this additional vehicle to the fleet.
The purchase of the 12 passenger van/bus with wheelchair capability will necessitate the hiring of a full time driver. A portion of the Transportation Coordinator’s time has also been allocated to the project. Operating expenses include the cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance at $7500 per year and vehicle replacement costs at approximately $4200 per year.
The award will fund the costs of this program for three years. After this period, the costs will be absorbed by the increased revenues due to the Ron Robinson Senior Care Center expansion. There is no net county cost.
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