Senior coupon program receives more money

The Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority announced Thursday it had received approval of an additional $15,000 in funding for its popular senior coupon program from the Senior Citizens' Services Fund Board.

The senior coupon program allows seniors to purchase a $3 coupon for a one-way ride to anywhere in the county on the authority's point-to-point taxi system called Demand Response. The transit authority had initially received $45,000 for the year from the senior citizens' board, but that money has been practically used up as of Thursday, according to Tom Mogelnicki, executive director for the authority.

Mogelnicki made the announcement at the authority's Thursday transit authority board meeting.

Mogelnicki said he, board member Bill Berry and Danielle Waites, the authority's business and finance director, approached the senior citizens' board Monday to request the money. Mogelnicki said he received a letter in response to his request Wednesday that said the senior board had approved an additional $15,000.

"We're very happy with that, and I applaud them for doing that," Mogelnicki said.

Mogelnicki said he hopes the money lasts until October, but he said it was difficult to project costs in the transit business because costs change on a daily basis.

"It will not get us through the rest of the year," Mogelnicki said at the meeting. "But it's a start."

One of the ways Mogelnicki hoped to extend the life of the additional money was to reduce the number of coupons seniors could purchase per month. Seniors will only be allowed to purchase six coupons per month.

"That'll help spread it out," Mogelnicki said.

Dale Rauh, chairman of the senior citizens' board, was unavailable Thursday for comment on the senior board's decision.

In the transit authority board meeting, Mogelnicki said the senior citizens' board had approved the funding because of the program's popularity. According to information presented to the transit authority board Thursday, use of senior coupons has increased from 123 coupons used in June 2007 to 922 coupons used in May 2008.

The coupons allow seniors "to ride very economically," he said, referring to seniors and their use of the program.

tthomas@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 197

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