KULPMONT - Mary Ann Arnoldin, 53, does not have access to private transportation and cannot afford to purchase a new car, so the Kulpmont woman depends on Lower Anthracite Transportation System (LATS) for rides to doctor appointments and grocery stores.
"It's affordable for me," the Kulpmont woman said Friday afternoon at the Kulpmont Senior Action Center after having a discussion with LATS Executive Director Megan Janolek.
An average trip from Kulpmont to Mount Carmel costs $1; from Kulpmont to Wal-Mart in Coal Township, $1.75; Kulpmont to Shamokin, $1.75. The most expensive trip is $2.25 from Shamokin to Mount Carmel, and even that will soon drop to $2.
Arnoldin moved to Kulpmont four years ago from Maryland and has no family living in this area, so she's grateful for the public transportation.
Janolek, who has been executive director for only three months, has been scheduling meetings at each local senior action center once a month to answer any questions riders have,
address any problems, provide information and sign up new riders.
She makes sure riders ages 65 and older are aware they ride for free because of programs subsidized by the Pennsylvania State Lottery. Funding for LATS comes mostly from federal and state grants through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania State Lottery Senior Citizen Free Transit Fund.
LATS provides fixed route public transportation services to the local communities on specific time schedules. It is one of the last programs of its kind in the state, an offshoot of the former Ashland and Shamokin Bus Lines.
Borough Council President Tony Matulewicz said Janolek has met and exceeded expectations since she took over the job from former borough police chief Brian Surock, who held the position for less than a month before he resigned without a reason.
Matulewicz said Janolek is doing an excellent job.
The fiscal year for LATS runs from July to July of each year. By the end of September 2011, total revenue was at $1,698.75 compared to the end of September 2012's revenue total of $2,562. Total paid and free ridership by the end of September 2011 was 4,327, compared to 5,422 at the end of September 2012.
Janolek noted LATS has made more in three months than the old service made in double that time.
"She's doing what was supposed to be done for the last 27 years. She's bringing in more riders, is far more efficient and this is just the beginning," he said.
In addition to visiting the senior action centers, Janolek has been consolidating routes for efficiency and sporadically riding the buses to make sure everything is running smoothly.
Three out of four buses already run Monday through Saturday. Once the routes are consolidated, another Saturday run will be added to the Mount Carmel schedule, she said.
Pending a public hearing yet to be scheduled, Janolek hopes to connect LATS to the Schuylkill Transit System in Ashland by Dec. 1, and is looking into the possibility of scheduling a run to Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg and the Susquehanna Valley Mall in Hummels Wharf.
She has been developing a frequent riders pass in which a rider can purchase a specific number of trips ahead of time, and receive a certain number of trips free of charge.
Children ages 4 and under ride for free while ages 5 to 10 will be half-price, Janolek said.