Trumbull County to seek bids for senior citizen-only transportation

Staff report

WARREN

The Trumbull County commissioners Thursday authorized seeking bids for $195,000 worth of senior citizen rides with money from the county senior citizens levy.

Mike Salamone, the administrator of the county’s public transportation system, which is called Trumbull Transit, said the goal of the bidding is to offer senior citizens rides separately from Trumbull Transit and to give them options of several companies, if possible, to provide the rides.

Under the current system, $425,000 per year in senior-citizen levy money is used toward operation of Trumbull Transit, which provides rides to people of all ages. That money is paired with federal transportation grants.

Commissioner Frank Fuda says county officials have received numerous complaints in recent years about the quality of the public transportation they have had through Trumbull Transit.

County officials also have been unhappy with the cost of providing rides through Trumbull Transit, which has used Community Busing Services to provide most of the rides.

Diane Siskowic-Jurkovic, Trumbull County county senior levy administrator, and the transportation subcommittee of Trumbull County Senior Services Advisory Committee will make recommendations to the County commissioners regarding the awarding of the contract.