Walnut City Council to Consider Dial-A-Cab Fee and Use Changes

Residents who use the city of Walnut’s Dial-A-Cab program may see some changes in cost and service.

The Walnut City Council on Wednesday night will consider a proposal to increase rates for riders and limit the use of the program to seniors and the disabled.  Walnut’s program currently allows the general public to use it.

The taxi service has been provided for Walnut residents since 1996.  The program is popular, which is one of the issues.

“Due to the success of the program and increased ridership, there have been budget overrun costs for the past two years,” city staff wrote in a report to the council members.

The program gets an annual allocation of $350,000 in restricted Metropolitan Transit Authority Proposition A funds.  Walnut’s Dial-A-Cab’s cost overruns prompted the city council to appropriate an additional $4,000 in fiscal year 2011-12 from those funds and $20,000 for 2012-13, according to staff. 

Tapping additional Proposition A funds negatively affects other programs that also rely on that same pot of money, staff said.

Walnut currently charges by ridership category.  Seniors and the disabled pay $1 for a one-way ride within the city and $1 for up to five miles outside of the city.  Seniors also pay $2 for a trip to Ontario Airport. The general public also pays $1 in town but $2 for up to five miles beyond the Walnut borders.  These fees are in place but have never been formally established by city council resolution, according to staff. 

At the May 8 budget workshop, council members and staff discussed the cost overruns associated with the program and a proposal to limit the rides to seniors and the disabled.

They also talked about Walnut’s rates compared to surrounding cities. 

The city of Diamond Bar limits its program to seniors and the disabled and charges 50 cents for an in-town ride, $3 for up to five miles outside the city, $1.50 to $2.50 per additional mile for rides to nearby medical centers and doctor’s offices, and $10 for one-way for a trip to Ontario Airport.

San Dimas, like Walnut, services seniors, the disabled, and the general public. 

The city charges $1.50 for seniors and the disabled for rides in town and $3 for the general public.  Seniors and the disabled pay $1.50 for rides within five mile of the city and $4.50 for trips to nearby medical centers and doctor’s offices.  The general public may not get rides outside the city limits unless they are to local medical centers or doctor’s offices, which cost $4.50.

“Despite the proposed rate adjustment of the Walnut Dial-A-Cab program, the ridership rates will continue to be well below market value and in line with two other regional jurisdictions (the city of Diamond Bar and the city of San Dimas) that offer a similar Dial-A-Cab program,” staff wrote.

The Walnut City Council meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 21201 La Puente Road.