NRoute returning to charter business

Published 12:00 am Thursday, September 24, 2009

NRoute will begin to offer charter service again, but without having to jump through hoops set up by the Federal Transportation Administration.

The NRoute Commission voted 4-0 to resume trip leases of its vans and drivers at its monthly meeting Wednesday. However, to keep the heavily subsidized public system from competing with commercial charter firms, the FTA will require NRoute to notify every private charter service in the country registered with the administration about all prospective charters before they can accept the business.

The new rule applies to any transportation entity that receives federal funds. NRoute receives most of its funding through Mississippi Department of Transportation reimbursements, as well as city and county contributions. About 10 percent of its revenue is generated through fares, leaving 90 percent of costs paid by general tax funds.

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“We can lease our vehicles out for a lot less than they (commercial companies) typically can,” NRoute Executive Director Evelyn Bumpers said.

Any group can hire NRoute for a private charter. A charter is considered a pre-arranged route for a set number of people with no stops for outside service. NRoute charges $50 per hour, per bus, with groups required to book each bus for a minimum of two hours.

NRoute had offered charter service from its inception in June 2006 through April of this year, when its charter certification with the Mississippi Department of Transportation expired. Bumpers said MDOT no longer certifies charter companies, leaving NRoute no choice but to comply with FTA regulations if it wants to offer charters.

Bumpers said she will compile an e-mail list of the roughly 200 private charter companies across the country registered with FTA, and create a standard letter of notice to send out in the event someone wants to hire a charter locally. Any of the registered private charter companies will have the option of taking the charter contract before NRoute if they can offer an equal or better price.

However, Bumpers said there are only a few such companies in the state and none in Vicksburg. Private charter companies currently operate in McComb, Oxford, Ridgeland, Corinth, Ocean Springs and New Albany, she said.

NRoute has historically done very little charter business — sometimes not even getting one charter per month — but Bumpers said it is a service she would like to offer the community if possible.

FTA rules will require NRoute to send a letter of notice to the list of private charter companies at least 30 days before the bus is to run. In turn, Bumpers said NRoute will now require a 30-day notice from groups who wish to charter a bus.

A federal grant of $1 million was used to start the transportation system as an official department of the City of Vicksburg and purchase a fleet of six vehicles. NRoute has since become an independent entity, and has expanded to include 11 buses and nine routes. It has averaged about 4,800 riders per month over the past year.

Commissioners Mark Buys, Don Brown, Diane Gawronski and Alvin Taylor attended the meeting, as did Bumpers and commission attorney Landy Teller. The commission is scheduled to meet again at 5 p.m. Oct. 28, at 2501 Halls Ferry Road.

In other business Wednesday, the commission:

• Received a request for advertising from Mark Jones, organizer of the V105.5 Christmas Caroling Contest.

• Discussed ongoing negotiations with Alcorn State University to establish a daily route to the university from Vicksburg.

• Approved becoming a member of the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce at a $400 annual cost, reimbursed by MDOT at 80 percent.

• Elected the following slate of officers effective through Jan. 27: John Wayne Jabour, president; Diane Gawronski, vice president; and Alvin Taylor, secretary.

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Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com