Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Peru Shuttle Bus Hits a Snag
On January 18 of this year the Peru City Council authorized a 2 year lease agreement with Midwest Transit Equipment to lease a 2009 shuttle bus for a monthly payment of 841.00. This is the same company that has been providing the service for the past year and possibly years. The same driver was also agreed upon.
Evidently there was a behind the scenes change and today the bus did not pick up some of the residents who used the service weekly. As they waited for the bus that never came some called the city and they were given a number to call. When the call was made, they were told that the bus did not travel that route and they would have to walk to a main route where they would be picked up. We are talking about people in their 80's and 90's who had been provided transportation until today. It is my understanding that the person whom they were told to call was rude and said something like "thats too bad" about the lack of a bus closer to their homes and that they should call a taxi.
A lot of people are asking tonight, "How could something like this happen" without a public notice of change of services.
We will be waiting for the answers.
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11 comments:
What was the behind the scenes change? I don't understand what was changed and why the residents were not picked up as usual. How could there be a behind the scenes change when it was voted on at a council meeting? I'm confused and I too would like some insight into this situation.
I have in front of me the minutes of the Jan. 18th formal council meeting. A two year lease agreement with Midwest Transit Equipment was approved for the leasing of a shuttle bus for $841 per month. I also have the disbursement report for Feb. 3rd. In it we paid $1,009 to Sovereign Leasing, LLC for a Ford bus. I'm confused.
Questions still remain about the process through which the replacement driver was given the job of driving the bus Tuesday. Was he a temporary replacement or a permanent employee? Was he given a definite route to follow?
Is there a way to notify the weekly riders if there is a problem or if the bus won't be traveling on a particular day? If the job of driving the bus is going to be available, shouldn't it be posted and residents given the opportunity of applying for the position?
I only know that the city council and mayor agreed to keep the same transit company and the same driver on January 18 and that is not what has happened.
Lois: How come the aldermen seem to have to vote on all other issues and employees but apparently they did not vote on this issue? I don't believe it was even discussed at a meeting - was it? Are they even aware that the previous driver has been replaced and by someone who lives in Ottawa?
Lois, when was the two year agreement with Midwest Transit signed? What year?
Since when does the city clerk have the right to sign a contract, fire a person, hire a new one, without the full council voteing on it?????
Anon 5:41 And I also heard without the mayor's knowledge.
The city clerk does not have hiring and firing as one of his duties. He is the keeper of public records for the city. It would seem to me that the Mayor with the approval of the city council has the responsibility for firing one driver and hiring his replacement.
Whatever happened to communication.
I also would say no contract was signed with the new driver. I also understand that our aldermen were not aware of this incident until some of their constituents informed them.
It will be interesting to hear the story behind the story.
At this point, I think this problem is more about the process than about the individuals involved in the situation. Since this is a city leased bus and I assume the driver is paid by the city, perhaps it is time for a specified publicly elected official to find the time to occasionally ride the bus. They would then know what the riders think and if there was a public safety issue involved and if the program is working well.
If the city sponsors a program such as the senior bus program, are they also responsible for keeping it running safely and effectively for the people using it?
Since LaSalle is also involved in the program, do they have any input into who the driver should be and how it is run?
I would still like to know more about the seemingly 2 buses we lease from 2 different companies and why we wouldn't hire from within the city!!
I think that driver they fired, should be given a note of apology, if he'll accept it. I also think there should be a retraction in the news tribune. If this person was an elected official, you could name him, but I feel it was wrong to put his name publicly,out there, ruining his good name. The City of Peru, should get their act together also. If Bartley is doing the hireing and fireing on his own, You may have the need of a good lawyer. just my opinion.
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