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From YouTube: This Week in Ames
Description
Tell us what you think! The Demand Response Public Transit Plan for Story County will provide direction for improvements to Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA) services as well as other public transportation options within Story County that do not operate on a fixed route like CyRide. The City of Ames and Story County are seeking to identify gaps or solutions that could be considered as the plan is finalized through the public comment period
A
My
guest
today
is
Melissa.
My
assistant,
see
manager
with
the
city
of
Ames
Melissa.
Welcome
to
the
show,
hey
Susan,
thanks
for
having
me
again,
it's
always
great
to
have
you
and
you
always
have
so
many
projects
on
your
plate,
and
today's
project
is
transportation.
You're
very
involved
in
some
proposed
improvements
and
an
action
plan
involving
herta.
You
talk
to
me
a
little
bit
about
what
this
plans.
B
About
yeah
absolutely
so
the
city
has
a
couple
of
different
transportation
options
that
are
public
transportation
options,
first
being
cyride,
which
is
considered
a
fixed
route
service
and
the
folks
at
cyride
also
help
fund
a
program
called
dial-a-ride.
As
most
of
us
around
here
know
it
and
that's
really
the
Americans,
with
Disabilities
Act
kind
of
parallel,
I
guess
to
the
fixed
route
service
that
cyride
provides
so.
A
B
First,
we
contracted
them
with
the
sideboard
they
contract
with
them
for
services,
for
individuals
who
have
disabilities
and
need
assistance
that
the
traditional
fixed
route
services
wouldn't
work
for,
and
then,
of
course,
we
also
contract
with
them
through
asset,
which
is
our
funding
mechanism
with
our
local
option,
sales
tax
and
we
contract.
For.
B
B
B
But
the
difference
is
a
taxi
is
generally
a
car,
maybe
a
minivan,
without
necessarily
the
assistance
for
someone
who
maybe
needs
a
little
help
getting
in
and
out
of
the
the
vehicle
either
if
they
have
a
wheelchair
or
whatnot
we're
hard
to
make
sure
that
it
is
able
to
provide
those
services
for
those
who
are
disabled,
perhaps
elderly,
and
having
a
little
more
difficulty
getting
around
or
even
for
children
who
need
to
be
taken
to
things
that
are
not
on
the
side,
road
route.
So
so.
A
B
And
it
also
is
considered
a
public
transportation
service
likes
I
ride.
It's
just
that
it's
not
again
on
the
fixed
route
and
the
thing
that
we're
trying
to
learn
about
with
her
too
is
we've
had
some
concerns
from
the
community
about
service
and
we're
trying
to
get
a
better
understanding
of
what
that
really
entails,
and
the
thyroid
board
kind
of
kicked
off
the
process
and
then
storey
County,
the
United
Way
the
GSB
and
then
of
course,
ourselves.
The
city
of
Ames
decided
that
yeah.
B
A
A
B
A
lot
of
folks
I
think
in
the
community
you'll
see
using
it
to
get
to
medical
appointments
or
things
of
that
nature.
Just
because
of
the
fact
that
it,
it
is
a
much
more
proximity
to
where
they
live,
so
that
you
know
they
don't
have
to
walk
as
far
if
they
may
be.
Are
sick
or
whatever's
going
on.
So
it's
much
better
service
for
folks
with
needs
that
are
unique.
B
That
writing
a
fixed
route,
wouldn't
maybe
work
so
well
for,
but
the
fact
of
the
matter
is,
is
because
her
de
is
here
not
only
for
the
disabilities
component
of
it,
but
they're
also
here
as
just
a
regular
transit
service.
So
anyone
can
ride
her
too
in
the
community.
You
don't
have
to
have
a
disability
and
you
don't
have
to
have
a
special
need
of
any
sort
to
be
able
to
ride
it.
There's
just
a
P
and
it's
different
than
house
I
Roy
gets
you
there
so.
B
If
you
live
out
in
the
county
and
you're
coming
in
ames,
there's
a
different
fee
structure
for
that
fees
are
also
varied,
and
that's
one
of
the
confusions
that
we
found
because
thyroid
once
upon
a
time
did
its
dial-a-ride
service
and
those
folks
were
only
the
folks
who
qualified
under
the
Americans
with
Disabilities
Act.
Now,
with
heard
of
being
here,
they
provide,
oh,
not
only
that
service,
but
they
also
provide
that
anyone
can
ride
service.
But
you
have
to,
of
course,
schedule
in
advance
for
the
ride.
B
So
that's
created
a
bit
of
a
confusion
because
folks,
under
certain
federal
waivers,
don't
pay
the
same
amount
as
the
standard.
Her
taffy,
so
you'll
see
people.
When
you
write
a
herd
of
us
very
different
than
cyride,
sometimes
paying
a
different
amount.
Then
you
would
pay
as
a
writer
who
doesn't
maybe
meet
one
of
those
federal
program
thresholds
so
so.
B
A
Any
service
that
we
haven't
in
the
city,
we
always
look
for
ways
to
improve
it.
One
of
the
things
that
you've
been
involved
in
is
basically
looking
at
ways
to
improve
service,
to
identify
potential
challenges
and
to
work
towards
solutions.
There
is
information
about
a
draft
plan
on
our
website
and
what
do
you
hope
people?
What
do
you
want
them
to
do
when
they
read.
B
This
individual
has
been
working
through
with
the
agency's
there's
a
lot
of
agencies
that
use
her
to
get
their
clients
to
and
from
their
services
and
back
to
their
homes
or
wherever
they
are
going
next,
and
so
we're
we're
trying
to
work
with
those
folks
understand
their
needs.
So
we've
done
that
with
a
facilitator.
We've
also
brought
in
herta
and
RSVP,
which
is
another
organization
that
provides
rides
in
the
community
under
a
kind
of
a
similar
premise
as
herta
and
talk
to
them
about
what
their
needs
are.
What
concerns
they
have
challenges
they're
facing.
B
We
brought
them
together
again.
We've
talked
together
about
that
and
we've
come
up
a
list
of
core
areas
where
we
think
we
can
work
on
some
things
and
the
first
one
is
our
partnerships
within
the
community
kind
of
getting
a
better
understanding
what's
available,
and
then
the
next
area
would
be
our
infrastructure,
so
our
buses
sort
of
how
we
interact
with
each
other
on
a
technology
level.
B
Things
of
that
nature,
from
the
transportation
by
writers
to
the
agencies,
but
also
to
the
the
clients
that
that
use,
herta
or
RSVP,
and
then
the
last
component
that
we're
really
trying
to
focus
on
is
some
internal
modifications
with
her
to
be
able
to
help
them
do
their
services
better.
So
what
we're
looking
for
the
last
component,
the
very
critical
component
is
outside
of
the
agencies
and
the
transportation
provider.
Hurt
itself
we'd
like
to
hear
from
folks
who
ride
the
service
here.
B
A
B
A
B
Air
and
I
think
it's
really
critical.
We
use
some
really
specific
language
in
the
plan.
Talking
demand
response.
What
that
simply
means
is
you
call
a
new
schedule
ahead,
unlike
cyride,
so
that's
why
we're
making
that
clarifier.
So
when
you
do
look
at
the
plan
understand
that
the
difference
that
nuance
with
that
the
terminology
just
means
simply,
you
call
ahead,
you
make
a
demand
and
they
respond,
and
so
that
that's
the
critical
part
but
look
through
it
and
beyond
that.
B
A
Plan
is
available
on
our
website
at
city
of
ames,
org,
look
up
in
the
upper
right
hand,
corner
and
the
in
the
spotlight
you'll
see
a
link
to
that
plan
as
well
as
you
can
go
to
city
of
ames.
That
org
slash,
transit
plan
will
get
you
there
as
well.
It's
not
a
real
large
document
and
it's
less
than
fifteen
pages.
Also.
We
have
them
available
hardcopy
at
City,
Hall.
B
Yeah,
absolutely,
we
sure,
do
and
just
a
reminder
that
for
folks
who
maybe
want
to
come,
give
their
information
in
person,
we
will
host
a
public
input
session
which
will
have
folks
to
take
your
comments.
That's
what
those
are
for
we'll
be
sitting
down
in
the
city
council
chambers
on
january
17.
That's
a
saturday
morning
from
eight
thirty
in
the
morning
till
ten-thirty
in
the
morning,
just
watch
for
whether
we
just
had
to
cancel
our
last
one
because
of
the
weather
yesterday.
A
A
Way
to
share
your
thoughts,
mm-hmm
Thank,
You,
Susan,
well,
Melissa,
thanks
for
being
on
the
show,
I'm
sure
this
will
be
of
interest
to
a
lot
of
our
residents,
maybe
who
weren't
aware
of
the
services.
We
want
to
take
a
look
at
that
plan
again,
that
is
on
the
front
of
our
website
at
city
of
ames,
org,
slash,
transit
plan
or
just
look
for
the
in
the
spotlight
and
speaking
of
our
website.
A
If
you
void
or
happy
if
you've
ever
thought,
there
might
be
ways
to
improve
our
city
of
Ames
website,
there's
now
a
survey
on
the
front
of
our
website
that
lets.
You
share
your
thoughts,
we're
going
to
look
at
a
website
redesign
in
the
next
few
months,
and
we
want
to
hear
from
you
tell
us
what
you
like
what
you'd
like
to
see
changed
and
how
we
can
improve.
Well,
that's
our
show
for
today,
thanks
for
watching
and
tune
in
next
week
for
this
week
in
Ames,.